Guy Spelunky is the protagonist of Spelunky who descends into the mysteriously shifting caverns beneath the desert in search of fame and fortune.
He is one of the four player characters unlocked from the beginning of the game.
Name[]
"Spelunky Guy" is the name given to the player character as the star of Spelunky HD; a game about spelunking.
He was not, however, given a canonical name until Spelunky 2, where he was finally named "Guy Spelunky". As a result, there were a number of nicknames for him created by the fandom around the game's original release:
- Iowa Jack - A parody of the name Indiana Jones, whom the character is based on.
- Indie - Independent games like Spelunky are colloquially known as "indies", which also happens to be similar to Indiana Jones' nickname (Indy).
- Derek - After Derek Yu, the creator of Spelunky.
- Spelunky - Used to refer to the character in his Super Meat Boy appearance . He is seen in the game as "Spelunky from Spelunky". This was the closest to a canonical name the Spelunky Guy had been given until Spelunky 2, as the name would have most likely been approved by Derek Yu himself.
Background[]
Guy Spelunky's background is mostly only speculated by fans.
However, there is also a little information about him that can be deduced from the inner monologues generated in the opening cutscene of the game. These sometimes allude to a deceased father, whose last words presumably referred to the caves. It is possible that finding the Giant Idol was his father's ambition, and Guy Spelunky undertakes this quest in his honor.
Additionally, there is reference to a faded photo that he keeps in his pocket, a treasured memento of someone he refers to only as 'her'.
This may refer to the Damsels found in the caves, but given his propensity to sacrifice them or otherwise treat them with relative indifference, it seems that the girl in the photo is someone he was more fond of, whom he lost a long time ago and doesn't expect to see ever again.
He also has apparent beliefs in polytheism and destiny.
In the Snake Pit level feeling, the flavor text "I hear snakes, I hate snakes!" appears, noting the Guy Spelunky's hatred of snakes. This is most likely a reference to Indiana Jones' similar distaste towards snakes.
Another flavor text appears during Spider's Lair levels as "My skin is crawling...", which may infer that the Guy Spelunky has a fear or distate towards spiders.
After his big adventure in Spelunky HD, he goes on to marry the playable spelunker "Yellow" (Named Tina Flan in Spelunky 2). Together, they have a daughter named Ana Spelunky. Years down the line of living a happy life with his family, he eventually begins having dreams of seeing Olmec's face on the moon, driving him, his wife, and later his daughter to the celestial body, as seen in Spelunky 2.
Abilities[]
Guy Spelunky starts each game armed with a whip, 4 bombs, and 4 ropes, which he uses along with his mountaineering skills to navigate the caves.
He is highly resourceful, capable of picking up and using a wide range of other items and utilizing them in inventive ways to dispatch enemies and evade traps.
Highly athletic, he is capable of running, jumping, climbing, swimming, crawling and dying hilariously in many, many, many ways.
Success in Spelunky requires that the player uses his basic range of abilities inventively and in clever combinations.
Notes[]
The flavor texts that appear when noting certain level feelings show two different perspectives, both first person and second person. For example, while the text "I hear snakes, I hate snakes!" is clearly in first person from the character's perspective, while "You hear rushing water!" is second person, from an unknown perspective. Finally there are non-specific perspectives portrayed, such as "Welcome to the Black Market!" which remains neutral in perspective. This is potentially an error, or an insinuation that someone is overseeing the Spelunker's progress and narrating his journey.