Who Let The Petpets Out - Extreme Herder Tips

Let me start by telling you that I have an older slower computer with a dial up connection. This gives me a little more time to plan my moves. I play on the 'small' size screen and 'high' quality. I like to position the game window in the middle of my monitor screen. (Use the blue bar at the top to move it)

I am often asked if you can move the petpets. The answer is YES. To do this pick up a petpet carry it to a safer place and then hit the space bar to drop it. By doing this when there are not many petpets left you can work the petpets closer to a gate and away from Balthazar.

Remember that the shortest route between 2 points is the fastest and the petpets move. Often by the time you are ready to pick up another one you may not have to go so far out of your way. If there are a few petpets along the left side of the pen, I will go in a straight line to collect them. By the time I return for the next one it will frequently have moved into a position where Samrin can go in a straight line to collect it.

Work out the earliest part of the gate you can drop a petpet, then quickly turn for your next pick up. You don't have to be right in the middle of the gate to drop a petpet in. As soon as you hear that a petpet has been grabbed, turn and start heading towards the gate. (Sometimes I accidentally miss a petpet or start out with a petpet still in Samrin's arms - but not often) Each second can make a difference in saving all the petpets.

I use the snowflakes to freeze Balthazar frequently, but rarely go out of my way to get one as I have found that by the time I freeze him then get back to the petpet, I have not really gained much time. The snowflakes are only available on the first 15 levels of the game. For as high as I have played, the speedballs are still available.

I rarely use the speedballs except in the high levels. You have less control over Samrin once you pick up a speedball - and there are no snowflakes to freeze Balthazar in the higher levels.

The 'All saved bonus' is only available for the first 6 levels, but the bonus for the 'angel' pet remains and increases slightly the higher the level you are playing.

Did you know...? You can squeeze Samrin between the bottom side of the pen and Balthazar if you hug the side of the pen. It is extremely rare that Balthazar will turn his head and eat you. This again makes for a shorter distance between 2 points and can mean saving a petpet from 'sudden death' Sometimes you need to be brave and dash in and snatch a petpet from under Balthazar's nose. Other times you need to be patient - hold back and wait to see where Balthazar is going to move. Try and stay as close to the sides of the pen as you can.

Don't be afraid to dart in ahead of Balthazar to beat him to turn a corner. He is a little slower than Samrin. Practice will teach you when to hurry and when to hold back. As you become more familiar you become with the game, you will often be able to second guess which way Balthazar will go, and which way the petpets will go, too.

I sometimes lure Balthazar away from a petpet. This gives me a little more time to collect it. When there is a petpet on both the top and bottom sides of the pen and Balthazar is an equal distance from them both, I will hold back on picking up a petpet till Balthazar has moved right away from one of them. This gives me time to grab, drop and dart back up the other side for the other petpet.

In the early levels I like to start with Samrin the Kacheek at the middle of the bottom fence, near the gate there. From here, I find it easy to cover all the game. Using the 'flip' doors when necessary. Don't panic; just go about collecting the petpets and dropping them into the pen.

I rarely back track while Samrin is holding a petpet. I carry it to the gate nearest to where I plan to collect the next petpet. Sometimes I find that I need to carry a petpet past a gate to get to another one that’s in imminent danger. I have found that dropping the petpet where there are other petpets near a gate means that Samrin can pick them up quickly. This saves a precious second or two.

    Once the flip doors start to go, I start with the Kacheek at the bottom left corner of the pen. I collect the petpets starting at the left and/or top of the screen first then moving up to the petpets at the right of the screen - after all they are the farthest away from Balthazar. When the third gate is ready to disappear I make sure that I carry the last petpet to the one remaining gate (left of screen) and drop it in there. This allows me to start the next level from the top left corner of the pen. This is the corner closest to where Balthazar emerges, and allows me to either collect any petpets along the top side of the pen - the ones Balthazar goes for first, or collect the petpets along the left side of the screen - Balthazar's 2nd choice as these petpets are the closest for him to get to.

If you have to choose between 2 petpets and one has the halo, take the one with the halo as it will give you extra points. If there are a group of 2 or more petpets that Balthazar is going to eat, I will often sacrifice one of Samrin's lives rather than lose ALL lives by Balthazar eating two or three petpets.

As you play I am sure you will work out your own strategy for this game. Striving for a personal best will see you get better and better at any game but remember the idea of all games is to have fun and enjoy yourself. Trophies are just an added bonus.

Don't forget to make yourself comfortable before you start. :) I hope that this helps you get a high score and maybe even a trophy for your cabinet. But remember it takes practice, practice and more practice and a little bit of luck. Good luck with your games.