Under Skull Mountain 1

Under Skull Mountain 1 is a level in Kid Chameleon.

Under Skull Mountain 1
Sources:	Highwater Pass 2, Elsewhere 1
Exits:	Under Skull Mountain 2, Woods of Despair 1 (via 100,000 trip)
Theme:	Cave
Helmets:	(8)
Prizes:	(2) (1) (2) (48) (2) (4)
Enemies:	(4) (4) (3)
Speed Bonus:	19 seconds
Path Bonus:	N/A
Features:	N/A
Map data
Level Nr:	0x04
Map Nr:	0x01
Map Theme:	0x8
Level Size X:	02 screens
Level Size Y:	0C screens
Grid Size:	6720 squares

Walkthrough

The flag is on the right bottom of the level. Maniaxe is almost compulsory to get rid of all the enemies (Emo Rocks in particular can become a pest), but he has a major drawback: he slides down the slopes, making it impossible to turn back at some points if you forget a treasure. Also, make sure you jump at the end of the ramps, because most of them lead onto spikes.

The start point is on top of a pillar overlooking a big room [1]. Drop to the bottom of this room and check the four prizes down there; one of them contains a coin. Optionally, you can try to climb on top of the opposite pillar on the right for a clock [2]. Emo Skulls will continue to appear in this room.

Once you're done, walk through the right wall and drop to the next level; cross the Iced-ceiling corridor [3], throwing axes at the Dragons; drop again and a series of three descending ramps followed by spike pits will come [4] (there is an ankh after the 2nd ramp, in the prize block onto which slime is dripping).

From the bottom of the last ramp, on the right side of the level [5], shoot a rock wall open, go downstairs, and drop to the last room [6], the one with a final slope and an evanescent bridge across the lava. Either dash across the bridge or use the platforms above and get another ankh on the way, and reach the flag [7].

Secrets

• In [1]: there's four Invisible block prizes on the ledge right below the top of the right pillar [2]. They contain 10 diamonds and a Jason mask.
• In [3]: break some ice blocks to access the chamber above you; there's secret prizes there too.
• In [4]: after the first ramp, you can enter a small gap on the right wall with more prizes, such as a coin.

• After the third ramp, if you're still wearing Cyclone, fly up and find a secret passage in the ceiling. It will lead you to a room beneath the first ramp containing four 10,000-blocks. Cyclone was available in Elsewhere 1 (if you regret not having been there, next time take the teleporter in Highwater Pass 2, not the flag).

• From [5], there is a secret passage to your right; it leads to a room with a few trinkets and a teleporter back to the real world.
• Another secret passage opens behind the flag [7], taking you to another chamber with more diamonds and a teleporter to Under Skull Mountain 2. Better forget this last secret and take the flag if you're aiming for a big score.

The 100,000 Trip

Main article: 100,000 points trip

This is a very obscure feature of the game that the magnanimous KC programmers created to spare us a lot of useless playtime redoing the same levels in every new game. (True, they could have granted us the gift of passwords, but hey, these guys work in mysterious ways.) Unlike the Plethora cheat, this one cannot be considered a cheat, stricto sensu, because it can be triggered accidentally by a very skillful player (one that proves to be worth skipping a few levels forward).

Although the 100,000 points trip is triggered here in Skull Mountain, preparing it requires you have done some things in previous levels. If you've been fast enough to get to Skull Mountain, and you kept your winged helmet on through the caverns, those four 10,000 blocks in the secret room will make a total of +100,000 points in your score. And guess what: attaining that sum before reaching the flag in this level buys you a psychodelic trip to the second half of the game: Woods of Despair 1.

Trivia

• This level marks the first appearence of the 10,000 blocks, 10 Diamonds blocks and the Emo Rocks. It is also the first Cave-themed level.