Ti–Key: Your Guide to the Key Quest Board

Personally, Key Quest is how I make all my NP. Since I’m no good at restocking and I don’t really play on the stock market, this game is my only source of income. To tell you the truth, it can be very profitable, since the prizes are fantastic and even if you don’t win, you are guaranteed some NP. So, if you’re looking for a fun way to make lots of NP, Key Quest is definitely the game for you.

In this guide I will assume that you already know the basics of the game, but I will run through them quickly. There are 2 to 5 keys to collect and you can play with 2 to 4 players. The objective is to collect all the keys and get through the door as quick as possible. I will also assume that you will be playing a 5 key, 2 player game.

The reason I enjoy this game so much is that it requires a lot of strategy. And because your opponents are real people, each game will be unique. Some will be difficult, some will be long, some will be messy, some very lucrative. Always be prepared for a challenge!

So, are you ready to play on this wonderfully colourful board? If so, let’s go!

1) Your starting home

In my opinion, the starting point is the most important thing in the Ti–Key board. This is because it is not very symmetrical, as some of the others are, for example Chocolate and Springtime. The best houses to get here are Neopia Central and Lost Desert. This is because both lead to a straight path through all the keys straight to the door. The order would be: Yellow, Red, Green, Blue, White and then straight to the door. Of the two houses, I prefer Lost Desert. Why? It’s very simple! If you roll a 2, you get 200 NP, whereas everything else is the same. So this is a nice advantage to think about. Another thing is, of course, it is closer to the exit so if you get kicked home, you have a slight lead.

The fact that both these 2 starting houses give essentially the same path with few advantages is what makes a 2 player game very fair. If you roll the dice and win, you pick Lost Desert. If you lose and your opponent chooses Lost Desert, you pick Neopia Central. Either way, you are playing a very balanced game.

2) ‘X’ marks the spot

No matter what the board, the treasure square (marked with an ‘x’) is my absolute favourite. Not only do you get loads of NP and a power up, you even get a key! So aim for that square, never avoid it and if you are lucky enough to land on it and you starting off with a home I mentioned above, go ahead and pick the white key, as it’s the last one!

3) The portals

Just like the treasure square, both the portals are placed in very strategic positions. Notice that they’re both very close to the door, as well as the treasure chest. The fact that they’re so close to each other gives you an interesting advantage. If the Misdirected Compass is used on you when you’re right next to the door, here’s what you can do: Go back to the green portal and go through, walk to the blue one and go through, and voila! You’re right next to the door again!

4) The power ups

As with all the boards, the power ups are what makes this game so interesting. How to use them, when to use them, which ones to choose are all very important questions. Instead of going through them all, I will concentrate on the ones that are particularly helpful on this board.

Pocket Portal: This is the most important power up, especially on the Ti–Key board, as once you have all your keys, you can transfer yourself to the green portal, which is right next to the door!

Loaded Gummy Dice: My absolute favourite power up in all the boards, because you can use it to get onto the best square on the game, the treasure chest!

Rainbow Fountain Water: If you find yourself running a little behind, you can always use this handy power up to make things a little harder on your opponent. But please! Don’t use it out of spite.

A quick note on power ups: be strategic when you use them. First of all, if you have 3, then don’t waste power ups by interchanging them. If you have a Virtudice or Boots of Flight, go ahead and use it! That way you won’t have to waste one changing it for a more useful power up.

5) The mini games

The structure of this board is such that avoiding mini games will be pretty hard. They seem to be coming at you every step! There’s not much I can say about them except that you need to be quick in order to win. If you feel that your computer is not good enough for being competitive at mini games, then you are always free to look for people who have a similar situation to yours. The people at the Key Quest board are always very helpful and there should be no problem with find an opponent!

And that is pretty much for the lovely Ti–Key board! As a conclusion I’d like to ask you to please enjoy the game. Of course it’s a competition and a race to the gold, but from experience I know that playing fair makes the game enjoyable for ALL players. There’s no need for harsh tactics in order to win. I’ve made a few neofriends from the game, simply because a neomail of “good game” or “congratulations” showed good intentions. Also, I always like to greet my opponents before the start of the game, it sets a nice tone and shows that you are looking for a nice, fair game.

So, I hope this guide helps you with Key Quest! Have fun, be smart, and may your prizes be fruitful!