Swab the Deck: A Stowaway Sting Guide

Controls:

Moving around the board is as simple as using the arrow keys. Practice moving around on the first level, so you get the hang of it, because there will be obstacles and problems later on. Once you have the hang of it, it is time to move onto the good stuff.

The first and second level do not have any power ups. But they do have the one thing you need. Money! After all, no pirate was complete without some gold coins (or perhaps a nice hat). We'll take a look at individual levels later, though.

In later levels, there are five power ups you can get randomly:

1. Diamonds/gems: These are good to get, as your score will go right up.

2. Time power ups: Brilliant, especially if you're late to that pirate feast you wanted to attend.

3. Green circles: These change the squares and mean you don't have to step back on them.

4. Blue circles: These change squares randomly. You will have to cover your tracks and go on any square it changes, so be careful!

5. Hearts: If you're getting low on health, the heart power ups that appear will boost your health all the way back to full. So you can relax (well, as much as anyone can relax in Scrap's situation!).

And every voyage presents challenges: the bad guys and the obstacles. You really should not stow away on a ship with pirates! Let's take a look, so you and Scrap can survive. Arrr, shiver me timbers.

1. Pirates: Obviously, on a pirate ship there are pirates. And if they step on you at any point in the game, you will lose health. Best to avoid them!

2. Pools of water: Oh no, the ship appears to be leaking. And you don't have a plug. You could try sitting on it. My advice: avoid these at all costs. If at any point in the game you step in a pool of water, you will drown. And without someone telling you to walk the plank, it'll be game over.

3. Springs, or traps: I call them springs. But stepping on them will cause you to lose health, so the idea is try and avoid them. In levels, where it is impossible, it is best to look for a route that will step on the least amount possible.

Now that you have an idea of what the game is about, let's take a look at the levels and what challenges they might present.

Level One:

Level One is a good level, if you are struggling to get the hang of the controls. There are no obstacles or pirates. There are four neopoint bags to get. The last one appears after a few moments, so remember to collect it.

Total Neopoint Bags: 4

Level Two:

Level Two is the first introduction to hazards and thugs. There are a lot of traps, or springs, in this level. And you guessed it, there are also holes in the deck that you can fall through. These pirates really should invest in a giant bath plug! Or perhaps a giant rubber duck to close the gaps. Anyway, there are a total of five neopoint bags to collect on this level. I usually make my way around the board, collecting bags, leaving the spaces up high free for when I am ready. Watch out for the pirate thug too, as he can step on the neopoint bags!

Total Neopoint Bags: 5

Hazards: Holes in the deck, pirate thug, bad springs/traps.

Level Three:

This level used to give me so much trouble, because it does have a lot of springs, plus it has those nasty holes and thugs! I usually like to plan my way on this level, developing a strategy so I lose as little health as possible. The more health you have, the more likely you are to see other power ups beside the hearts. You should be able to complete this level within the time frame. Here's a tip: Wait for the timer to get low, because a third power up will appear. If you grab it, you could get a higher score!

Possible neopoint bags:5

Possible orbs/diamonds/hearts: 3

Hazards: Holes in the deck, 2 pirate thugs, bad springs

Level Four:

Level Four is the first introduction to the tiles changing. If you step on a tile more than once, the tile will revert to its original state, meaning you have to step back on it to change the color to blue. Two pirates on this level will try to thwart your plans of escape, but just avoid them as best you can. Don't worry too much if they step on a money bag. Just try to collect as many neopoint bags and diamonds as you can.

Possible neopoint bags: 5

Possible orbs/diamonds/hearts: 3

Hazards: Holes in the deck, 2 thugs, bad springs

Level Five:

From now on, you have to step on any tiles that you stepped on twice. Oops. Try to strategize, and find a way around the board that won't end up with you falling through a hole or losing your health from springs. When time starts getting low, I usually try to leave a patch of two or three tiles ready to jump on, so that I don't completely run out of time.

Possible neopoint bags: five

Possible orbs/hearts/diamonds: 3

Hazards: Holes in the deck, 3 thugs, bad springs

Level Six:

Level Six is essentially the harder version of level three. You will have to jump back on tiles, meaning you will lose health a lot faster. Plan your route and try to collect as many gems and neopoint bags as you can! By this level, hopefully you will have enough points for the avatar, but if not, keep going! Again, like in level three, wait until time is running low for an extra powerup!

Possible neopoint bags: five

Possible orbs/hearts/diamonds: 3

Hazards: Holes in the deck, 3 thugs, bad springs.

Level Seven:

Level Seven is the first level where you will have to color the tiles twice. You heard me. Instead of simply changing them to blue, you will have to change every single tile to green. If you only want the avatar, just try to collect the neopoints and gems. Otherwise, plan out a strategy and follow it through, without falling into that (possibly) Jetsam infested water!

Possible neopoint bags: five

Possible orbs/hearts/diamonds: 3

Hazards: Holes in the deck, thugs, bad springs.

Level Eight:

Level Eight is the last level, and it can be tricky. Try to map your way through and collect as many gems and neopoints as you can. It is almost impossible to finish this level without losing at least some health, so be careful!

Possible neopoint bags: five

Possible orbs/hearts/diamonds: 3

Hazards: Holes in the deck, thugs, bad springs

I hope this guide helps you to improve your score. Try playing it with the sound on, as it helps alert you to treasure appearing.

Hopefully you'll make it out of the pirate ship alive, and in the meantime, grab that mop and swab the deck!