.
Tomb Raider 1 Gold
Experts Walk Through Checklist
Includes Tomb Raider 1 and Tomb Raider Unfinished Business
Other Tomb Raider 1 help
Purpose: Minimalist help via hints and a
chronological list of items and events. Designed to be read in advance without
giving away to much of the game. You do the exploring, this will help make sure
you don't miss anything. Also known as an experts walk through.
Tomb Raider 1 - checklist and hints
By John T Burt, Copyright August 1998
There is also a spoiler file on how to find the secrets. The secrets are important in TR1 because most of the ammunition and health packs are found with them.
Click here to go to the Tomb Raider index page.
0 - Cheat Codes & others.
The All Weapons/Ammo cheat code is the only one I used. With it I had no
trouble staying alive and finding enough health packs.
During play, go to the Inventory screen,
For the NTSC version: enter L1, Tri, R2, L2,
L2, R2, Cir, L1 (USA PlayStation)
For the PAL version: enter L1, Tri, L2, R2, R2,
L2, Cir, L1
Lara will sigh if you get it right. Exit and go back to the inventory to see
the change.
Saves: - In Tomb Raider 1, you can only save when you find a blue diamond shaped gem floating in the air. They tend to be between areas- either
right after a difficult area, before a difficult area, or before a point at
which you cannot go back. But sometimes, it is possible to reach the crystal
before you really need to or should use it. I've tried to indicate those places
in the checklist.
Weapons use: - All weapons and ammo are lost at the end of level 12 but you get it all back in level 13. The only ammo that needs to be conserved is for the shotgun. The shotgun is necessary to quickly chase away the unkillable assailant and to kill cat mummies and red horses when you can't kill them from a distance. Thirty blasts from the shotgun is also the best way to killing the beast at the start of level 15.
Hint: - You can jump over dart guns.
Secret: - There are two secrets before you reach the first switch.
Hint: - The best way to go up ledges, walls and blocks is with the
forward and action key combination because Lara can go higher than with the
jump, action and forward combination.
Hint: - One secret involves jumping on a ramp and then off while Lara is
sliding. There are lots of moves like that in the game. The other involves a
going up a wall tall wall.
Save: - There is one save crystal on this level after the suspension
bridge room.
Hint: - Kill the animals from above when you can. Listen for them
coming.
Secret: - There is another secret accessible from the hanging gardens
room which also has a switch.
Map of the City of Vilacabamba (the first swim)
There is lots to do before the first save crystal.
Hint: - There are a lot of animals in the first room. If you don't go
looking for them, most will leave ignore you. Either way they are not a
problem.
Secret: - There are two secrets accessible from the first pool room.
Hint: - The underwater swims are tricky, involve two switches and there
is no air initially one direction. Explore slowly, going back to get air and
repeating till you have it figured out.
Hint: - Explore the underwater right turn first.
Save: - The first save crystal is reached a ways inside the locked
room
Inventory: - You should have found a key and an idol by the time you
reach the first save crystal.
Save: - There is a save crystal at the end of three door temple room
which starts with 5 wolves.
Hint: - In the bear pool room, swim first, shoot later.
Secret: - There is one secret accessible from the bear pool room.
Hint: - Go down stream (right) first.
Hint: - The only important place the rock cave leads to is the lost
valley which is lush green.
Inventory: - Be sure to find three gears before leaving the lost
valley.
Hint: - The gears are really hard to see. If you find a different
colored square, check it out.
Save: - There are two save crystals at the far end of the lost
valley.
Secret: - There are three secrets accessible in the lost valley.
Hint: - You can walk on the shallow stream bottoms (flowing water) even
if you have to climb, jump, hang, shimmy or drop to them. Remember this for
other levels too.
Hint: - Roofs are not off limits and there are places to climb inside
some of the caves.
Hint: - If you are not using the weapons cheat code, climb in one of the
caves on the right side to kill the big beast from safety. There's only one.
Otherwise, use the magnums.
Hint: - Kill all the animals first, then find things
Hint: - Once you have everything, head upstream.
Save: - There is a save crystal at the start of the upstream part of
this level.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the gears area and another
from the dam area.
Hint: - The exit from the level is from the waterfall pool area.
Hint: - Pull the lever first. Be ready!
Inventory: - The purpose of the first area is to open three gates. After
that you can leave.
Save: - From the save crystal there are three tunnels. Each can kill
you. You decide when to save.
Hint: - The tunnels can be done in any order. Watch our for the break
away floor in the 'fish' tunnel (right).
Hint: - Have your guns ready when you approach the switch in the
'circle' tunnel (center).
Hint: - The first switch does not need to be pulled till after the
second switch is pulled in the 'bird' tunnel (left).
Save: - There is another save crystal at the start of the next
section.
Secret: - There are two secrets accessible from the same 'area' which is
accessible from the dart / stairs / statue room.
Hint: - You can safety drop to spikes by hanging from the edge, and
shimmying till Lara's shadow is in a clear space.
Hint: - Things start falling apart, dropping and rolling after you pick
up the scion in pedestal room.
Save: - There is a final save crystal after the scion room and before
the next area.
Secret: - There is another secret accessible from the pool.
There is really a lot before the first save.
Hint: - Hop onto the left or right ledge for safety.
Hint: - The omega symbols are switches, stand on them, push blocks on
them, etc.
Hint: - The shooting man cannot be killed, he runs away. Sometimes he
can be followed through otherwise closed doors.
Secret: - There is one secret accessible from the pillar room. Getting
it requires jumping on and off slide ramps and hanging from ledges.
Important: - The long ramp exit from the first rooms is one way only.
You cannot go back and it gives you only one shot at a secret.
Secret: - There are two secrets accessible from the water room, one from
the water and one from the ramp. The one from the ramp involves sliding,
jumping to another short slide below the end of the long slide, and jumping
over the water to a walkway. The trick is jumping soon enough so Lara does not
overshoot and land in the water and late enough so she doesn't bump her head on
the ceiling and land back on the ramp.
Hint: - Swim first before pulling any levers.
Important: - Once you let the water out and drop down, there is no way
to go back up.
Hint: - The crocodile is not fast and you can out swim it if
necessary.
Save: - The save point is finally reached after the water room and at
the top of the Eischer room (my name).
Save: - There are four save crystals in the Eischer room, four deadly
rooms, and a few other deadly features.
Hint: - Look up at the door names as you go down the room.
Hint: - One way to do the Eischer room is to work your way down,
throwing all the switches, noting the save crystals and then save at the
bottom. Then go up checking out the opened rooms and saving when you are feel
appropriate.
Hint: - Save when you have all the keys.
Secret: - The Eischer room has one secret and two ways to get it.
Hint: - Stop by the switch that opens Thor's door. The gray square
across the gap is a switch that opens a door at the bottom. Hurry! If you can't
manage that, remember what I said about following bad guys.
Hint: - Thor's hammer falls hard. One lightning strike equals one half
of a life.
Hint: - Walk in Damocles.
Hint: - Neptune's water initially has a current and there is no air.
Hint: - Atlas' rolling ball can go over your head.
Inventory: - You should find four keys in the Eischer room.
Switch / door sequence (might not be 100% correct)
Level #
|
Door
|
Door Levers
|
Saves
|
Floor Switch
|
top 1
|
Neptune
|
|
Yes (used)
|
|
2
|
|
Thor
|
|
Yes
|
3
|
Atlas
|
Damocles
|
Yes
|
|
4
|
Thor
|
|
Yes
|
|
5
|
Damocles
|
Neptune
|
Yes
|
|
6
|
|
Atlas
|
Yes
|
|
bot 7
|
|
|
|
|
Secret: - The location of the first secret can be barely seen from a
ledge above the Colosseum entrance.
Hint: - The correct route can also be seen from up there.
Secret: - A secret is hidden in the vicinity of the room with the
crocodile pit.
Hint: - The first switch is optional.
Hint: - Beware the unkillable assailant.
Save: - There is a save crystal in the left pit in the arena floor.
Hint: - You can do a safety drop to the pit of spikes if Lara's shadow
is in a safe place between the spikes.
Hint: - The normal place to go first in the arena is the open tunnel to
the left. But it is not the only way to go. In fact I think it can be skipped
altogether which also avoids the room with two gates and a difficult timed
run.
Save: - There is a save crystal in the pit on the right side also.
Save: - There is a save crystal in the living quarters overlooking the
arena.
Hint: - You must use the movable block in the living quarters.
Hint: - The first door that opens is in the first corner room. Beware
rolling balls.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible in the room with all the
platforms. Walk around the floor till you hear a door open. If you move and
look, Lara can see the door. Listen to how fast it closes! Getting there
involves multiple instantaneous jumps with no hesitation and a short run. There
is zero tolerance for mistakes. A new weapon is there if you are not using the
cheat code.
Hint: - The water in the last corner room is not a problem.
Inventory: - Before you leave the last corner room, you should have a
key.
Save: - The door opened from the last corner room has another save
crystal behind it.
Hint: - Look up when swimming in the water off of the living
quarters.
Hint: - It's handy to first go through all the initial areas and kill
the animals and pull the levers, but it is not necessary.
Hint: - The main action takes place in the big room with the tall square
posts and the platform with five levers.
Hint: - Pay attention to the writing above the doors.
Hint: - The rooms behind the doors can be done in any order.
room 1:
Hint: - In the room with the fire posts and the water, an alternative to
jumping past the fires before they ignite is to creep, run, jump or shimmy past
them on one edge. You'll loose life but will survive.
Save: - There is a save before and after the fire posts
Inventory: - Don't forget to get the lead brick.
room 2:
Hint: - The room with the giant pillar leads to a much larger area.
Hint: - Movable blocks are sometimes switches all by themselves.
Save: - There is a save about 1/4 of the way through the giant pillar
room area.
Hint: - Explore the top of the T shaped pool first.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the T shaped pool.
Hint: - To get it, just keep jumping till Lara hits the wall.
Secret: - You should find another secret on the way down into the
building under the T shaped pool. Once down you can't get back up.
Hint: - Watch out for the breakaway floor at the top of the cave out of
the building. You've come a long way and probably don't want to go around
again.
Hint: - You can slide down the ramp safely.
Hint: - Follow the route to the broken pillar room. Don't fall off or
get eaten. It's even farther to repeat now.
Hint: - Don't miss the jump in the broken pillar room or you'll have to
take the long trip again.
Hint: - The water is a simple swim.
Save: - You will find the save for the end of the giant pillar room area
a short ways after the swim.
Inventory: - You should have another lead brick by the time you reach
the next save.
room 3:
Hint: - The pillar and spike room is fairly routine, don't forget the
movable block.
Inventory: - Don't forget the lead brick.
Save: - There is a save early in the room, but it is the only one.
room 4:
Save: - There is a save off the room with the wrap around stairs.
Hint: - Did you find the brick sockets? Remember that Midas' touch turns
things to gold.
Hint: - The slide opened by the brick sockets is safe.
Hint: - To get in the garden room you have to use a switch at the back
of the broken pillar room.
Save: - There is a save crystal at the back of the broken pillar room
too.
Hint: - The Midas room is accessible from the garden room.
Save: - There is a save crystal in the Midas room too.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the garden room. The lever
to get at the secret is hidden behind bushes.
Hint: - Count 1, 2, jump to reach the secret. You might want to save
close to this area. Look carefully from the center to find all the goodies.
Map of the Cistern (the main area)
Hint: - Push the block to reach the Cistern.
Hint: - If you have the magnums, you can kill the animals from above.
Hint: - Look around, note the layout, the closed doors, etc. You'll be
back here a lot.
Hint: - There is more than one way to do this level.
Hint: - Head for the save crystal you can see floating above a
pillar.
Inventory: - You should have found a rusty key by the time you reach the
save crystal although you can pick it up later.
Save: - Skip the save unless you have had problems. It is handy
later.
Hint: - The lever in the duct room above the save gem post fills the
cistern with water. Don't use it yet.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the duct room.
Hint: - Don't go back to the cistern yet, swim instead. Yes, air is not
too far away.
Inventory: - By the time you get back to the cistern, you should have
the second rusty key.
Save: - There is another save point after you slide to the cistern. Use
it.
Hint: - Use the rusty keys now. Only one of the rooms is doable. It is a
long route.
Hint: - Watch out for the unkillable assailant (twice), crocs, rats,
spikes and falls.
Save: - There is a save about half way along the route in a room with
slides. Use it.
Inventory: - You should find another key in the room with the stairs.
Hint: - Leave by swimming. You'll end up in the pool in the bottom of
the cistern.
Hint: - Halfway there, note a room with air. See the lever? Make note of
the location.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the pool.
Alternate: - If you didn't use the save on the pillar, do so now.
Hint: - Fill the cistern now and use the other rusty key door.
Inventory: - You should have another key by the time you are done and
back to the cistern.
Hint: - Remember the room you swam through before, it is full of water
now.
Save: - There is a save gem in it.
Inventory: - You should have another key by the time you leave the
room.
Hint: - Use the silver keys now.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the balcony where the silver
keys are used.
Save: - There is a save inside the room the silver keys open. Use it.
Hint: - The big room with the checkerboard floor looks innocuous. It's
not. Beware breakaway floors, rats and more lions. There are pickups to
find.
Hint: - Go up first.
Hint: - The long drop is safe.
Hint: - Pull an underwater style lever at the end of the first swim
tunnel.
Hint: - In the first room, avoid the high central pillar.
Hint: - Pull an underwater lever at the start of the second swim
tunnel.
Save: - There is a save crystal in the room at the end of the tunnel.
You might want to wait a bet before using it - see below.
Hint: - Take the right, not on the save side, first.
Hint: - Remember the 1, 2, 3 count for slamming choppers.
Secret: - There is a hidden secret room accessible from the room at the end of the
tunnel after the choppers. Floor switches control the door.
Alternate: - Now would be a good time to save if you didn't use the
crystal before.
Hint: - After you pull the lever to add water again, jump in. The next
opening is from the surface, not underwater.
Save: - The next room, with a few spikes, has a save crystal. Again, you
might want to wait till you are ready to leave the area before saving.
Inventory: - You must find a key to leave the area. (Note that I heard secret music when I used the key but it was not a secret.)
Hint: - In the room with 6 closed doors, the squares on the floor with
writing are important.
Hint: - The door can be opened in any order although I used the square
under the high door last.
Inventory: - You should have 2 keys after exploring 5 of the rooms.
Save: - There is a save in the exit. Use it.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the hall with the long
slide. If you want it, don't slide because the slide is one way and you cannot
go back. There is a clue showing which way to go visible from the top. Getting
the secret involves a lot of jumping.
Hint: - Climb on the first platform you come to from the water.
Hint: - You need to use a switch to open a tunnel before exploring the
temple area.
Save: - There is a save accessible via an underwater entrance to a
portion of the inside of the temple.
Hint: - It is very dangerous outside the temple after opening the door
to the temple.
Save: - There is another save point on the sand beside the temple.
Hint: - Dead guys sometimes leave things to pick up.
Inventory: - Be sure to find a key and the second part of the scion
inside the temple.
Hint: - There are various pickups you can get before leaving the
temple.
Hint: - The shotgun works very well on the mummies. If you have the
Uzis and have ammo, they are good in tight quarters.
Hint: - The movable blocks look different than previously.
Hint: - There are some things in the Sphinx room that are not used till
the next level.
Hint: - Watch out for the mummy.
Inventory: - You need to find a key in the sphinx room.
Save: - There is a save gem at the key. Save gems can be used as they
occur in this level.
Hint: - Watch out for more panthers.
Save: - There is another save gem right before the big sandy room with
the water and the cat statue pavilion.
Hint: - Watch out for rolling balls.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the floor of the big sandy
room.
Hint: - There is air to breath, and danger, just beyond the underwater
lever.
Save: - There is a save gem after the underwater swim. You can do a few
things before using it but use it before going too high.
Hint: - Both movable blocks need to be moved in both directions.
Inventory: - Don't leave the upper white gong room till you find the
switch.
Hint: - The top of the cat statue pavilion is indirectly accessible from
this room.
Hint: - Yes you can make the jump from the ledge off the room to the
rocks across the gap.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from this room or from the roof
of the cat statue pavilion.
Save: - There is a save crystal under the cat stature pavilion in the
tunnel that does NOT have stairs.
Hint: - A switch will light up the area and provide access later should
you fall and have to repeat the route.
Hint: - You cannot make the jump to the central platform because it is
slightly higher. You can jump back from it though.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the cat stature/panther
room.
Hint: - Watch our for another Cat/Man mummy in the twisted corridor.
Inventory: - You should have another key before leaving the room with
the big sand pile.
Hint: - It is safe to drop to the sand slide created after you pull the
lever.
Hint: - There is a new exit in the room with the new sand pile.
Map of the Obelisk of Khamoon (the main area)
Hint: - One keyhole, 4 blocks, 6 doors (1 high). Which has the goodies
and which have the trouble? They can be done in any order.
Hint: - The swim leads quickly to air and a place to get out.
Inventory: - Before you leave the pool room with the small gong, you
should have the key.
Save: - There is a save gem in the pool room.
Hint: - The key opens two doors. Both eventually lead to the obelisk
room. Use the high door shown in the video.
Save: - There is a save behind the high door. I waited till much later
to use it without major problems but then I had saved just before I got
there.
Inventory: - Before you leave the lower small white gong room that the
high door lead to, find and use a lever that lowers a bridge.
Hint: - Your goal will be lower the other bridges.
Hint: - The room with the obelisk in the middle of the water is the next
central area. There are rooms on the other three sides that can best be
described as a 3D jigsaw puzzle of a maze. There are multiple routes but you
can't really get lost. It was fun.
Hint: - You slide from the obelisk room to the next room which is a tall
blue room full of ledges.
Hint: - The slide halfway up leads no place useful but you can get
back.
Save: - There is a save just before the top of the room.
Inventory: - Find another lever before you fully leave the blue room.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the very top of the blue
room.
Secret: - Another secret accessible from the first secret. I think this
secret is also accessible from the ledge outside the mummy room.
Hint: - Don't jump to the top of the obelisk unless you have recently
saved. Yes you can make the jump but the safe way off difficult to find. There
is one small ledge you can jump to.
Hint: - The slide from the pictograph room at the top of the stairs is
safe and there is a way back.
Hint: - The mummy room, a very tall room of sand colored blocks with
stairs and ledges, is through the opening on the wall with the small white
gong.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the mummy room.
Inventory: - There's another bridge lever in the mummy room.
Save: - There is a save crystal near the end of the mummy room.
Hint: - The slides and stairs room is through the opening on the wall to
the "right" of the mummy room.
Hint: - Levers convert the slides to stairs with a click.
Save: - There is a save gem early in the slides and stairs room.
Depending on when you get to it and whether you have another save in reserve,
you might wait to use it.
Inventory: - Again there is a bridge lever to find.
Inventory: - Back in the obelisk room, don't leave till you have found
the Eye of Horus, the Ankh, the Scarab and the Anubis seal.
Hint: - The swim is a long one but only uses 1/2 of Lara's air if you go straight through. Some alcoves have pickups.
Save: - There is a save in the room at the end of the swim (and
danger).
Hint: - When you get back to the sphinx room, use the pickups to exit.
Hint: - The initial route will lead you to the back of another sphinx.
Look around but the important exploring starts on the sand below.
Hint: - You will climb the walls several times. I suggest starting on
the far right side (where else in Tomb Raider but as far away as possible).
Hint: - The first two climbs should lead to switches that open doors. If
not, you went to the wrong place.
Hint: - Keep your ears open for flying beasts that can push you off the
ledge.
Save: - The first two routes also lead to save gems.
Hint: - In the room opened below the sphinx back, slide down backwards.
Don't worry, there is a way out.
Inventory: - By the time you leave the second pool of water, you should
have found a key.
Hint: - Jump from the slide.
Inventory: - Don't leave the room off the bridge without the Ankh.
Save: - There is a save crystal in the room off the bridge.
Save: - There is a save crystal outside the room opened high in the
cliffs.
Inventory: - Don't leave the room in the cliffs without the Ankh.
Secret - Inventory: - The only secret on this level is accessible either from the top of
the sphinx or from the cliff wall. Look for ammunition clips floating in the air below. Then have
faith and jump. The Uzis are here too. The jump from the cliff wall is an easier jump.
Save: - There is a save gem on top of the Sphinx. Use it.
Hint: - Jump to the cliffs for safety.
Hint: - The drop between the sphinx' legs leads to water and air.
Save: - There is a save crystal on a ledge at the surface. You will be
back to it, but I'd use it now.
Hint: - The water is deep and uses 20% of Lara's air just to go from the
top to the bottom. Other than that all the swimming here is safe.
Hint: - There are a couple of pickups, but what you really need to find
is an underwater lever.
Hint: - The route it opens will lead you back to the save gem mentioned
above reasonably quickly.
Hint: - After traversing the route, there is another lever to find.
Don't fall.
Save: - The route opened by this lever leads to another save gem at a
gate. Use it before getting the pickup!
Hint: - There is only one foe and there are no pickups in the scion
room.
Hint: - Watch the video, see Lara actually wet and watch her jiggle!
{:-0}
Map of Natla's Mines (complete)
Hint: - This is a very large level. Don't expect to get done quickly. It
would have been more fun with more save crystals.
Hint: - The first part of this level is a zigzag process- pull a lever
on one side that opens a door on the other and back and forth.
Hint: - You have no weapons. As long as you stay away from the first
villain you will not need them until after you find the first set anyway. My
notes below will warn you where he is.
Hint: - Explore around first so you know where things are, then start at
the waterfall.
Save: - There is a save gem in the glass house. But there are only three
in this initial area and deciding when to use this one is the tricky part. The
rest will be logical.
Hint: - The room with the boarded up houses has three routes from it, a
tunnel, the tracks and in a house.
Hint: - Try the tracks first. You can get through the gate and there is
a way back, but the area is deadly.
Hint: - You have to get through an opening at the bottom of the ball
ramp that parallels the tracks. There is one spot where you can pull up to the
ramp without activating the ball. Go slowly and pay attention to where it
starts rolling. Be ready to jump off if it starts rolling. The ball will reset
if you exit and reenter the room. An alternate method might be to just run
ahead of the ball and get to the opening before the ball does.
Inventory: - Once through the opening, don't miss the fuse. They are
hard to see.
Save: - Use the save crystal.
Hint: - Try the house second. Don't miss the switch.
Hint: - Next stop - the boat (assuming you found the switch that made it
move).
Hint: - One of the Natla boxes looks different. You should know what to
do with it by now.
Inventory: - In the drill cart tunnel, look up. You need to find a
switch.
Inventory: - Once past the box in the drill cart tunnel, continue
forward and carefully sneak into the next room. Don't go any further than the
fuse. Get it and go back.
Hint: - The tunnel in the boarded up house room is next.
Inventory: - You should find another fuse in the conveyor belt
tunnel.
Hint: - The first weapons are in the suspended house.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible off the tunnel the top of the
house gives access to. It is a deadly area. You get the pistols here.
Save: - The tunnel will lead to the save gem by the waterfall that you
have not been able to get to before. Use it, you won't be back.
Hint: - There is only one place left to go. You were there once already
but only snuck in.
Inventory: - You can pick up the magnums from dead men.
Hint: - You have to do quite a bit of safety drops, hanging and
shimmying to get to the far side of the lava room.
Save: - Look hard for the save gem. It is the start of the next route.
There is no reason not to use the gem.
Hint: - In the second lava room, you can tell which post to jump to by
using the look control. All the posts are two game squares apart.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from one of the posts in the
second lava room. To get it, push the block without hesitation or you will have
to repeat from the last save. You get the shotgun and ammo back here.
Hint: - There are a lot of pickups past the secret including on the
tracks.
Hint: - To get back to the lava room you have to drop on the other side
of the ball.
Hint: - It's a long way to the next save, be careful.
Hint: - Find the TNT box that looks different and figure out where to
put it.
Save: - Once you have the TNT box in place, you can reach and use the
next save gem.
Hint: - The tunnel leads to a small lava pit. The side areas are flat
enough to stand on.
Inventory: - Be sure to go all the way to the end of the route and find
the lever before going back.
Inventory: - There are pickups in the skate board room. Don't forget about the
dead guy who has your uzis and ammo.
Hint: - There is a way to get out of the water after you get in.
Secret: - There is a secret off the skate board room with pickups.
Save: - There is a save point at the exit from the skate board room.
Hint: - Watch out for rolling balls. Kind of a fun set actually.
Hint: - After some running and climbing and jumping you will end up in a
small smooth room with a movable block. This is the start of a small,
interesting 3D block and switch puzzle.
Hint: - There are several blocks to move. One cannot be moved all the
way till another is moved.
Save: - When you reach a switch and a save gem you have moved the blocks
all that you need to. You can use the save.
Hint: - After pulling all the levers, a door to the pyramid room will
open.
Inventory: - The villain in the pyramid has the shotgun if you didn't get it earlier.
Inventory: - To get out, you need to find another lever and the key to
open the pyramid door.
Hint: - Yes all six eggs hatch.
Hint: - When the center door opens, you're done with the room.
Hint: - The next room which has lava at the bottom and is very, very
tall is the core of the pyramid.
Secret: - There is a secret at the base of the core tower.
Hint: - In the room with the lace walk way and one egg, Lara can catch
the crevice.
Hint: - You don't need to kill the beast.
Save: - The first save is in the exit tunnel. Use the save.
Secret: - There is a secret in the room with the water and the big
slope.
Hint: - The exit is a timed run.
Hint: - The room with the lava slides is as simple as it appears.
Save: - There is a save gem on the other side of the room.
Hint: - The swim is safe. You just need to get the door open is all.
Hint: - The swim after you leave the core tower again, leads to a room
with more eggs and a pool.
Save: - There is a save gem in the pool and eggs room. Your choice on
using it before or after completing the room. I used it when I was ready to
leave.
Hint: - The exit swim is simple.
Hint: - For future reference, you can walk on the red membrane tunnel floors.
Hint: - The ball that rolled down to block a tunnel will reset when you
leave the room.
Save: - There is another save after you cross the core tower again. I
think you can use it before killing the demon(s) in the funnel ramp room. Or
kill them first if you like, I did. But do use the save.
Hint: - Slide and jump to cross the funnel ramp room.
Hint: - In the lava room with the raised central area, you will be on
and off the central area several times.
Save: - Another save gem after you cross the core tower room and reach
the lava and posts room. Use it.
Hint: - The posts change shape.
Secret: - After the lava and posts room comes a wide corridor with a
strange roof. There is a secret off it. You can hear the door to the secret if
you retrace your route back to but not across the lava room. Do it after you
kill the beasts.
Important: - As soon as the exit door from the corridor closes go back
to the door and up. Ignore everything else in the hall.
Hint: - In the darts room on the other side of the core tower, look
carefully up the ramp before proceeding.
Save: - There is a save in the screens room at the top of the ramp. Use
it.
Hint: - Yes the door between the switches is the exit, but getting it
open isn't exactly safe.
Hint: - Only the egg near the floor hatched in the next room while I was
in it. I think they do hatch eventually.
Save: - There is a save in the exit. It is the last one on this level.
Hint: - The mirror room is a neat puzzle. Watch your health when you
shoot the demon. Yes you do have to destroy the demon. Think about the hole in the floor.
Hint: - The way out of the arched lava room is a timed run.
Hint: - In the rotating pedestal room (has the scion) you do not need to
jump to the big platform under the egg. The platform is the top of the core
tower in case you haven't noticed.
Hint: - Kill the illogical beast and the door will open - 30 or so shotgun
blasts or thousands of uzi rounds.
Save: - There is a save crystal at the bottom of the slide after the
beast. You have to figure out how to get to it but there's nothing deadly
around.
Hint: - Once through the chopper, you have to figure out how to reach a
switch. Again, it is not very deadly.
Secret: - Another funnel ramps room. There is a secret in it. Look back
part way through. The secret music didn't always play for me on this one.
Hint: - One way to avoid rolling balls is to back up the ramp and then
run to safety when you hear the ball start rolling.
Save: - At the top of the ramps is a safety drop to the scion power
room. There is no danger there. Use the save crystal.
Hint: - Pull out Lara's weapons and see if she targets.
Hint: - Now comes the hard section.
Hint: - Back in the lava arch room, notice that some of the lava has
cooled. Watch out for the beasts.
Hint: - In the lava darts room, jump backwards twice after dropping from
the crevice.
Hint: - In the pendulum and spikes room, go down the slope on the side
away from the pendulum first while keeping an eye on the other side.
Hint: - Walk through the spikes and don't stop walking till Lara can go
no farther.
Hint: - Double standing jump.
Secret: - There is a secret in the long lava room with the slide in the
middle. You must start the route to the secret from the entry ledge and it is
not on the ramp.
Hint: - The crevice extends farther than it looks.
Save: - To reach the save crystal at the bottom of the slide and below
the pickups ledge, forward jump from the ledge to the slide and back jump to
the crystal before Lara slides very far.
Hint: - If you think that was hard, now it actually gets difficult.
Hint: - There is a safe stopping space behind the pendulum after you cross
the breakaway floor. I started my run with the blade closest to Lara.
Hint: - There is a stopping space around the corner at the bottom of the
next ramp.
Hint: - There is another safe space after you jump the lava pit at the
bottom of the slide. I started the slide when the pendulum was full right.
Hint: - The lava moves in the next room. There is safe space to stop at
the switch and door. Just run straight through (maybe with very minor turns) to avoid catching on fire.
Hint: - To avoid the upper ball, run to the lava pit and stop at the
edge.
Hint: - Do a standing jump, catch the edge, and hang to avoid the next
ball.
Hint: - Five standing jumps from the corners to pass the flames with
minimal loss. Jump in the water if Lara catches fire and try again.
Secret: - One last major pain before a save gem. You're at the top of a
tall room with lava, fires and water below - a swinging blade and breakaway
floor ahead. There is a secret on the far side. You get one
chance at getting it. NOTE: According to Eidos, there is a bug in the program and sometimes this secret does not register properly.
Hint: - If you just fall from the middle of the breakaway floor, you
land in the water.
Hint: - You can reach the breakaway floor with a standing jump and
hang from the edge. The floor will not start to break till you pull up.
Hint: - After pulling up a running jump will take you to the
opening.
Hint: - To reach the water from the secret room, walk to the edge and do a standing jump. You can also make it jumping from a point back one walking step from the edge.
Save: - The swim leads quickly to a save gem, the last one, which I used
as fast as I could.
Hint: - The rest is actually fairly easy.
Hint: - You have to kill Natla twice.
Hint: - Most of the pillar jumps have to be done as running jumps - all can be done as running jumps. Some require catching the edge. A couple of safety drops
are also needed.
Tomb Raider Gold, Unfinished Business - checklist and hints
By John T Burt, Copyright February 2000
There is also a spoiler file on how to find the secrets. The secrets are important in TR1 because most of the ammunition and health packs are found with them.
Click here to go to the Tomb Raider index page.
Unfinished Business - 01 - Return to Egypt - 3 secrets
The Point: - Warning, there is no storyline or point to these 4 levels. In other words, Lara is not on a mission and has no goal in mind. In fact, the levels don't even end. Not only does she not get home, but, from my point of view, she drowns. All these levels offer is more puzzles to solve, more places to explore and too damn many beasts to kill (but you can skip killing some of the beasts if you want). If you like doing those things, go right ahead and play. The first two are enjoyable and the third satisfactory. The fourth seems a waste of time though.
Hint: - Before you drop through the trapdoor, you can make the jump across if you don't use the action button.
Hint: - Watch out for many crocodiles and panthers in this level.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the flooded sphinx room. There are also quite a few goodies to pick up.
Inventory: - The cat pavilion room is next, don't miss the shotgun.
Hint: - You have to find a lever to get out of the cat pavilion room.
Hint: - There's nothing but death in the next three rooms that have 4 pillars each.
Secret: - A secret is accessible just after you leave the third of the 4 pillar rooms.
Hint: - In the first valley of the double valley room, you can climb the rocks at the end on the right if Lara is carefully positioned under the V in the ledge above.
Secret: - Another secret is available in the double valleys area. Hint - look around from the top of the pillar.
Hint: - Move some blocks to get to the next area.
Hint: - There is nothing in the hallway immediately after pushing the blocks.
Inventory: - It's hard to miss the key in the island and bridge area.
Hint: - There is an important underwater tunnel to find.
Inventory: - Don't miss the Magnums in the room the underwater tunnel leads to.
Hint: - You have to go up the bridge, up some big steps (warning- the ramp leads only to crocodiles) and traverse a crack on your finger tips to reach the cat statue you saw when you got the key.
Hint: - Guess what you have to avoid in the boulders and ramps room? Yes, you do eventually have to go in the temple at the top of the ramps.
Hint: - Inside the temple, after jumping in the water, you have to find a lever.
Hint: - Lots of pick ups and problems in the desert area.
Hint - Inventory: - There is a planned program glitch and you can run through one corner of the fence to reach the outer desert area. Get the Uzis.
Hint: - Cross the little bridge to reach the end of the level.
Hint: - Flip the switch and drop to start the level.
Hint: - Watch out for nasty panther mummies in this level as well as the crocs and panthers.
Hint: - In the room on the right with the pick ups and the cat mummy behind bars, you can throw the switch safely. Not everything else is safe, but that is.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the first room, but getting it starts in the first mummy room. Hint - the lever.
Hint: - When you're done in the cave, the next stop is the desert with the pyramid.
Hint: - There are pick ups in boulder valley.
Hint: - Find the lake next, and the underwater switch.
Inventory: - You have to find a key before leaving the lake.
Hint: - You're next goal is to get inside the pyramid, try going up it.
Hint: - Once inside, find a switch to continue.
Inventory: - Find another key before exiting the pyramid.
Hint: - The route to the temple entrance is across the top of the pyramid.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the hallway inside the temple but there is a trick to getting it. Do not use the lever that turns on the lights.
Hint: - You have to find a lever to open the trapdoor exit inside the temple.
Hint: - In the hallway with many holes that drop to water, you have to find two switches before going underwater.
Inventory: - There are two breathing areas past the underwater gates. Don't miss the first one and the key there.
Inventory: - In the terraced room with running panther images (unbelievable Egyptian technology) you have to find 4 more keys.
Hint: - It is safe to use the keys.
Hint: - Look in the pit to find the lever to open the exit from the room with the pit.
Hint: - Look underwater to find the lever to open the exit from the room with the water. The long way round is safer than the short route through the middle.
Hint: - Find a floor switch to open the double doors, but be ready to fight.
Hint: - Pull both switches in the strange room with the table in the middle.
Hint: - The exit from the small crocodile room takes you safely back to the terraced room.
Inventory: - Yikes, 8 panther mummies. If you don't have the uzis, they will be here.
Hint: - You have to find a switch to open the exit. You can trigger the mummies 2 at a time by going to the sand at the end of the room. Then climb on blocks there to shoot all but one of them safely. If they are out of range, step off backwards, hang from the edge for a moment to attract them and pull back up to shoot them.
Hint: - Just pass through the room with the chair.
Hint: - The white room with wide steps and a deep pit. The slides on either side lead only to the very bottom floor which is deadly. But don't be afraid to go down to anything else. You have to cross to the gold room at the top above the uzi clips to find the necessary switch.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the pit. Hint - start from where the uzi clips were. Watch out for boulders on the way out.
Hint: - The next tunnel is back in the room with the chair.
Hint: - Find an underwater switch to open the exits from the leafy room.
Hint: - Above the leafy room, find a floor switch to open the center trapdoor. Then find a floor switch to open the door to the hallway with 6 switches.
Secret: - The last secret is accessible from the hallway with 6 switches. The hint is to listen for a 4th door to open as you try the 6 switches and move about. The secret is tricky to get. I will describe it completely below. Skip the next paragraph if you want to figure it out yourself.
Secret, complete description: - There is a floor switch in front of the right hand switch of the middle door. It opens the 4th door at the end of the hall. The most reliable way to make the switch work is to push down the left switch. Then step on the floor switch and hurry through the door. Inside is a block maze. I suggest you make a little map of it as you move around. Push the first block in once. Then go to the left side, push it again once and don't move. The exit switch was revealed on Lara's left but you don't need it right now. Side step one block to the right and pull the block out once. Go around the block to the left and push it into the entry way. Go down the new hall till a block stops you. Push it once and go around to the right to pull it once. In the new hall, pull the block twice and then go around to the left side to push it once. In the next room, pull the block in the far left corner once and then go around to the other side to push it once in the same direction. In the new hall, push the block twice. You're there. To get out, move the block out of the entry way and pull the lever.
Hint: - Three doors, six switches. What's behind door number 1? A lady and the tiger puzzle, almost literally. Only one door needs to be opened to reach the sphinx room.
Hint: - Sphinx room level 1. You have to push a block once to get inside the sphinx. Go up.
Hint: - Sphinx room level 2. The stairs to level 3 are behind the bars.
Hint: - Sphinx room level 3. You goal is to reach an opening to level 4.
Hint: - Sphinx room level 4. You need to get onto the cheek of the sphinx and then find a lever.
Hint: - In the sphinx's mouth, find a lever to open the final door.
Exit: - You cannot get into the desert. Any movement towards the desert and the and the statue on the pillar is the end of the level.
Secret: - Get the first secret before dropping down the hole because you can't come back.
Hint: - You can add various skinless monsters to the list of things to kill. The first one can be killed safely from the tower over the valley.
Hint: - Yes, the next place to go is down to the valley floor. I don't think it makes any difference how you get there. Watch out for boulders.
Hint: - There's nothing other than regular pick ups to get on the valley floor.
Hint: - You have to drop down to leave the valley floor.
Hint: - In the screen room below the valley, you can safety drop from one spot.
Hint: - The pods hatch no matter what in the small pyramid room, so you might as well get the pick ups.
Hint: - In the dart room, find the stairs. I think you can avoid a later monster if you take the shortest route to the stairs instead of walking all over.
Hint: - In the room with 5 switches, 1 opens the door in the small pyramid room (mandatory), 1 opens a door in the hall (optional) and 3 unfreeze the monsters (optional).
Hint: - If you opened the door in the hall back to the dart room, you can get pick ups in there and there is a safe place to shoot the beasts.
Hint: - Zigzag up in the lava hallway from the small pyramid room. The final exit is an opening on the right wall of the white room and leads through a darts room.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible from the pools room after the darts. Hint, look for two levers.
Hint: - In the small room with a lever on a single block, the hall to the left and the lever there can be ignored if you want. The lever on the post opens the two doors for two beasts and 4 pick ups. The beasts are reasonably easy to kill from the top of the block. Leave via the final opening.
Hint: - There are three levers total in the small pool and stairs room. The one that lets out three nasty monsters can be skipped because it yields only two small health packs. Go up the stairs and out the door to exit.
Hint: - You're back in the valley, but just passing through. Use the other gold door.
Hint: - In the dark room with the water at the bottom, the water is where you want to be.
Hint: - The underwater levers are tricky to activate and the tunnels only lead to pick ups but they are not that hard to do. Do them first and position Lara just below and to the outside of the levers to get her to pull them.
Hint: - You have to find a dry land lever to get out of the dark room. Go up.
Hint: - Jump over the deep spike pit and exit in the far left to reach the next room.
Hint: - In the room with the rock bridge over another deep spike pit, you can get two ammo pick ups if are willing to kill two fireball monsters in the cave at the far end. Otherwise, leave via the bridge.
Hint: - The exit from the tunnel with the bubbling lava is near the top on the left.
Hint: - On the ledge high above the first valley, notice the square in the corner with the arrow pointing the way. You have to dive off.
Hint: - In the final basement, some players encounter a skinless horse monster. I didn't, maybe because I didn't let them all out when the reward was too small. When you pull the final lever, it ends the level.
Hint: - You have to find two switches to leave the boulder game. There is no specific route across. Just jump left and right or diagonal till you have cleared a path.
Hint: - Only one side passage leads anywhere.
Hint: - Tricky jumping on the slides at the end of the second side passage. Stop reading this hint if you want to figure it out yourself. Jump across and slide forward. Jump at the end and jump at the end of the next ramp. Now hold the jump button down so Lara bounces back and forth and the right button till Lara lands on the flat area.
Secret: - There is a secret accessible in the lava pool cave.
Hint: - Both doors out of the lava pool cave go to the same place and both are timed runs from floor switches on blocks.
Hint: - In the egg cave, the switch you see to the left does nothing. Remember that the membranous red surfaces are not lava and you can stand on them. You can get on the one to the right by sliding and jumping several times or from below.
Hint: - It's not necessary to kill the fireball throwing skinless centaur in the small cave with the hole in the back.
Hint: - In the cave below the centaur, there is nothing to do. Just slide down the ramp.
Hint: - If you slid down forward, a good place to start in the flooded room is the shelf on the right near splash down.
Hint: - Go around the room and kill all the villains till you end up in the corner to the left of splash down. Yes, you have to use the switches.
Hint: - In the four post room with 4 switches and two centaurs, two switches open small doors and at least one of them must be pulled. The other two open the doors to the egg room at the end and can be skipped if you want. But there is a safe way through the egg room and there are many pick ups.
Hint: - In the three egg room with the pool, you should be able to carefully enter the water at one corner without hatching the eggs. Once in you should be able to get air in the corner and swim underwater around the edges safely. But don't get out. You have to find two switches. One leads to a small room and the other to a small underwater maze.
Hint: - In the underwater maze, find another switch to get back to the main pool.
Hint: - Your next stop is the pyramid in the flooded room. Look for the doors you opened.
Hint: - Inside the pyramid, a door will open when you approach it.
Hint: - The 8 mutant statues do come to life, there is no way to avoid it, but at least they can't throw anything. You have to pick up at least one pack of shells on the post to open the door back in the hallway.
Hint: - In hatchery 1, you have to pull the two switches. It's a timed run to the door. There's no real need to kill the beasts that hatch. Just open the doors and leave as fast as you can.
Hint: - In hatchery 2, the eggs are empty. Hooray!
Hint: - Hatchery 3 is below. Again pull the switch and leave. These beasts don't have to be killed either.
Hint: - You'll slide into the pool below hatchery 4. That's where you want to be. I didn't see any beasts, but you can't get out to kill them anyway.
The end: - Yes the end of the game does leave Lara underwater, in a current she cannot swim against and no air in sight. Not only is it unsatisfying, but it seems a crime to drown her after all that work. Besides, Lara has a personality and is like a character in a movie that we have grown to like after spending so much time with her. And now we leave her to die? Who's not bright idea was that.
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