MAP21: Pitfalls (Doom 64)

MAP21: Pitfalls is the twenty-first level of Doom 64. An infernal frontier of subterranean proportions that teeters on the verge of total darkness, it is accompanied by an unearthly ambience characterized by deep howling, shrill strings, and buzzing insects. The first part of the level is suggested in the name, as there is a perilous cavern with a huge pit of lava in the middle. The player has to find their way over the pitfalls while battling imps and cacodemons. It uses the music track "Perfect Hate" by Aubrey Hodges.

Eventually a hidden temple will be discovered, consisting of shadowy hallways with strange rooms, ending up with a bigger shrine-like room where a skull key may be found. Going back and forth through this level is only made worse by monsters jumping out at you in the hallways, and new sections in the caves opening, releasing new waves of monsters. To exit the level, a multi-colored gate in the hallways must be opened and the player has to jump down the endless pitfall.

Secrets

 * 1) After opening the yellow door and going down the stairs out of the starting point, immediately turn right and fall of the cliff here at the first available opportunity. You'll land in the lava, but you should see a small platform of rocks in front of you. Notice that the shape of the platform is an arrow, that points to the corner of the canyon nearest to you. Go where it points and you'll find a tucked away path with a switch that brings down an elevator to your left; taking you up to a secret area with cells and rockets.
 * 2) Eventually, you will go through a teleporter that will take you to a green-brick maze-like room. From the teleport destination, take the first left. Then take the first right. Then, look at the wall on your left and you'll notice that the texture here is offset. Examine the wall to reveal a secret area.
 * 3) From secret #2, go back near the teleport destination that brought you into the green-brick room. From here, go straight all the way down the main central hallway until you cant go straight anymore, then turn around 180 degrees. You'll see some medusa-head tiles that are set into the wall diagonally on each side of you. One of the tiles on your left will keep frowning at you over and over. Shoot this tile in the face, then walk forward until you get to the first door, and you'll see that the stone tapestry on the right has opened up, revealing a Mega armor.

Trivia

 * This is the last level to introduce a new song.