Arcade - Hints and Tips

I'm not sure that a discussion of the techniques etc used in the Arcade games on Cable Forum is appropriate in the Website/ Arcade forum, so I've created this one instead so people can ask questions and swap tips.

And the first question is:

In "Bejeweled" how on *earth* are people racking those 4000+ point scores?

I've been playing it for quite a bit now and I can't get anywhere near that, so if anyone's got any advice I'd welcome!

Pleeeeese!!

[Paul M]

Ditto - I can't anywhere near 4000 .....

[SMHarman]

Its to do with multi drop, cascading one result to create another etc. But it beats me how you do it. I seem to remember you need to play the bottom of the screen as more pieces move each removal IYSWIM.

Hint for Plumber - start from the end.

[Jon M]

Yes, as SM said.. play from the bottom on Bejeweled.. the chances of a dropped item making a cascading line is increased the further down you start.

I'm not sure I should divulge too many hints.. it may jeopardise my rankings

Oh well... stuff that..

Here's the first 5 s1lv3r tips, I may post some more if I feel generous, or if bribed with copious amounts of reps

Reaktor: Don't play it, waste of time
The lights don't have a time limit.. so you can just wait until all slots are lit (remembering the sequence of course) and just click one at a time waiting for the clicked slot to re-light before continuing.... lather, rinse, repeat.. etc ..
A simple 1 second timer on the lit slot would do away with that flaw.. but until then it's pointless.

Plumber: As has been mentioned, play either from the exit pipe.. or try to visualise the whole route... there are relatively few levels where the path is complex, you'll get there.

Monster Munch: Another game that should be removed (like Reaktor)
It is totally dependant on the amount of snowflakes the random generator throws down the screen... I've had rounds where I only scored 11000 even when collecting all the flakes. Avoid.

Collapse: Ignore the hint saying "clear the screen". The big scores are gained when arranging the dots into large groups. Look at the screen when you first start, decide which is the colour with the most dots and concentrate on getting that colour to all join up into one bunch that you can remove in one click... (the highscore as it stands was from removing almost every dot of one colour in one go, which gave 4000+ points on it's own).

Bloody Pingu and Billiards: Hit and hope.

[Tricky]

Tetris - Just keep going, don't get greedy trying to make lines of 2,3 or 4 - If you leave a gap below another block, accept it and try clear the line above the gap to give you access to clearing the troublesome line. For big scores though a few "4" liners will help the scores.

UFO - Don't chase the bonus points by trying to hit the cones of the top, 10 points just isn't worth the hassle. Move up and down in sequence I.e keep going up until you feel that a UFO wouldn't travel under you then go down. The little blighters seem to home in on you so hopefully you'll be moving in the right direction at the time.

Black Jack - Now there is an art to blackjack, a few basic rules (works in casinos as well!!! ) - If the dealer has anything less than a 7 then STICK he needs at least two cards (unless Ace of course) so therefore has a greater chance of BUST. Never Double your Stack unless the dealer has less than a 7. You cannot split cards in this version so no problems there. Watch the totals when you get Ace's it cannot add up on screen but it can when you win/lose. O and when you've spent the last pennies (I.e. Bank Balance is 0) you can double on that game for free!!!

Snake - Turn Early when approaching Walls!

General - Make sure you score enough to beat s1lv3r Hiya M8

[SMHarman]

Snake - the controls seem a bit slow so doubling back on yourself is quite difficult.

[greencreeper]

With tetris you can, by hammering the appropriate arrow key, fill in gaps. Hard to explain


[edit]

Most of the games don't work properly. It's clear that the blackjack game doesn't maintain a proper deck - the cards are random. The pool game allows balls to bounce out of pockets. Pingu darts has random targeting - you can move the mouse cursor to what you deem is the best position but the snowballs will land differently each time.

Originally Posted by greencreeper

It's clear that the blackjack game doesn't maintain a proper deck - the cards are random.

I'm not sure about that. If you play it with the sound on it makes a "shuffle" noise every half a dozen or so hands to stop you card counting!

Originally Posted by greencreeper

With tetris you can, by hammering the appropriate arrow key, fill in gaps. Hard to explain

I presume what you mean is that if you've got an N or Z shape vertically, so there's a gap underneath, you can slot an I, T or L in to fill the space?

Sort of


-@*
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Some tips of mine:

Hexxagon: The main thing is to not use the "jump over" piece option if it will leave a hole, because the AI will jump in and convert several of your pieces leaving you no response. (Of course if *it* does that, jump in and be happy!)

Simon: If you really want to cheat, get a piece of paper and write down the sequence of lights

Enemy Shooting: Click near the enemy and "strafe" across. Don't grab the health packs immediately unless you actually need them, they stay on screen for about five seconds, so let them sit for a couple of moments and then use them. Get the shields PDQ!

[Jon M]

Originally Posted by greencreeper

Pingu darts has random targeting - you can move the mouse cursor to what you deem is the best position but the snowballs will land differently each time.

Yes, the penguins don't all fly in the same pattern, they may spin a lot or a little, some move left others right.
However, you can minimise the "random" effects by using certain tactics.

I may be more specific later, but for now this is one of my safest highscores and I'd like it to stay that way

[bopdude]

Originally Posted by Tricky

Black Jack - Now there is an art to blackjack, a few basic rules (works in casinos as well!!! ) - If the dealer has anything less than a 7 then STICK he needs at least two cards (unless Ace of course) so therefore has a greater chance of BUST. Never Double your Stack unless the dealer has less than a 7. You cannot split cards in this version so no problems there. Watch the totals when you get Ace's it cannot add up on screen but it can when you win/lose. O and when you've spent the last pennies (I.e. Bank Balance is 0) you can double on that game for free!!!

Thought I had the beatings of you yesterday with 8000 + but then it all went pear shaped

But yep, good advice, I love BJ, used to play a lot in the Sun International hotels in South Africa

[Jon M]

Originally Posted by bopdude

I love BJ

An acronym a day keeps the doctor away.

Originally Posted by Tricky

General - Make sure you score enough to beat s1lv3r Hiya M8

Back at ya

[bopdude]

Originally Posted by s1lv3r

An acronym a day keeps the doctor away.

Trust you to lower even an arcade thread to that level

[greencreeper]

Originally Posted by Graham

I'm not sure about that. If you play it with the sound on it makes a "shuffle" noise every half a dozen or so hands to stop you card counting!

There are occasions when the dealer wins where I feel pretty sure he shouldn't have

Originally Posted by Graham

I presume what you mean is that if you've got an N or Z shape vertically, so there's a gap underneath, you can slot an I, T or L in to fill the space?

Sort of


-@*
@@*
@**

Yes But only one unit in measurement.

Originally Posted by s1lv3r

Yes, the penguins don't all fly in the same pattern, they may spin a lot or a little, some move left others right.
However, you can minimise the "random" effects by using certain tactics.

I may be more specific later, but for now this is one of my safest highscores and I'd like it to stay that way

In the pingu games version of pingu darts it is possible to leave the mouse cursor in one place and just click the left mouse button when the falling pingu is in the right place. I.e. you can establish a rhythm. With the arcade version the snowballs are thrown in any direction, regardless of mouse cursor - it's impossible to establish a rhythm. The first snowball is accurate, the rest are random.