Succeeding in Stowaway Sting

     One of the greatest puzzle games to launch in the history of Neopets, Stowaway Sting is a fast paced adventure where you have to dodge enemies, bottomless pits, and crates full of the sharpest ship gear you could ever possibly imagine. It simulates a classic Neopets game that you can find in the Game Graveyard known as Deckswabber except this is a massive update with a lot more dynamic gameplay and more beautiful graphics.

     Game Description

     "The expedition aboard the SS Primella has made it safely back to the docks of Mystery Island, but for Scrap, the scene is not clear of danger yet. Several shady-looking and rather familiar characters are roaming the docks with an intently malicious gleam in their eyes.

     With a bit of quick investigating, Scrap figures out that these are indeed the same thugs who framed him for their last heist. They have just pulled off another big heist and plan to move the goods out by boat. Always the irrepressible one, Scrap decides to try gathering up the stolen treasures before they can escape with them. If he returns the goods back to their rightful owner, perhaps it could help clear his name."

     Controlling Scrap

     "Guide Scrap using the UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT arrow keys on your keyboard. Search the docks thoroughly, collect all the treasure you can, and above all, keep away from those thugs!"

     The game is played at a slight angle, which adds to the difficulty of the game. As you can read from the game description you will be using your arrows keys to navigate Scrap around the game board. Sadly for us it is not as easy as it seems. Because of this angle it may take you a few tries to get used to the controls and even once you become a pro you may still be thrown off on occasion. My best advice for overcoming this particular challenge is to re-play level one over and over until the controls are second nature. There are not enemies in this level and the timer gives you plenty of time to experiment. Just don't send your score by accident, or you'll barely make anything.

     What do I do though?

     So now that you are used to moving Scrap around the game board you may be asking "What do I do though?" The goal is to turn all the tiles on the game board to the "Target Color" (displayed in the bottom left corner of the game screen) by stepping on it. For the first few levels, simply touching a tile will make it light up to the target color. As you progress in the game the tiles will change EVERY time you touch them to various colors, or back to their base colors, which means that you have to be much more strategic in how you move around the board. If you end up in a corner and have to back track you will un-do all the work you just did!

     There are multiple possible heights for the crates and you need to climb them like stairs. So keep in mind that you may need to use a mid-size crate to jump up to the highest size, occasionally this means you will have to take some damage on a spiky crate.

     There are a total of 8 levels and each one adds a new element. In the first three levels you only need to jump on each square once. In levels four through six you have to jump on each square once, but if you touch it a second time it will revert to its original brown color!! And then for the final two levels, seven and eight, the difficulty ramps up where you have to touch each tile TWICE to make it green, but if you touch it a third time it will go back to the original brown color and the progress will be lost.

     Easy enough! What else do I need to know?

     It is not as easy as just going around the game board. There are two major elements you need to keep an eye on. Both can be found in the upper left corner of the game screen.

     Health: The health bar carries over from level to level, it doesn't reset just because you complete a stage. This drops when you do things like touching a crate full of weapons or running into an enemy. When your health drops, it is game over for you. You can also lose all of your health at once and end the game instantly by falling in one of the holes in the ship!! This is why it is important to master the controls early, so you don't fumble into a hole.

     Timer: You are given a time limit for each level, and if that time runs out your game is over. On the flip side, you get a point bonus awarded for how quickly you are able to complete each level!

     So how do I get a high score??

     I'm going to split this section in two to help you get the highest score possible. First we'll cover the power ups that will propel you through the game, and then we will cover my quick tips to maximize your score.

     The power ups are...

     Neopoint Bags: These are really common! If you pick these up you'll get 20 bonus points. It seems small but they add up quickly, especially since these come around frequently.

     Diamonds: An upgrade on the Neopoint Bags, these valuable gems pack a whopping 50 bonus points for your score. These should be a priority for you.

     Orbs: These have a mixed reception in the fan community. They come in two colors, blue or green, and will burst open painting the tiles to the corresponding color. It is great for completing a board quickly, but is that the best thing for you...hmmm...stay tuned...

     Hearts: My FAVORITE power up. I jump all over the game board to maneuver quickly, which sometimes means sacrificing my health on weapon crates or crossing enemies for an extra diamond or two. When I get a heart to boost my health, I love it. These don't show up all the time, only when your health is low, and you should get them whenever possible. Hearts and diamonds are on the same "tier" of power up, which means a heart can show up INSTEAD of a diamond aka less points for you.

     And now for my tips...

     Don't rush. The point bonus from the timer is cool and all, but it honestly is not worth it! You have 60 seconds for the level and you should use as much of that time to collect diamonds and neopoint bags as possible. The point power ups are way more valuable than the time bonus, so if you want to maximize your score...stand still and wait for the power ups to pop up.

     Study the levels! The path you take will make a huge difference in how efficiently you pass each stage with minimal backtracking and maximizing the time you have to go after power ups.

     Practice, practice, practice. As with any game, practice makes perfect! So keep playing and keep having fun!