Characters & How to Unlock Them

There are 20 different player characters available in Spelunky, which can be used in single player and multiplayer game modes, including co-op adventures and Deathmatch. Four are available from the beginning, 12 are trapped in coffins, and the remaining four must be unlocked by fulfilling certain requirements.

Each of the Spelunkers have identical abilities, with the only difference between them being their appearance.

Unlocking all 16 secret characters earns the Achievement: 'The Entire Gang'.

These characters are available from the beginning of the game and don't need to be unlocked.

A character based on the Indiana Jones archetype of the 'Adventurer Archaeologist', with a very prominent red nose.
A man dressed as an early 20th century Safari hunter, with a pith helmet and hulihee beard.

Based on Colin Northway[colinnorthway.com], a friend of Derek Yu and developer of Incredipede. A man wearing a Turban.
A woman with a green bow in her curled hair.

There characters are trapped inside coffins throughout the game. One coffin may generate randomly in each of the four main areas, though some require certain Level Feelings[spelunky.wikia.com] in order to spawn. Break it open and one of these characters may be found trapped inside, which you will unlock once he/she is released.

Coffins can also hold Hired Hands if all characters are unlocked.

A girl wearing a miner's helmet.
A man dressed in Mariachi clothing.
A girl dressed as a pirate with an eyepatch, bandanna and gold earrings.
A man wearing a furry cyan animal hood, a purple jacket and green pants.
An Inuk wearing a parka.

Apparently this coffin only appears in the "It smells like wet fur in here" Level Feeling in the Ice Caves. A 'round' girl, wearing glasses and a hairband.

Apparently this coffin only appears in the "My skin is crawling" Level Feeling in the Mines. A ninja wearing a Yin-Yang bandanna.

This coffin seems to only spawn above Olmec. A 'round' boy wearing a cap.

Found inside a coffin in a Tiki Village in the Jungle. A goofy Cyclops. Based on the titular character of What is bothering Carl?[www.storyfort.com], an interactive storybook created by Spelunky's lead programmer Andy Hull.

Sold in The Black Market. An archetypical Nordic Viking.

Apparently this coffin only appears in the "I hear rushing water" event in the Jungle area. A blocky cartoon robot with treads.

Apparently this coffin only appears in The Mothership. A golden Buddhist Monk that sparkles like treasure.

Apparently this coffin only appears in The City of Gold.

These characters need certain requirements to be fulfilled in order to be unlocked.

Van Helsing, the Vampire hunter from Bram Stoker's Dracula.

How to Unlock: At the top of the secret Haunted Castle level, he can be found trapped inside a coffin. He will be unlocked once the coffin is broken open.

A tribal warrior, wearing a loincloth and a leopard headdress.

How to Unlock: Defeat Olmec and get to the exit.

A representation of Meat Boy, drawn in Spelunky's graphical style.

This may be a reference to how Super Meat Boy features The Spelunker as an unlockable character.

How to Unlock: Near the end of the secret Worm level, he can be found trapped inside a dark green fleshy pod. He will be unlocked once the pod is broken open.

A man dressed in traditional Chinese clothing.

How to Unlock: Defeat King Yama and get to the exit.

Though this guide lists all Characters and how to get them, I still consider it incomplete. The unlock instructions could benefit from some more details. I will link appropriate Steam Guides as soon as they are available.