Where to find the four Crash 4 colored gems

The Crash 4 colored gems are one of the most hidden collectibles in the game, because each one of them can only be found at the end of a tough secret stage. What's more, after seeking out all four of them and reaching one of the final main story levels, your reward for opening a massive sealed door with these jewels is... another, even tougher secret stage! If you're after a real challenge, or you want to earn the bragging rights for discovering these hidden items, then we've got all of the details for where to find the Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow gems right here in our Crash 4 colored gems locations guide.

1. Crash 4 red gem location

First up is the red gem, which unlocks the Ruby Red trophy or achievement. This can be found on the second level in the game: N. Sanity Peak in the N. Sanity Island dimension.

Progress through the level until you reach the second door, opened by the ghostly rat on the wheel. If you pay attention to the wall, you can see a diagram carved into the stone. This shows the 3x3 grid of platforms ahead of you, where each one phase shifts in and out of reality.

You need to follow the path on the diagram; start in the bottom left corner, then proceed round the edge anti-clockwise. You'll know if you're doing it right because a note will play on each platform, gradually ascending in pitch. When you get all the way round to the platform at 9 o'clock, jump into the centre. The red gem should appear on the other side of the cavern, in front of Lani-Loli. All you need to do is complete the level and voila! Red gem attained.

2. Crash 4 green gem location

You'll find the next gem, which is green, in the Hit The Road level in The Hazardous Wastes dimension. Finding this will unlock the Emerald Gemerald trophy/achievement.

You need to proceed through the level until you're almost at the very end, when you're being chased by the enormous monster truck. When you reach one of the checkpoints in this section, there'll be some trash cans to the side. Spin them and a remote control will fly out onto the floor.

Spin the remote and a toy monster truck will appear. Keep spinning it to move the toy monster truck and eventually, it'll crash into the Nitro crate and the green gem will appear. Woah!

3. Crash 4 blue gem location

The blue gem can be found hidden in the Draggin' On level while playing through Tranquility Falls, and is definitely the hardest of the colored gems to get in Crash 4, with the Sapphire-er Acquirer trophy/achievement as your reward.

The concept for this one is simple, but the execution is far from it: You have to reach the end of the level without destroying a single crate. This includes checkpoint crates, Nitro, TNT, and everything else. This is especially tough because you need to use the Dark Matter mask for a lot of the level, which automatically breaks crates when you're near them. This will take a lot of trial and error, but remember you can die as many times as you need to. When you reach the bonus level, make sure you travel to it then jump off the side straight away, because this lets you use it as a pseudo-checkpoint and you'll respawn there if you die. The blue gem will be waiting for you at the end of the level!

4. Crash 4 yellow gem location

The yellow gem is found in the Run It Bayou level while playing the Mosquito Marsh region and will unlock the Topaz Pizzazz trophy/achievement upon finding it.

This colored gem is actually right at the start of the level. Before you hop on the jet ski and embark through the marsh, slide jump over to the platform on the right, then bounce across the crates to the next one. Slide jump onto the moving platform, then go onto the larger platform on the left side with the four crates in a 2x2. Double jump off the top of the four crates and you'll grab the yellow gem from behind the sign.

Crash 4 colored gem bonus level reward

Crash 4 colored gem door — (Image credit: Activision)

As mentioned before, each colored gem is tied to a hidden level. These can be found in four separate main story levels and work like the standard bonus levels in that you need to complete them to smash all the crates for that particular level.

However! For the main reward for finding all four gems, you do not need to worry about the bonus levels. Instead, you need to head to Toxic Tunnels on Cortex Island, one of the last levels in the game.

Play through Toxic Tunnels until you reach an enormous door in front of you, with the four gems in the corners. If you've got all four, it will open with some bright beams of light. Get ready for some of the most brutal platforming yet.

Head inside and you're presented with a clear goal; reach the green platform at the far side of the room. This section isn't too difficult, but you then have a series of progressively more difficult areas to beat, all without dying because there are no checkpoints. All we'll say is good luck because you're probably going to need it!