Spelunky is © 2008, 2009 Derek Yu and Mossmouth, LLC, and is used under the [Spelunky User License v1.1b](https://spelunky.ai/LICENSE.txt). spelunky.ai is an unofficial fan project, not affiliated with or endorsed by Mossmouth. The game and its assets may not be sold. Music by George Buzinkai and Jonathan Perry; sound effects made in SFXR. From Spelunky Classic 1.1, © 2008, 2009 Derek Yu and Mossmouth, LLC. # Tunnel Man From the spelunky.ai wiki: . Verified against the spelunky.ai port [v0.1.10](https://github.com/851-labs/spelunky/releases/tag/v0.1.10) on 28 October 2026. The Tunnel Man is a character in Spelunky Classic who waits between areas and asks for money to dig shortcuts from the title screen to levels 5, 9 and 13. ![A man with a black afro, in a blue shirt and brown trousers, facing left](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/media/9298410b19d5e050/sprites/sTunnelManLeft/frames/0%404x.png) | Tunnel Man | | | ---------- | -------------- | | Role | Digs shortcuts | | Object | `oTunnelMan` | He digs three shortcuts in turn, each a door on the title screen that starts a game at the first level of an area: the [Jungle](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/jungle)'s level 5, the [Ice Caves](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/ice-caves)' level 9 and the [Temple](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/temple)'s level 13\. He asks for their price a donation at a time, in the screen between the last level of one area and the first of the next, and remembers what he's owed from game to game. Players who have earned every gold trophy can play as him. ## Behaviour **Clip: Tunnel Man's shortcut.** Between the Mines and the Jungle, the player walks up to the Tunnel Man, who introduces himself and asks for $100,000 for a new shortcut. The player holds up to raise the donation to $4,100 and gives it; the Tunnel Man thanks him. ([video](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/media/9298410b19d5e050/clips/tunnel-man/donate/clip.mp4)) The Tunnel Man stands in the screen between levels, and stops the player who walks up to him: "HEY THERE! I'M THE TUNNEL MAN! I DIG SHORTCUTS."[^1][^2]. The action key moves him on to his request: "CAN YOU LEND ME A LITTLE MONEY? I NEED $... FOR A NEW SHORTCUT.", with the sum he still needs and the donation, which starts at $0, or higher if the player pressed up before he asked ([Trivia](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/tunnel-man#trivia))[^3][^4]. The screen can't be skipped until he's had his answer[^5]. Up raises the donation by $100 a press, and down lowers it. Held, either key changes it by $100 a step after 20 steps, and by $1,000 a step after 100; it never goes above the player's money or what he needs, nor below $0[^6][^7]. The action key gives it: the money is taken, and he answers "THANKS! YOU WON'T REGRET IT!", or, if it pays the shortcut off, "ONE SHORTCUT, COMING UP!", or, given nothing, "I'LL NEVER GET THIS SHORTCUT BUILT!"[^8][^9]. In the clip, between the Mines and the Jungle, he asks for $100,000, and the player gives him $4,100. ## Interactions ### The shortcuts | Shortcut | Price | Where he asks | | | ------------------------------------------------------------ | -------- | --------------------------------------- | ----- | | Level 5, the [Jungle](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/jungle) | $100,000 | After level 4 | [^10] | | Level 9, the [Ice Caves](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/ice-caves) | $200,000 | After level 8, once the first is paid | [^11] | | Level 13, the [Temple](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/temple) | $300,000 | After level 12, once the second is paid | [^12] | He works on one shortcut at a time, and only waits at that one's screen. What's still owed on each is kept in the high score table and saved with the scores, so donations add up over many games[^13][^14]. **Clip: Tunnel Man paid off.** Between the Jungle and the Ice Caves, the Tunnel Man asks for the last $500 of the level 9 shortcut. The player gives it, and the shortcut is paid off. ([video](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/media/9298410b19d5e050/clips/tunnel-man/paid/clip.mp4)) Paying the level 9 shortcut off starts the level 13 one at its price[^15]. In the clip, between the Jungle and the Ice Caves, the player gives the last $500 of the level 9 shortcut. A paid shortcut opens on the title screen: once the first is paid, a ladder leads down to the level 5 door, and the level 9 and 13 doors are added as their shortcuts are paid[^16]. Going through one starts a game at its level[^17]. A game started from a shortcut doesn't set a best time[^18]. A new high score table owes $1 more than each price, and the screen where the Tunnel Man would wait only takes that $1 off, with no Tunnel Man; so he first appears the next time the screen is reached. Paying off the level 9 shortcut does the same to the level 13 one[^19][^20][^21]. ### Playing as him When the high scores hold all four gold trophies (money, time, kills and Damsels saved), the Tunnel Man on the title screen is replaced by a door, and going through it switches the player to him, or back[^22][^23]. The trophies' thresholds are $200,000 in one game, a best time of 600 seconds or less, 120 kills and 8 [Damsels](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/damsel)[^24]. The Tunnel Man starts each game with 2 hearts and no bombs or ropes[^25]. With empty hands, his attack is a swing of a [Mattock](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/mattock), which only works on the ground and holds his jump while it lasts, and which never breaks, as a carried one can[^26][^27][^28][^29]. It breaks blocks as the Mattock does[^30]. A wanted poster of him has his own face[^31]. ## Locations - **The screen between levels**, after level 4, 8 or 12, whichever shortcut he's digging (above). - **The title screen**, standing at its left, facing right, until the player can play as him[^32][^33]. ## Trivia - The Stars challenge room makes its outer bricks unbreakable, with the comment "To prevent the Tunnel Man from tearing up the whole level."[^34] - The high scores room has a message for him, "NO MATTOCKS ALLOWED! THIS MEANS YOU!", in the Sun room's description, turned off with `if (false)` and the test it replaced left in a comment[^35]. - The up key raises the donation even before he has asked for one, while the player walks up to him and while he introduces himself, so his request can start above $0; and after he's been answered, where nothing reads it[^36][^21]. ## FAQ ### How much does the Tunnel Man want in Spelunky Classic? $100,000 for the shortcut to level 5, $200,000 for level 9's and $300,000 for level 13's, in donations as large or small as the player likes, over as many games as it takes. ### Where is the Tunnel Man in Spelunky Classic? In the screen between levels, at the end of an area: after level 4 while he digs the first shortcut, after level 8 for the second, and after level 12 for the third. He also stands on the title screen. ### Why didn't the Tunnel Man show up in Spelunky Classic? He skips his first visit to each of those screens: the first time it's reached, the game only takes $1 off the shortcut's price, and he appears from the next game on. He's also only at the screen for the shortcut he's digging. ### How do you unlock the Tunnel Man in Spelunky Classic? Earn all four gold trophies in the high scores: $200,000 in one game, a game won in 10 minutes or less without a shortcut, 120 kills and 8 Damsels saved. A door then takes his place on the title screen, which switches the player to him. ## See also - **Related:** [Mattock](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/mattock), [The Jungle](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/jungle), [The Ice Caves](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/ice-caves), [The Temple](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/temple), [Damsel](https://spelunky.ai/wiki/damsel) ## References [^1]: `objects/oPDummy/step.gml:24-41` [^2]: `objects/oTransition/draw.gml:3-16` [^3]: `objects/oTunnelMan/step.gml:1-3` [^4]: `objects/oTransition/draw.gml:17-32` [^5]: `objects/oTransition/step.gml:1-11` [^6]: `objects/oTransition/step.gml:35-67` [^7]: `objects/oTunnelMan/step.gml:43-83` [^8]: `objects/oTunnelMan/step.gml:1-41` [^9]: `objects/oTransition/draw.gml:33-53` [^10]: `objects/oTransition/create.gml:47-51` [^11]: `objects/oTransition/create.gml:52-56` [^12]: `objects/oTransition/create.gml:57-61` [^13]: `objects/oGlobals/create.gml:34-39` [^14]: `scripts/scrUpdateHighscores.gml:97-99` [^15]: `objects/oTunnelMan/step.gml:20-27` [^16]: `objects/oTitle/create.gml:27-52` [^17]: `objects/oPlayer1/other_animation_end.gml:137-157` [^18]: `scripts/scrUpdateHighscores.gml:57-62` [^19]: `scripts/scrResetHighscores.gml:32-33` [^20]: `objects/oTransition/create.gml:47-61` [^21]: Quirk 1 (docs/quirks.md) [^22]: `objects/oTitle/create.gml:54-62` [^23]: `objects/oPlayer1/other_animation_end.gml:192-218` [^24]: `objects/oHighscores/create.gml:32-102` [^25]: `scripts/scrClearGlobals.gml:103-114` [^26]: `objects/oPlayer1/step.gml:1175-1189` [^27]: `objects/oPlayer1/step.gml:432-446` [^28]: `scripts/characterStepEvent.gml:49-60` [^29]: `objects/oMattockHit/other_animation_end.gml:38-39` [^30]: `objects/oMattockHit/other_animation_end.gml:1-23` [^31]: `scripts/scrRoomGen.gml:404-412` [^32]: `objects/oTitle/create.gml:59-62` [^33]: `objects/oTunnelMan/create.gml:8` [^34]: `objects/oStarsRoom/create.gml:10-17` [^35]: `objects/oHighscores/draw.gml:19-27` [^36]: `objects/oTransition/step.gml:35-58` ### Source code - `objects/oTunnelMan/create.gml` - `objects/oTunnelMan/step.gml` - `objects/oTransition/create.gml` - `objects/oTransition/step.gml` - `objects/oTransition/draw.gml` - `objects/oTitle/create.gml` - `objects/oGlobals/create.gml` - `scripts/scrUpdateHighscores.gml`