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Golden Idols are a type of treasure present in all areas of the caves that appear as giant grimacing faces made out of solid gold. They are extremely valuable, but are always guarded by elaborate traps that makes them risky to snatch.
Unlike other treasures, you do not get the Idol's monetary value immediately upon touching it - it must be picked up and carried to the level exit, or sold to a Shopkeeper by dropping it in their shop, presuming you haven't angered the shopkeeper earlier in that run. (Suprisingly, though, if you are wanted, you can still sell it by dropping it off a ledge of throwing it onto the shop floor if you haven't been noticed by the shopkeepers in the level yet.) Golden Idols are one of the more obvious references to the Indiana Jones franchise.
Value
As with all treasure, the value of the Golden Idol increases incrementally in each area of the game:
| The Mines: | $5,000 |
| The Jungle: | $10,000 |
| The Ice Caves: | $15,000 |
| The Temple: | $20,000 |
| Hell: | $25,000 |
In the Mines
The boulder knows how to roll...
In the Mines, Golden Idols are found placed on a stone altar underneath a gigantic stone carving.
Grabbing the Idol causes a brief rumbling before the carving's head explodes, releasing a giant boulder that smashes through the terrain as it rolls.
Boulders may be escaped from by simply descending the cave, or climbing to higher ground at least 3 tiles above the floor (this can be done with the aid of a ladder, a rope or climbing a terrain).
If you're standing on top of a platform only two tiles above the floor, note that you can fall on the boulder and get crushed if you don't jump over it as it approaches - and it's a good idea to sprint away from the boulder for a while after you land, in case it rebounds off the edge of the level with enough momentum left to start rolling back towards you.
Unlike the classic version, bombing the platform that it sits on or whipping the idol sets the trap off immediately, instead of disarming it.
In the Jungle
Golden Idols in the Jungle are found placed on stone platforms above pools of water. Lifting the Idol will cause this platform to collapse from the outside inwards, dropping you into the water if you don't move fast enough.
Sometimes the ponds are empty, but other times they may contain a few Piranhas or Frogs in them.
Should you fall into the pool, you will not be able to get out without using a rope or some climbing gloves. You can also use a bomb if the wall is thin enough, and simply blast your way out of the side.
The trap can be easily escaped by sprinting to either side as soon as you pick up the Idol - just make sure the path is clear before you do.
Restless Dead Levels
Boo! It's trap, a haunting daunting trap!
In Restless Dead Level feelings, the Golden Idol is replaced with a Crystal Skull. The Crystal Skull is worth $15,000 - three times more valuable than a Golden Idol found in the mines - but the trap that guards them is much deadlier.
Crystal Skulls are found inside a small catacomb enclosed with bricks and a Push Block on either side. There is an undead Skeleton in each of the four corners, and lifting the Crystal Skull itself immediately causes the Ghost to enter.
In the Ice Caves
Golden Idols found in the Ice Caves are placed high up on platforms of thin ice suspended above a platform covered in spikes. With the aid of a cape or a jetpack, collecting these Idols is relatively easy. However, without such means these Idols can be difficult to reach, let alone retrieve safely.
You can use a rope to climb up if the platform is near enough solid ground, or throw a bomb to blast the Idol off the platform, although this will throw the Idol unpredictably, and possibly send it falling into the Abyss.
In the Temple
Ceiling Trap
When the ceiling starts dropping, you'd better stop hopping.
There are two different Idol traps found in the Temple.Normally, the Idol will be found in a small chamber that appears empty. However, as soon as the Idol is lifted, the doors slide shut and a spiked ceiling slowly descends to crush the Spelunker. Escaping this trap requires a Bomb or a mattock, as there is no way to escape without destroying the walls once the trap is triggered. If a hole is blown in the floor, be aware that spikes will descend through the hole until they hit something solid.
It is also possible to place a push block in the doorway before retrieving the Idol, which prevents the door from closing fully. You can then push the block away and the door will remain half-open, but this obviously requires a conveniently placed push block.
Note that the underside of the block ceiling of this trap always deals death when contacted, even before the spikes have been revealed. If you touch the underside while flying with a jetpack or exploring with climbing gloves, you will be killed in spite of its harmless appearance.
Sacrificial Pit Levels
On levels with a Sacrificial Pit, the Idol will always be found alongside a Damsel offered as a virgin sacrifice above a pit of danger, typically consisting of several Arrow Traps and a pool of lava. When you pick up the Idol, the floor beneath it will immediately collapse and drop you into the pit. This is almost always fatal unless you have some way to stop your fall and make your way out of the pit, such as a jetpack, climbing gloves, a cape or a parachute. You may also need some ropes or bombs.
The pit will not collapse when the Damsel is taken, so she must be taken first if you intend to retrieve both. Note that the walls of the pit containing the Damsel and Idol are three tiles high, meaning that you need to prepare for some way to climb back out once you drop onto the lid of the pit.
Using a rope is one way of retrieving the Idol. If you're fast enough, you can grab the rope the instant you take the Idol, preventing you from falling.
Hell
Golden Idols found in Hell are generally guarded by a huge number of Spike Ball traps. To retrieve it, you must carefully dodge the spike balls, while attempting to pick it up.
Trivia
- The golden Idol counterbalancing a rolling-boulder trap is, of course, a direct reference to the iconic scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark where Indiana Jones retrieves a booby-trapped Idol in an ancient temple.
- A golden idol can placed on an altar to get a golden monkey instead, that poops gold and reward you 150% of the value you would have gotten if you carried it to the exit or sold it in a shop.
- The Golden Idol is the icon used to represent Spelunky, both on the Classic and HD versions. It is also used as the favicon of Spelunky World and the Spelunky Wiki.