Losing Your Marbles

Level and walkthrough by Michael Prager.

Note: There are nine 'Islands'. Assume they are numbered clockwise starting with #1 being the one Lara is on when the Level starts and the central one being #9.

The Battle

After the initial flyby, be quick to jump to the Island on your left (#2) and pick up the shotgun. Then jump back to the first island (#1) and get rid of the four attacking pterodactyls. Once that is done, jump to the center island (#9) and get rid of four more of those flying creatures. Then make your way to each of the islands killing the guys who try to harm you and pick up a few goodies. Note the star receptacles on islands #6 and #8 and the three gem receptacles on #1. As the enemies are out of the way, move to island #2 and pick up and read the scroll to give you some idea of the tasks ahead of you.

Marbles #1, #2, #3 - around the islands...

The first three of the 11 Marbles you will need to drop are rather easy. You will need to jump across (not into!) the water holes to trigger their fall on islands #2, #3 and #4.

Dream Crystal #1 - against the clock...

Now enter the water hole on island #5 and swim down and emerge in a long corridor. Note that you cannot go back through the water tunnel! Go all the way to the end towards the only open door. Notice the 'L' tile (it occurs a few times in the level and always triggers something). As you step on it a timed door opens. Navigate the course (the run is not too tight if you keep moving) and pick up a few shotgun shells. This 'L' tile triggers the next door outside, so climb the nearby ladder and go back out to the corridor, kill a few hungry raptors and enter the next (now open) door for the next timed run. This one is a little tighter. Run around the first corners and keep running/jumping (the lower ceiling helps you there). Once past the monkey swing you can save (in a different slot) if you feel you were fast until then. The slopes have to be navigated so that at the most you need to shimmy only once (otherwise it takes to much time), so time a jump to the first slope, then curved jump to the left, then curved jump to the right. Jump from the final slope and sprint to pick up your prize: the first Dream Crystal. Again the 'L' tile there triggers the next door outside to open.

So up the ladder, to the corridor, kill some more raptors and enter for the third timed run. This timed run is very tight, but it only leads to Secret #1: the grenade gun, which is optional for the completion of the game. Once you either pick it up (or stand in front of the closed door if you did not make it), turn around and look up in the distance to see the ladder into the ceiling. This is your exit from this area. You get there by a series of jumps from the other side. Climb up and slide into the next puzzle room.

Marbles #4, #5, #6 - the many doors and levers...

Take in the room. You are seeing many doors, 9 marbles lined up at the top of the slope and six levers. There is also the first Awakening Star, but we do not have the crowbar yet. Look at the bottom row of the slope: There are three holes, three death tiles and three light tiles. Your objective is to make three marbles drop through the holes and not die in the process. The sequence of levers to pull is listed at the very end of this walkthrough (numbered from left to right). If you want to try for yourself first: pull the levers and see what happens. Each of them opens (and closes!) three doors. When a marble drops onto a death tile - well, you guessed it - Lara dies. When a marble drops onto a light tile: one death tile is closed off and one hole to drop is opened. All you need to do now is figure out the sequence. Once the three marbles have fallen (camera), the door in the room opens, so exit into the water, but don't forget to pick up the goodies (2x shotgun ammo).

Marble #7 - movable and raising blocks...

Swim along the right wall and turn right and emerge into a room with green/red lighting. There is a floating marble which you will need to drop by eventually pushing a movable block onto an 'L' tile. Notice the second Awakening Star in the room (again for later pickup when you have the crowbar) and make sure you do pick up the Marble Jeep keys higher up in the room and some flares as well. Now get to work: There are two movable blocks in the room. Push both of them onto the (currently lowered) raising block tiles next to them. For one this is the only way to push, for the other this is a push away (!) from the 'L' tile. Find the first wall lever and pull it to raise the block across the room, so the movable block is one level higher. Go there, pick up the flares and push the block on the 'L' tile. This raises the other block and thus the movable block on it. (The 'L' tile right next to where you just pushed the block would allow you to lower the raising block again in case you missed pushing the movable block onto it first). Move over to the other movable block (near the lever) and push it all the way across onto yet another lowered raising block. Climb higher to the second lever and pull it to raise the movable block to the top. Push (!) the block onto the 'L' tile. This raises a double block diagonally across the room. Pull/Push the movable block onto it now. So, now you will need to lower the double block to get the movable block down again. To do this bring the other movable block back to where it was at the start, ie push or pull it onto the raising block, use the lower lever to lower the raising block and then pull/push the movable block onto the 'L' tile we have not made use of yet. This lowers the double raising block. IMPORTANT: You may need to jump around the room in order to actually see the movable block that was on the double raising block drop down! Once it's there, push it to the 'L' tile and see the marble drop (camera). Onwards...

Marble #8, #9, #10, #11 - the crowbar room...

Back into the water and keep right until you emerge in another room. Notice a block rising on the right as you step out of the water - there is a secret to be had later. Pick up some goodies (2x shotgun ammo and a small medi) and orient to the left side. Note four openings with perpetually moving raising blocks and the marbles behind them and a fifth opening with a vase, which you cannot simply shoot with your pistols from down here. First, get the crowbar, by climbing up on the left side and monkey swinging all the way across. Then make sure your health is up and monkey swing again until you are in front of the vase opening (Save here). Then drop, draw pistols and shoot while falling. If timed right the vase shatters and the four marbles will drop. When the camera stops, be quick and make your way round the corner and pick up Secret #2 (2x grenade gun ammo) where the block has now lowered again, before Lara ignites and take care of the baddy that shoots at you (he leaves a small medi). With all 11 marbles dropped now and the crowbar in hand, retrace your steps and collect the two Awakening Stars from the previous rooms and then dive upwards to the surface again and find you way to island #6 and place the first star there.

Dream Crystal #2 - Moving blocks and tricky jumping...

Dive down and emerge in a small walkway with a lever at the end. Pick up the flares and light one to take note of the series of movable blocks on your left, none of which you can move yet. Pull the lever. Now push in the second block (the only one you can move). Then you can push in the third block. Now pull the first block by one square and pull the lever appearing behind it. Then push this block back in front of the lever. Now push in the fourth block and pull the lever appearing behind it. This allows you to again push the third block once more. Now pull (!) the second block once and you will see the opening to leave the room.

Enter the next room and a flyby shows you the Dream Crystal you are heading for. Climb the ladder, move right and drop, slide and grab the edge (good save point). Pull up, jump with twist and a slight turn to the right to land on the slope. From this slope you need to time your jump with a curve to the left to land on the slope, drop and grab the edge (another good save point). Note that the ladder straight ahead is a red herring - if you end up there, Lara is 'dead', ie there is no way out from there other than a fiery death. From the save point, pull up and jump to the higher slope, and jump on with a strong right curve to the next slope, drop and grab the edge and shimmy to the right. Pull up, and importantly wait for a split second when Lara almost drops down again and only then hit jump with twist and grab the edge across (if you do not wait that split second you won't make it). Save again. Shimmy to the left, pull up, slide and jump with a left curve and grab the edge. Shimmy left again, pull up, jump with twist and right curve and keep jump pressed to end up on the ledge with the goodies (big medi and 2x shotgun ammo). Pick them up and jump to the double ledge again and repeat the 'split second' jump. This time shimmy to the right, pull up and jump with right curve and grab the ladder. Climb up and pick up Dream Crystal #2. Now lower yourself on the wall side and drop and grab the jump switch there to get a camera view of Secret #3, which is now accessible. To get it, retrace your steps to the top and swim down the water hole on island #7 to pick up the crossbow.

Dream Crystal #3 - The Marble Jeep ride...

Back to the top you can now place the other Awakening Star on island #8 and drop into the water hole and swim along for a while. Then emerge and climb out of a hole and enjoy a flyby of the jeep track you will have to master. When it finishes you need to eliminate two more pterodactyls first. Then climb the ladder, use your jeep key and get started. Some hints about the jeep: try and keep more towards the left of the track and get used to what happens when different speeds are applied. Too slow and you cannot really steer very well, too fast and you will shoot off the track. Obviously - save often as you master passages well. Once you reach the very top, note the electricity. You can make a long running jump across to pick up Secret #4 - crossbow ammo. Jump back and continue your ride to the end and pick up Dream Crystal #3. Then a long running jump brings you back to your starting point. Return to the very start, ie Island #1 and place the three Dream Crystals.

The Planets Room

Dive down and emerge in the room into which you have been dropping your 11 marbles, thus raising the four planets to their required heights. Push them onto the 'L' tiles, kill two baddies waiting for you and pick up a medipack and the torch. A flyby shows you where you need to go next.

The Torch puzzle

Go where the camera showed you. In order to get the torch up onto the 'tracks' you can either stand against the wall, jump and pull pistols and the torch drops onto the track or you can make a curved jump with the torch into the opening on the right and from there a straight jump to the higher ground. Follow the path upward with simple jumps and finally emerge in the crowbar room. Light your torch there and then light the two other pedestals next to the burning one to ensure the leftmost raising block is down (even if it might be down already). Then jump up to the block on the left opposite the leftmost opening, walk to the edge on the very left and make a simple jump into the opening. Drop the torch into the hole at the end.

Now make your way back out to the top of the islands and finally drop into the water hole on central island #9. Swim through, get out and find another marble jeep. Use it and go down the slope on the right and follow to the very end to find the torch you dropped the hole. Pick it up and light the pedestal nearby to open the two doors where you found the jeep (camera). Also you will need to kill a few raptors down here. Now you need to get the torch back to where the jeep was and drop it into the newly opened hole. To do that, pull the lever which turns the slope into steps. Make your way back, drop the torch, return to the jeep (pull lever again, so that you have a slope again that the jeep can drive up) and then follow the path on the other side.

You will pass another pedestal and find the laser sight lying on the floor. Pick it up and where you burning torch is lying on the floor, look up into the shaft and use crossbow and laser sight to shoot the brass ball. This creates an opening behind you.

The Rollercoaster Ride

Enter your jeep again and drive into the new opening. This is a timed rollercoaster ride. Complete the course in time and you can pick up Secret #5 (a Secret Scroll for you to take away) at the end. You can run around the track as often as you wish - it is only there for fun.

The Finale

Once you had enough jeep riding, return to the burning torch, pick it up, go to the pedestal you passed earlier and light it to open the nearby door. Walk through and time a jump to the animated floor tile in the middle of the room and enjoy the final flyby. (Note that you can steer Lara once she starts 'flying'. I would recommend to only use left and right keys to turn her for a better view and she will hit the finish trigger in due course).

Hope you enjoyed the game - don't forget to review it

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Sequence for Marbles #4, #5, #6:

3, 5, 5 (again!), 1, 6, 4, 2