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Game Tips

These are my own tips that I have come up with based on my own experience playing the games in the Arcade and Tournament Arena. I am better at some games than other games, and there are other people far better than me. But this is the advice that I can offer! These are not cheats. Please do not ask me about cheats. I do not know any, I do not wish to know any, and I do not believe in cheating!

Candy Bash
My High Score: 61,654

The key to Candy Bash is to realize that you do not have to catch all the candy. Your focus should always be on keeping the bean, because if you lose the bean, you lose a turn! So do not lose the bean because you are going after candy. If you keep this in mind, you should be able to stay in the game longer, which means a higher overall score, even if you didn't catch as much candy. As you get better and better at the game, perhaps you can eventually start to focus a little more on getting more candy to increase your score even more. But to start out, your focus should always be on keeping the bean.

I don't know if it is just my computer, but I find that I must be careful to keep my mouse arrow from going out of the playing window. If it goes up too far, or down too far, you lose the ability to move Poncho! You are moving your mouse and nothing is happening, because the arrow has gone off of the screen. So what I do is always make sure that the arrow is just above Poncho's sombrero. That usually keeps it in a safe area.

While having 2 or more beans at once can be a benefit, I sometimes find it more of a distraction than anything. First of all, it seems that the more beans I have going, the more likely it is that my arrow will go out of the window. And sometimes having 2 beans makes me just lose them both. I'm not sure why, but that is what I have discovered. So, sometimes I just let one go and keep one.

Also, you should be aware that if you hit a bean, it is not effective until it hits the sombrero. So do not let the main bean go unless the 2nd bean has already hit the sombrero.

UPDATE 10/8/08: Sometimes it's better to try to take down a block of candy from the side. If the block is low to the ground, it can be very difficult to control the bean by going at the candy from the bottom. So try to get it from the side. Then when you get one of those firework things, you can use it to take out some candy on the bottom rows. At the very high levels of the game, however, you will sometimes find that you have no choice but to deal with those low-to-the-ground blocks of candy from the bottom, and it is very difficult. The bean is going fast and it becomes blurry. So, you might decide you want to go ahead and even on the early levels try to get the block of candy from the bottom FOR PRACTICE! Even though it is safer to do so from the side, it is good practice for the later levels. So what I do is go at the candy from the bottom for practice, until I decide I want to try to get a trophy. Then I go from the side, because I don't want to lose many turns. To get the trophy, you will want to have as many extra turns stored up as possible! To get the trophy, you have to finish all 30 levels. I've made it to level 26 so far. I don't often actually try for the trophy, because the game takes a long time, and I don't have time!

Cash Cow
My High Score: 9693

I play Cash Cow differently depending upon what my intent is. If I am trying to earn a trophy, I play in Normal Mode then I choose one color and do not click on that color. I click on the other 2 colors and this creates a big group of bottle caps of one color. Then when you have a large amount of bottle caps of one color, click on them. To earn a trophy, all you have to do is click on a large group of one color. There is also luck involved, because the trophy is given at random. I have earned trophies on the higher levels, but your best chances are on levels 1 through 3. If you are just trying to get a trophy, you will increase your chances by stopping after level 3 and playing again and again on just levels 1 through 3.

Usually, however, I am not trying to earn a trophy. I am usually trying to get as much Kinzcash as possible! If you clear the board, you get bonus kinzcash. For every time you clear the board on any given level, the bonus gets greater. I find that I can clear the board more easily if I do not keep large amounts of color, like when I am trying to win a trophy. I keep as few bottles on the screen as possible. It is hard to clear the board on level 4 and beyond. I once cleared the board on level 7 for a bonus of 12 kinzcash.

UPDATE 10/8/08: I now have a different way to play the game! This new way gives you the chance to win trophies, but also allows you to earn a lot of kinzcash and get a higher score so that you can place in tournaments.
See the image below:

This image shows what the truck looks like when it is completely filled. This picture was taken when the level was just completed, right before the truck drove off. Now see where the red arrow is pointing? Notice that the money bag on the very bottom is large and has a nice large W on it. You will know you are getting close to completing the level when you see that money bag coming up. Don't try to go by the top to know when the level is about to end. Always judge from the bottom of the stack. To increase your score, what you want to do is hit on a very large group of bottle caps just before the level is about to end.

So, for example, on level one, the level ends as soon as you reach a score of 420. Now, let's say you have a score of 417. If you click on a group of 3 bottle caps, you will get your 420 and the level will end. But if you click on a huge group, you can maximize your score. So try to have a large group built up by that time so that you can click on a very large group to end the level. I've gotten over 600 points by the end of Level 1 this way. If you do this on every level, you can really get a high score by the end of the game. This gives you a better chance of winning or at least placing in a tournament. The first level is easy to figure out because it always ends when you have at least 420 points. But the levels after that are harder to figure out because the number will vary depending upon how many points you had by the end of level 1. So that's why I go by the money bag stack.

What I do is at the beginning of each level, I play the way I do when I'm trying to earn the most kinzcash. That is, I try to keep few bottle caps on the screen so that I can clear the board as much as possible. But then about the time that the truck starts its engine, I start to build up a large group of one color. Then just before the level ends, I click that large group. You will have a fair amount of chances to get trophies if you play the game this way all the time, but you will also get a better chance to get more kinzcash and a higher score. On the higher levels, you just want to stay alive, so just go back to playing the normal way after that.

From level 4 and on, it is important to work from the top I think. This way, you do not mess up the groups of 3 or more that are in the middle or at the bottom. I find that it gets very difficult from level 8 and on, and I think at that point, there is just a lot of luck involved. I only get past level 8 once in a while. If you are playing in a tournament and can get to level 8, you have a good chance of placing in the top.

Practice makes perfect. I get better at Cash Cow the more I play. So if you aren't doing well, just keep at it. You will get better and better!

Cash Cow 2
My High Score: 1637

I am not very good at this game. But I would like to point out just a couple of things. On level 1, there is never a broken cap. But starting on level 2, there is always a broken cap. The first thing I do is look for that broken cap, and remove it right away, if possible. After that, I do not think that time is a factor at all. If I am wrong, you may contact me and let me know. But without the need to hurry, you can study the board and decide what your best moves are. When I get that lightening rod that takes out all the caps of one color, I don't use it until I have gotten all the groups of that color removed except for the group with the lightening rod in it. Then I use that last.

Go-Go Googles (Updated 10/8/08)
My High Score: 30,000 (actually higher - I have to go look it up!)

I used to never be able to get past level 10, but lately, I have managed to make it to level 11 most times, and even level 12 sometimes. The first thing I always do is press the space bar to put the white Googles on the top. He jumps higher up, and I do not find much use for the pink Googles to be on top, because he can't reach up as high. I do think that the pink one gets back in position faster, and that might be an advantage in some cases.

On the early levels, you can eat the flowers more leisurely because the buzzerflies do not come as fast and often. But I like to try very early to get as many letters as possible, so that I can spell Googles out early in the game. So I keep the Googles right in the middle and wait for a letter to appear. That way you have a better chance of getting the letters. Pay attention to which letters you already have so that you do not waste your time going after a letter you do not need. It does give you extra points to get a letter, but sometimes a buzzerfly sticks to the tree while you are going after a letter. I always keep track of which letters I need by thinking of a word that those letters spell. So if I have G----ES I think "Logo." I need all the letters in the word Logo. Saying "logo" to myself helps me be aware of what letters I need. In that case, you could also just say "Log" because 2 letters never come at the same time, so you just need to find a word to say to yourself that has at least 1 of each letter you need.

You can double jump by clicking the mouse when the googles is in the air. However, until you are comfortable with the game, do not do this because it may make you miss a buzzerfly or a letter you need. It is easier to catch a buzzerfly or a letter from the ground, at the center.

As I get to higher and higher levels, I usually do not jump until a buzzerfly comes out. Then I just eat as many flowers as I can on my way back down. If you keep going after flowers instead of waiting, the buzzerflies will catch you off guard.

I like to try to have all but 1 letter of the word Googles spelled out on level 9 or 10. On these levels, the buzzerflies come 2 and 3 at a time, and very quickly! So it is nice to have only 1 letter left so that you can get it and knock a couple of the buzzerflies off. This will increase your chances of getting past that level.

On levels 7, 8, and 9, I find that it's best to not jump until buzzerflies come out. However, strangely enough, once you get to level 10 and above, it can actually be better to NOT wait for them. This is because you want to get off those levels as quickly as possible, and the only way to do that is to eat as many flowers as possible. You will not be able to catch every buzzerfly on level 11 and beyond, so eat the flowers, and just catch as many as you can.

The Googles Trophy is random, and not given out often at all. Every time you spell "Googles" you have a chance to win it. I have won 3 trophies so far. If you are just trying to get a trophy, you may want to quit the game every time you spell Googles without getting a trophy, and just start the game again. This is because it is easier to spell Googles earlier in the game than late in the game. I have not been able to figure out whether your chances for getting a trophy become greater with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th spellings of Googles during one game. I think it is probably the same, but I cannot say for sure. When trying to earn the trophy, it is important that your game method is fun! It will take you a lot of tries, and if the game is not fun, then you are just going to give up. You can catch 5 out of 7 letters on the first level, but to do so you have to be patient. You can increase your chances of spelling Googles by being patient on each level, waiting for all the letters for that level to appear. But if that is boring, then it is really not doing you any good. I love the game. I find it relaxing, but I get bored waiting on letters. So I just play it, making sure I'm having fun, and that way I want to play it often. I have won 3 trophies so far!

Goober's Lab
My High Score: 120,065

I have never run out of time in Goober's Lab. I only lose when there are no more matches to be made. I always try first thing to find a group of atoms at the very bottom of the screen that can be made into a set of 3. Then I don't touch it unless I absolutely have to. I work from the top. This way, you do not mess up any sets below. But if you can make a 5-atom set, always make it! And if you have an atom with a swirling star, always use it as soon as possible. This lets you reach the goal more quickly, and gives you more points and kinzcash. You also have a chance of winning a trophy for using it. There are some situations when it is possible to improve your chances of making a 5-atom set. See the image below:

Notice that in the 3rd column from the right, you have 2 sets of red atoms. When you have this pattern, always look in the columns on either side of it to see if you can move atoms around to increase your chances of having a red atom fall in the space needed to create a 5-atom match. When I have this pattern, I try to leave it intact for as long as possible to increase my chances of getting the correct set-up for making a 5-atom match.

This can also work if the pattern is going horizontally. In that case, you try to move the atoms on top of the pattern until you get the right-colored atom in the prime position for making the 5-atom match. You can also work below the pattern, as long as you are only moving the atoms vertically directly below the 1 non-matching atom in the middle of the pattern. This sounds a bit confusing, but really it is not! Just keep your eye out for those patterns, and you will see what you need to do to increase your chances of getting a 5-atom set. Good Luck!

If you have your choice, always make vertical matches instead of horizontal ones. For some reason, this seems to increase your chances of creating more possible matches.

Hide 'N' Skunk
My High Score: 7,098

I find it helpful to go through the game and mark all the corners which I know have skunks in them. If you have a corner, and it has a 1 by it, you know that it has a skunk under it, because that 1 only touches that corner tile. I will need to make some screen shots to give further help with this game. Check back a little later for more!

Home Before Dark
My High Score: 4,654 (It's much higher now, but I'll have to go look up my new high score!)

I think it's best to work backwards - from the homes to the parks, instead of the other way around. This way, you can see what you need to do to get as many webkinz home at once as possible. Start on the right side of the screen (the homes) and turn the pieces around so that they make as many entrances as possible, and then just work towards the parks to make a path all the way across. You have to work fast!

Picking up a toy gives you more points than going to the party, so if you can only do one or the other, go for the toy. Of course, if you can take a toy to the party, then that's even better!

UPDATE 10/8/08: On the early levels, you can maximize your score by only getting one Webkinz home at a time! Just make sure you don't run out of time. When you have only 1 or 2 more Webkinz to get home, then you can send as many home as you can get. This will increase your score.

Lunch Letters
My High Score: 12,748

Ok, this game is CRAZY! I love it though because I love to type. But it starts to go so fast that I wonder how people get the high scores they do. They must be super-fast typists. I type about 65 wpm, or 70 if I'm on caffeine. ;-) The only advice I have for this game is that when you get to the faster levels and you know you cannot possibly type all of the letters and words, just go for the words first. Then if you have time, you can type the letters that remain. A letter dropping to the floor will not cost you as much as a whole word dropping to the floor.

I also find that it sometimes help to sort of keep your eyes moving back and forth so that you get your mind ready to type the next letter or word. It just keeps you on top of things!

Operation Gumball
My High Score: 39,663

I am not good with numbers, and so I cannot guarantee that my method is the best. But here is what I do:
I always start out by typing 111. If I get no green balls, then I type 222. If I still get no green balls, I type 333, and so on. Now, let's say that I type 111 and get 1 green ball. I know that there is a 1 in there, but I do not know where. So next I will type 122. If I get one green ball, then I know that the 1 goes in in the first place. Then I type 133. If I still just get 1 green ball, then I type 144. When I get 2 green balls, then I keep the 2 correct numbers and try for the 3rd. So for example, if I get 2 green balls by typing 144, then I type 145. If I get 2 green balls, I know that the 1 and 4 are in the right place. Then I type 146, 147, 148, etc until I win the round. But if by typing 145 I get 1 green ball and 1 red ball, then I know that the 1 goes in the first place (that was established earlier) and that the 4 goes in the last place. So then I just need to type 164, 174, etc, until I win the round.

If you have gotten 1 green ball by typing 111, then you get 2 red balls by typing 122, then you know that the number begins with 21. If you get 1 green ball and 1 red ball at that point, then you know that the 1 is wrong, and one of the 2's is correct.

I use this same method on the 4-digit, 5-digit and 6-digit numbers. Of course, the more digits, the more difficult it is. But the method is the same. The only thing different is if you have tried all of the numbers except the 9 and the 0, and still have 2 numbers left to get, then there is no need to type 2 9's or 2 0's. Just type 90. Then you will either get it right, or you will get 2 red balls, in which case you will know to merely switch it to 09.

This works for all the rounds all the way up through the 6-digit numbers. After you get all of those, it will go back to 3-digit numbers. The only difference is that now, there can be more than one of the same digit in the number. On the early levels, there is only 1 of each digit. I still use the same method, but I do not know if this is the best method.

*******There is an excellent tutorial for this game at Webkinz Insider. It includes pictures. I have started to practice with this new method, and I need more practice but I think I will get better using this new method. Click Here to see it!

Quizzy's Word Challenge
My High Score: 3,746

This is my favorite game if I want to earn lots of Kinzcash quickly! Quizzy is very generous. I always try to make sure that my word ends with the center tile. That will always get you the most points. Try to start your word from the outermost edge, then go in towards the middle, and finally end the word with the center tile. Each time you click on a tile on the outermost edge, the letters in the middle go up in value. But once you click on the letters in the middle, they stop going up in value, and only the center tile still increases.

Try to create long words. Look for common suffixes and prefixes, such as -ing or re- and un-. If you see a word, look to see if you can make it even longer by adding re- or un- or some other prefix to the beginning. Also look to see if adding letters to the beginning can create a longer word, even if it is not a prefix. For example, try to make the word "cramp" instead of the word "ramp." It would be a shame to make the word "dish" when you could have made the word "brandish"! ;-)

I find that the bonus words are rarely useful. I am almost always able to make a word that will give me more points than the bonus word will get me. Only use it if it really is in your favor to do so.

You get 3 free shuffles. Do not use them until you absolutely have to. If you have already reached the goal, there is no point in shuffling the letters in my opinion. They will come in handy on the more difficult levels.

Tile Towers
My High Score: 5,687

Playing the Target game is easier because then you only have to remove all the purple tiles to pass the level. However, if you can remove all the tiles, your score is better. So if you are down to 4 tiles, and 2 of them are purple, and 2 are regular, remove the regular ones first so that the purple ones are the last ones you remove.

Look over the board at the beginning and pay attention to see if there are 2 identical tiles next to each other anywhere on the board. If so, be careful about using that character elsewhere. You will need it to break up the 2 that are together, or else you will not be able to get through it unless you can get it down to where those are the only 2 tiles in the row. Just to note, there are 4 of every single type of tile in every game.

I always try to get the tile on the very top first, because it reveals 4 more tiles, which will increase your chances of finding matches. I also try to get the ones on the right and left early in the game if possible. Always try to make a move that will reveal one or more usable tiles. I kind of try to move down and in, if that makes sense.

I find it helps to have a name for each of the characters, and preferably, a short name. This helps you remember what you are looking for. For example, I call Chef Gazpacho "Chef" and that way I can find him quickly because I'm just saying "Chef" in my mind, instead of "Chef Gazpacho." I think it just helps you move faster. And if you have a name for each character, then you do not get confused as easily. For example, the golden retriever and cocker spaniel tiles look very similar to me. I call one "Blondie" and the other "Brownie." That helps me because the only real difference between them is their color, so it's easy to mistake them, which can slow you down.

If you are looking for a match, pay attention to what color the tile is you are looking for. Then look for that color. You will be amazed how much this helps you find its match!

I hope this helps!

Wacky's Bullseye Batter
My High Score: 13,883

I keep the target right in the middle of the square in the early part of the game. Then I just move it from there to whichever side I need to hit Wacky. As the game goes on, I find that I need to move my target down further and further towards the bottom of the square. That is about all I have to offer for this game. It is definitely one of those games that you just need to practice. At first, I couldn't hit Wacky one time out of 10! Now I usually get at least to 7,000 points before I strike out.

Zingoz Bounce
My High Score: 1,825

This game is hard! I'm not sure what the trick is, or if there even is a trick, but I try to keep the ball going as slow as possible. I try to keep it fairly low, so that it does not hit the top at all, or at least not very hard. This will keep it slow and steady. If it starts hitting the top fast and hard, it usually starts going all over the screen really fast, and I lose it.

I have made it to the purple level, but never beyond. The ball goes from red to orange to yellow to blue to purple. I do not know what comes after that! I will let you know if I ever find out. A trophy is awarded after 100 bounces I think, but I do not think I have ever come close. If anyone knows a better strategy for this game, I would really love to know!

Zingoz Pop
My High Score: 7,985 (much higher now - I'll have to go look up my high score!)

You earn lots of kinzcash for playing this game, and I know it's a lot of peoples' favorite game. I don't think I'm so good at it though. I'm just not very good at games that require the keyboard arrows. I wish they had a way you could do it with your mouse. I always choose the power ball that takes out all the bubbles of one color. If you can knock out the right color, all the bubbles below it will also fall, which can be a lifesaver! To me, the power that shows you the alignment is actually distracting. I seem to aim better without it for some reason!