Crystal Peak - Hollow Knight Guide - IGN (2024)

This page of the IGN Hollow Knight Walkthrough includes instructions on how to unlock and progress through the Crystal Peak.

For information on other sections, be sure to check out the rest of our Walkthrough. To learn how to obtain the various Collectibles Hollow Knight has to offer, visit our pages on Charms, Spells, Mask Shards, and more.

After you’ve finished your business in Dirtmouth, hop down the well and into Forgotten Crossroads, then head right until you reach the first exit down. Take in, then take the first right-side exit you find. Continue down the corridor until you reach a branching path. Take the top path until you reach a lift. Ride it to the top level, then continue to the right and you’ll come to a dark cluster of ground which rumbles when you walk over it. Jump and use Desolate Dive to break into the Crystal Peak area.

Head down into the next area, then head left. Continue left until you reach a toll gate. Pay the 50 Geo to unlock the pathway back to the Forgotten Crossroads.After you unlock the gate, head left and drop down. Kill the two Glimbacks, then head right, destroy the wooden bracing and head back to the previous screen.

Drop down and head right, crossing the conveyor belts until you reach the next section of solid ground. Head right and into the next area to find the first area Bench. Return to the area on the left and wall-jump up to reach the exit at the top of the screen.

Take it, dispatch the Glimback and Husk Miners, and continue up the left-side path. Hop on the conveyer belt running up the left-side wall and take it all the way to the top. Hop up through the exit and into the next area.

This area features crystal beetles which sporadically emit laser beams, so carefully dodge them as you follow the path to the top. An easy way to ascend without being hit repeatedly is to wall-jump up the far right wall, wait for an opening, then jump and dash to the ledge on the left. Kill the Husk Miner and destroy the wall behind him (we’ll be back for this area later), then wall-jump up into the next section of crystal laser beetles.

Follow the platforms up, dodging the lasers, until you reach the top. Take the exit to the left and you’ll find Cornifer. Pay him his well-earned 112 Geo and claim the Crystal Peak map.

After you bid Cornifer a fond farewell, head back to the area on the right, then hop up through the exit above you. Dodge the patrolling laser beetles and hop up onto the platform on the left, then proceed up to the next level. Head up the left-side path, through the crystal laser beetles, and up through the top exit into the next area. Once there, follow the path all the way to the right and take the right exit.

Hop down and land on the second ledge on the right and you’ll find a lever. Strike it to open the gate below, then hop down the newly opened gate to the left and hit the lever you find at the bottom. Wall-jump back up to the ledge on the right, then drop into the next shaft on your right. Once you land, head right again and drop down the long vertical shaft with conveyor belts on both sides. Once you reach the bottom, hit the lever to the left to open another gate, then head through the exit on the right.

Continue right, across the conveyor belts and revolving platforms, then hop up onto the vertical conveyor belts to ascend to solid ground. Once you reach the top of the first vertical belt, there will be wooden bracing hiding a Soul collector on your left, so use it if you need to heal up. After that, head right through the series of laser beetles.

After clearing the first, straightforward section the area will open up, adding revolving spike platforms and conveyor belts to the laser beetles. Make it all the way to the right and you’ll find another Soul collector. Heal up if you took hits, then hop down and follow the path. You’ll soon reach a vertical conveyor belt. Take it to the bottom, then head right across the bridge and you’ll soon find a large mechanical figure with a brilliant light shooting out of its stomach. Inspect it to obtain the incredible Crystal Heart.

The blast of consuming the Crystal Heart has blown out the bridge, but that shouldn’t bother a now-flying bug such as yourself. Charge the Crystal Heart and fly left to reach the platform you came from, then hop up on the ledge and fly left again. Follow the path up and to the left and continue into the next area.

Hop down the ledges and into the vertical shaft below. Drop down to the bottom, then head right through the hydraulic mashers, use the Mothwing Cloak to dash under them and avoid harm.

Continue through the first volley, then drop down to the next level and take on the more challenging gauntlet of mashers to the left. Jump, then dash through each masher and drop down through the hole in the floor and you’ll find a lever on your right. Hit it, then head left and hop down to the ledge. Continue to the right, dash across the elevated platforms and take the exit on the right-hand side.

Continue through the darkened cavern to the right, hopping from platform to platform and avoiding the spike pits and the flying Crystal Hunters. Destroy the Glimback at the end of the tunnel and take the exit to the right.

Now you’ll find yourself standing on a ledge overlooking a large chasm, so charge your Crystal Heart and fly over the chasm to the right and you’ll arrive at the Crystallized Mound. Enter and use Desolate Dive to break through the floor. Head right and you’ll encounter Crystal Hunters and crystal switch platforms. Quickly hop from one platform to the other, then hop up and wall-jump up the wall to the left to reach solid ground.

From there, drop down the shaft to your right and slide down the left-side wall, then hit dash to land on the switch platform on the right. Hop up the platforms and dodge/kill the Crystal Hunter, then double back to the top left and land on a safe ledge. Dispatch the Baldur and use your Soul to heal if you took damage.

Follow the switch platforms straight up and land on the ledge to the right. Continue up and to the right to find a Grub, or hop back onto the switch platform on the left, jump and dash to the left-side wall, then wall-jump up to safety. Walk left, then break the wooden planks in the floor and drop down to find a crystallized Snail Shaman.

Shatter the Snail Shaman’s prison and you’ll consume a portion of the Void, empowering your Desolate Dive Spell and turning it into the more formidable Spell, Descending Dark.

Once you’ve claimed the Descending Dark Spell, head back to the area Bench to update your map, then head up to the section of broken wall we made a note of earlier.

Head left through the opening and, now that we’ve obtained the Crystal Heart, fly left and hop over the hurdle onto the ledge on the left. Charge the Crystal Heart, time the release, and fly through the lasers. Do this at each of the platforms you reach and you’ll soon reach the far left end of the crystal cavern. Head through the exit into the next area, then drop down and claim the powerful Deep Focus Charm.

This Charm will cause the Knight to heal two Masks of health each time Soul is channeled, although the charge time is slightly longer. Pair it with the Quick Focus Charm to greatly enhance your ability to restore health, if you are having trouble staying alive.

After you’ve collected the Charm, head back into the previous area and take the top path conveyor belt back to the right. Exit into the next area, then head back up the shaft and take the next exit. Proceed left, past the point where we met Cornifer, and use the Crystal Heart to fly to the left and through the exit.

You’ll soon hit a wall, so jump down and fly to the left again. Continue working your way towards the left, using your wall-jump and dash abilities to set yourself up for the next flight to the left. Continue all the way to the end of the long corridor, then take the exit into the next area.

Hit the lever to unlock the lift and open a pathway directly from Crystal Peak to Dirtmouth, then return to town and rest at the Bench. After all that flying, the Knight’s arms are probably tired.