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The Diploma Guide Archive, Volume III 11/4/08 4:14 PM
And now, for Volume III of the Diploma Guide Archive:
101. Royale 55: 1 of 1
TASK: Make at least one Royale 55, Royal Flush, and/or Straight Flush
POINTS REQUIRED: 12
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Proper use of your wild cards is critical. Don't waste them on lesser hands, as you can't make a Royale 55 without one, and you'll usually need one for the other two hands. Whenever you have three of a kind or three parts of a straight flush in three different rows, save those cards in hopes of drawing the cards you need (or wild cards) in the other rows. Note that you can get up to one point for each of the three hands listed in one game.
102. Biggest Loser (Kalorie King): 2 of 3
TASK: Clear a group of at least 12 junk foods
POINTS REQUIRED: 40
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: The Fat Buster really comes in handy for this one. Using it eliminates all of one kind of junk food, causing the other kinds to group together more. Also, look for large groups entering the board, and use a few of that item to connect two groups whenever possible.
103. Jungle Rumble: 2 of 2
TASK: Send a full-power Black Curse to your opponents
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5, depending on frequency of Black Curse balls
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: You must collect six Black Curse balls to fill the gauge. You can do this by either popping or dropping them. Once filled, launch the Black Curse to get a diploma point.
104. King Pin Bowling: 1 of 2
TASK: Score at least 120 (pins, not King score)
POINTS REQUIRED: 12
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 12
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: What can I say? Either you can bowl or you can't...
105. Biggest Loser (Kalorie King): 3 of 3
TASK: Remove Gum from the board with a Barbell
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2, depending on boards
DIFFICULTY: Hard
TIP: When you have Gum on the board, move items out of another column so that the bottom of that column is even with the top of the Gum. Once you've done this, dig your way up to a Barbell - carefully, so as not to disturb the aforementioned columns - and release it into the column you've prepared.
106. Block Party: 1 of 3
TASK: Drop at least three Popstars with one move
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: If you play by optimal strategy (in other words, to win), this piece will take about 10 games. The easy way to get this piece is to lower three adjacent Popstars down to one level above the floor, then switch blocks so that the same color is under two of them, then bring a third block of the same color in from the side.
107. King Pin Bowling: 2 of 2
TASK: Knock down all the pins (strike or spare) in three consecutive frames
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: The difficulty of this piece is Moderate if you throw splits as often as I do. Yeesh.
108. Freecell: 1 of 2
TASK: Solve the layup!
POINTS REQUIRED: 12
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 12
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: It's usually best to untangle one column at a time. Use the gold cards to extract buried low cards that can be quickly moved to the home cells. Try not to build one color too far ahead of the other, as you might find yourself unable to move a card you need to move later.
109. Block Party: 2 of 3
TASK: Complete a level without dropping a Rocker to the stage
POINTS REQUIRED: 45
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: As I suggest in my Tip Sheet, don't make matches in the columns containing Rockers until you absolutely have to. That should keep you from accidentally dropping them to the stage most of the time.
110. Four Seasons: 1 of 3
TASK: Spell B-O-N-U-S
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: You need to link six kids together to get credit for a letter. Your time is limited, so pay attention to which letters you already have, and concentrate on the ones you still need. Note that it's not always possible to complete the word in every season, so if you're having trouble getting the letters you need, complete the season as quickly as possible and move on to the next one.
111. Freecell: 2 of 2
TASK: "Cash" a gold card (use it for points instead of extracting a card with it)
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
DIFFICULTY: Child's Play
TIP: If you're good at standard Freecell (without special cards), then there's nothing to this piece. Just cash in every gold card you free up. Even if you suck at Freecell without the gold cards, you can still get some diploma points by moving cards to free cells to get to the gold cards beneath them.
112. Midas Mahjong: 1 of 2
TASK: Complete a layup!
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Unlike the old version, the winning technique now is to just go as quickly as possible. I've never cleared three boards in a game, but I'm sure someone has.
113. Four Seasons: 2 of 3
TASK: Make a group of 10 or more kids!
POINTS REQUIRED: 100
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Easy (it would be funny to say this one is Child's Play, wouldn't it?)
TIP: Bring groups of four kids of the same color close together, then quickly connect the groups. You picked up a point if you hear them laugh.
114. Block Party: 3 of 3
TASK: Complete all three levels!
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: If the Diploma piece is your only goal, just work on one or two Popstars at a time, like my girlfriend does. You won't win many games that way, but you'll pick up points.
115. Midas Mahjong: 2 of 2
TASK: Make a match worth at least 45 points
POINTS REQUIRED: 333 (three hundred thirty-three...not a typo)
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 3 (also not a typo)
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Just as you would play Mahjong Fortuna and Treasure, look several matches ahead, so that you can click them off in rapid succession. You have to click a pair within one second of the previous pair to score 45 points.
116. Klicker Klacker 2: 1 of 3
TASK: Clear at least 95% of a level
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Another one where you have to think before you click. Work out how the blocks will line up after you remove a group. Don't forget about your Column Blast--The game ends immediately if you run out of moves, even if your Column Blast is ready to be used.
117. Pool King: 1 of 2
TASK: Sink two balls in a row
POINTS REQUIRED: 18
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: I've been told that this includes scratches (sinking the cue ball) as well, but I don't know this for certain. I also don't know if combo shots count, though they should. Anyway, when lining up a shot, if your aim is too jittery, hit the space bar and use the left and right arrows to fine-tune it. If you're going to put spin on the ball, you should "lock in" your aim this way first.
118. Four Seasons: 3 of 3
TASK: Make a group containing at least two stars
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Points can be fairly hard to come by in this one, as you don't always get two star kids of the same color. But when you do, move them together carefully, without catching either one of them up in a group of five until you're ready.
119. Flower Power: 1 of 1
TASK: Clear at least three groups of flowers with one move
POINTS REQUIRED: 100
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Don't attempt this one in one sitting! I don't have enough space to accurately describe how to place the flowers to do this, so I'm going to do something I don't normally do and refer you to someone else. Check out dark_dwaggie's Youtube video for this game--this is one I think you have to see to understand.
120. Klicker Klacker 2: 2 of 3
TASK: Score 50,000 points
POINTS REQUIRED: 5
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
DIFFICULTY: Extreme!
TIP: For each game, try to group together as many radioactive blocks of the same color as you can and make as big a color group as possible on each level. Be sure to play the daily progressive at least once a day, and if you get a set of boards that scores well enough, then keep playing that tournament until you get your points or you run out of entries.
121. Pool King: 2 of 2
TASK: Sink the 9 ball within ten shots
POINTS REQUIRED: 12
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 12
DIFFICULTY: Hard
TIP: Not all your shots have to be legal. You can use deliberate fouls to position the 9 near a pocket (as long as you don't scratch, which will reset the table position), then smack the target ball into the 9 and in. You won't win many games this way, but you'll get this otherwise difficult piece.
122. Chuzzle: 1 of 3
TASK: Remove three Giant Chuzzles
POINTS REQUIRED: 60
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 6
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Giant Chuzzles begin to appear on Level 2. The instructions aren't quite correct about making them appear, because I've had them appear after clearing non-square formations. When a Giant Chuzzle appears, try not to clear Chuzzles of the same color without removing the Giant Chuzzle with that move. The more Chuzzles you have on the board of the same color, the easier it will be. Note that you get a point for every three removed, and I'm not sure if blowing one up with a Super Chuzzle counts or not.
123. Klicker Klacker 2: 3 of 3
TASK: Use five bombs in a game
POINTS REQUIRED: 27
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 14
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Click on every bomb that touches the bottom of the screen, as they only activate then. If a bomb is in one of the three columns above an active bomb, bring it down to the third row from the bottom before blasting the active bomb. If you bring it down to the second row, it will be taken out by the detonation, which doesn't count.
124. Memo Matcher: 1 of 2
TASK: Make five consecutive matches without a mistake(!)
POINTS REQUIRED: 100
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 8
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Don't try to memorize all the tiles, unless your memory is that good. Focus on the light bulb tiles, as matching them correctly will tell you what's next to them. When you run out of matches you're sure of, study the tiles about to fall, and if any of them match, just remember which columns match each other, then click off the top tile of each of those columns once they fall. Oh yeah: The exclamation point is in parentheses because you also get an achievement point for this task, but only when you do it on Level 3.
125. Chuzzle: 2 of 3
TASK: Make a chain of four or more matches
POINTS REQUIRED: 125
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 13
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Make your matches near the bottom of the screen when possible. When you're using a Super Chuzzle in a match, try to put it on the outer edges of the group you're matching, rather than the middle, as it will take out more Chuzzles that way.
126. Chuzzle: 3 of 3
TASK: Remove 100 Chuzzles
POINTS REQUIRED: 70
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Just play as fast as you can, and remove Giant and locked Chuzzles as quickly as you can, so that they don't impede your progress any more than necessary.
127. Memo Matcher: 2 of 2
TASK: Make a match with a star with the meter full
POINTS REQUIRED: 40
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Pay attention to what the star tiles are, and watch for tiles from the incoming row that match them. Also, pay close attention whenever you match a light bulb tile, to find more matches for star tiles.
128. Quiz Queen: 1 of 1
TASK: Get at least 7 questions right
POINTS REQUIRED: 14
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 14
DIFFICULTY: Hard (goes up to Extreme! if you're not from the US or UK)
TIP: Not much to tell you here. Either you know your US and UK trivia or you don't. Use your lifeline if you have no clue whatsoever.
129. Word Seance: 1 of 2
TASK: Make two accepted six-letter words
POINTS REQUIRED: 7
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 3
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Either you know your six-letter words, or you don't. This game is not available to Americans, so I'm writing tips for this diploma from memory of when I was able to play it. If I remember correctly, the six-letter words don't usually show up until the last few rounds.
130. Word Seance: 2 of 2
TASK: Complete all rounds without losing a life
POINTS REQUIRED: 5
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: The important thing is to remember what words you've used, in order to avoid repeating them. A repeated word doesn't count, and if you do that on a level that requires perfection, you lose a life. Think of using various forms of the same word if the given letters allow it, such as plurals, different suffixes, etc.
131. Midas Solitaire: 1 of 3
TASK: Solve the layup with two or fewer turns of the deck!
POINTS REQUIRED: 7
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Hard
TIP: Keep in mind that you can transfer part of a stack to another stack if necessary. For instance, if you have a layup pile that ends with the 6 of spades and another one that has the 6 of clubs in the middle, you can lift off from the red 5 down and move them to the 6 of spades, in order to move the 6 of clubs to the foundation. This will really help you wade your way through layup piles.
132. Midas Solitaire: 2 of 3
TASK: Solve the layup in five minutes or less!
POINTS REQUIRED: 8
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 8
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Playing the progressives can get you this one quickly. The layup and deck will be the same each time you re-enter, so you'll know what's coming and how to play it.
133. Midas Solitaire: 3 of 3
TASK: Just play the freakin' game
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 20 (ok, this one isn't approximate)
DIFFICULTY: Child's Play
TIP: If you need help with this one, then you're beyond my help. Good luck with the rest of your life, 'cause you're gonna need it.
134. Daisy Defender: 1 of 2
TASK: Complete a wave with all daisies intact
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: The description for this piece says "Complete a level with all flowers left", but if this were correct, you'd only be able to get 3 points a game, and I've gotten 6; yet I've made it through entire games (9 waves) without losing any flowers and still only got 6 points, so it must be that they take no hits at all. Anyway, just shoot the bugs as high up on the screen as you can for this piece.
135. Daisy Defender: 2 of 2
TASK: Kill four or more bugs with one shot
POINTS REQUIRED: 200
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Several bits of advice for this piece. First, watch for bugs whose paths will intersect or come close together, and aim for the meeting point. Second, watch for the little green bugs and the maggots to flash--this means that they are about to release up to five bugs. When you see one of these bugs flash, immediately fire about an inch beneath the main bug. Finally, hit the Sweet Soda if you see it. This will cause the bugs to speed up, making it more likely that they will reach your poison cloud before it dissipates.
136. Candy Rail: 1 of 1
TASK: Make a chain of 3 or more matches
POINTS REQUIRED: 120
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 8
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Just look for places to make sequences of A A B B A A B A, A A B B C C B A, etc. The balls move very slowly, especially if you're used to Zuma's fast pace, so this one should be a snap. This piece is exactly the same as #80, other than that #80 is for Luxor, of course.
137. Bunny Bon Bon: 1 of 3
TASK: Catch 12 or more jelly babies with one jump
POINTS REQUIRED: 50
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5 (wildly variable, depending on boards appearing)
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Pay attention to the surfaces you're jumping from and to. You'll get your longest jumps when jumping from jelly (orange), and if your landing area is milk chocolate, then the greater your horizontal trajectory, the farther you'll slide when you land, collecting jelly babies all the way.
138. Bunny Bon Bon: 2 of 3
TASK: Get combo bonus of at least 5000 in a level
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: You get combo bonus by grabbing multiple jelly babies in one jump. Look for places on the level where you can grab a very large number of jelly babies. Oh, and you have to exit the level for the point to count--if you run out of time, you don't get the point.
139. Bunny Bon Bon: 3 of 3
TASK: Collect all jelly babies on Level 2 and finish the game
POINTS REQUIRED: 7
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Moderate (varies, depending on what board comes up for Level 2)
TIP: Not much to say here. Just jump quickly and accurately, and don't try to get too cute with it. Bubble power-ups are a big help for this piece.
140. Match Blocks: 1 of 2 (classic Match Blocks - green button games only)
TASK: Isolate five bombs
POINTS REQUIRED: 17
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 9
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: When you see a bomb, immediately look to remove the blocks surrounding it. Don't get cute with this, as you may find yourself unable to remove a block that you didn't think was a problem. If you're lucky, you might get up to 10 bombs between the three levels, which will give you two points.
141. Match Blocks: 2 of 2
TASK: Complete all three levels
POINTS REQUIRED: 17
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 17
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Full speed ahead works pretty well for this one. Clear out any bombs as soon as they appear, and be on the lookout for "orphan" blocks, which have no visible match. You'll have to isolate those to get rid of them, unless scrolling the screen causes another one to appear.
142. Klick, Klack & Turn: 1 of 3 (deluxe Klick, Klack & Roll - orange button games only)
TASK: Click off a group worth at least 7000 points
POINTS REQUIRED: 7
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: At the start of each level, pick the group that is most numerous on the board, or has the most radioactive pieces. Clear out as many of the other-colored pieces as you can, then spin the board. Keep turning and turning until you either eliminate as many of the other-colored pieces as possible, or you manage to bring all pieces of the target color together into one group.
143. Klick, Klack & Turn: 2 of 3
TASK: Clear 100% of a level
POINTS REQUIRED: 12
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 3
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Be careful not to leave just one of any color on the board, unless you'll be able to remove it with a bomb. Also, keep in mind that if you reach a position where nothing can legally be clicked off, the level will end immediately, even if turning the board will open up a legal move.
144. Klick, Klack & Turn: 3 of 3
TASK: Clear a group of 12 or more
POINTS REQUIRED: 17
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Approach this one the same way you do the first piece--clear out as much as you can of all but one color, then keep turning until you bring that last color together.
145. Dart Duel: 1 of 3
TASK: Score at least 170 points in one turn!
POINTS REQUIRED: 17
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 9
DIFFICULTY: Hard
TIP: You're gonna have to hit some big triples for this one. Even if you hit an inner bull (center circle), you'll still have to hit two triple-20's. All three of your darts must hit either the inner bull (as just described), or triples of at least 17--any non-triple or lesser triple won't cut it. I suggest trying for one side of the triple-20 area with your first dart and the other side with your second dart, which will give you options with the third.
146. Dart Duel: 2 of 3
TASK: Win the game in five or fewer turns
POINTS REQUIRED: 7
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Moderate (depending on quality of opponents)
TIP: Hit big triples early and often, and don't "doink" any of your darts if you can help it. If I hit the triple-20 with my first two darts, I prefer to hit the triple-19 with the third, if I haven't already. If your score is 170 or less after your turn, use your opponent's turn to do the math--in other words, to figure out what you need to hit to win.
147. Dart Duel: 3 of 3
TASK: Score a total of at least 300 in two consecutive rounds
POINTS REQUIRED: 5
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 3(?)
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: If you've already played the previous hunts for this game, you get the idea of hitting high triples and bulls. The only thing I'm unsure of is if you can get two points in one game, as I haven't tried it. You can't make two separate pairs of rounds totalling 300, of course, but "overlapping" pairs might count. For instance, if you score 120 in round 1, 180 in round 2, and 140 in round 30, you've scored a total of 440 points. However, rounds 1 and 2 equal 300 points, and rounds 2 and 3 total 320. See if that works for ya.
148. Zuma: 1 of 3
TASK: Collect a coin
POINTS REQUIRED: 33
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 6
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: There's a trigger to cause coins to appear, but I have yet to figure out what it is. You'll usually have to shoot through a gap in the line to collect a coin. The best way to do this is to wait for a pair or group of balls of a color that you currently have (if you have time), then when the front of that group passes in front of the coin, quickly fire off two shots. If done properly, the first ball will remove the group and the second one will hit the coin. Careful though: If you shoot too quickly, the second ball will get caught in the removal of the group. You'll get the hang of it with practice.
149. Mahjong Masquerade: 1 of 3 (regular Mahjong Masquerade - green button games only)
TASK: Complete the game without mis-matching!
POINTS REQUIRED: 11
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 11
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Take your time, but watch your time at the same...uh...time.
150. Zuma: 2 of 3
TASK: Make a combo of three or more hits
POINTS REQUIRED: 80
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 8
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: This one is exactly the same idea as #80...just a different game.
101. Royale 55: 1 of 1
TASK: Make at least one Royale 55, Royal Flush, and/or Straight Flush
POINTS REQUIRED: 12
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Proper use of your wild cards is critical. Don't waste them on lesser hands, as you can't make a Royale 55 without one, and you'll usually need one for the other two hands. Whenever you have three of a kind or three parts of a straight flush in three different rows, save those cards in hopes of drawing the cards you need (or wild cards) in the other rows. Note that you can get up to one point for each of the three hands listed in one game.
102. Biggest Loser (Kalorie King): 2 of 3
TASK: Clear a group of at least 12 junk foods
POINTS REQUIRED: 40
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: The Fat Buster really comes in handy for this one. Using it eliminates all of one kind of junk food, causing the other kinds to group together more. Also, look for large groups entering the board, and use a few of that item to connect two groups whenever possible.
103. Jungle Rumble: 2 of 2
TASK: Send a full-power Black Curse to your opponents
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5, depending on frequency of Black Curse balls
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: You must collect six Black Curse balls to fill the gauge. You can do this by either popping or dropping them. Once filled, launch the Black Curse to get a diploma point.
104. King Pin Bowling: 1 of 2
TASK: Score at least 120 (pins, not King score)
POINTS REQUIRED: 12
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 12
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: What can I say? Either you can bowl or you can't...
105. Biggest Loser (Kalorie King): 3 of 3
TASK: Remove Gum from the board with a Barbell
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2, depending on boards
DIFFICULTY: Hard
TIP: When you have Gum on the board, move items out of another column so that the bottom of that column is even with the top of the Gum. Once you've done this, dig your way up to a Barbell - carefully, so as not to disturb the aforementioned columns - and release it into the column you've prepared.
106. Block Party: 1 of 3
TASK: Drop at least three Popstars with one move
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: If you play by optimal strategy (in other words, to win), this piece will take about 10 games. The easy way to get this piece is to lower three adjacent Popstars down to one level above the floor, then switch blocks so that the same color is under two of them, then bring a third block of the same color in from the side.
107. King Pin Bowling: 2 of 2
TASK: Knock down all the pins (strike or spare) in three consecutive frames
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: The difficulty of this piece is Moderate if you throw splits as often as I do. Yeesh.
108. Freecell: 1 of 2
TASK: Solve the layup!
POINTS REQUIRED: 12
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 12
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: It's usually best to untangle one column at a time. Use the gold cards to extract buried low cards that can be quickly moved to the home cells. Try not to build one color too far ahead of the other, as you might find yourself unable to move a card you need to move later.
109. Block Party: 2 of 3
TASK: Complete a level without dropping a Rocker to the stage
POINTS REQUIRED: 45
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: As I suggest in my Tip Sheet, don't make matches in the columns containing Rockers until you absolutely have to. That should keep you from accidentally dropping them to the stage most of the time.
110. Four Seasons: 1 of 3
TASK: Spell B-O-N-U-S
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: You need to link six kids together to get credit for a letter. Your time is limited, so pay attention to which letters you already have, and concentrate on the ones you still need. Note that it's not always possible to complete the word in every season, so if you're having trouble getting the letters you need, complete the season as quickly as possible and move on to the next one.
111. Freecell: 2 of 2
TASK: "Cash" a gold card (use it for points instead of extracting a card with it)
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
DIFFICULTY: Child's Play
TIP: If you're good at standard Freecell (without special cards), then there's nothing to this piece. Just cash in every gold card you free up. Even if you suck at Freecell without the gold cards, you can still get some diploma points by moving cards to free cells to get to the gold cards beneath them.
112. Midas Mahjong: 1 of 2
TASK: Complete a layup!
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Unlike the old version, the winning technique now is to just go as quickly as possible. I've never cleared three boards in a game, but I'm sure someone has.
113. Four Seasons: 2 of 3
TASK: Make a group of 10 or more kids!
POINTS REQUIRED: 100
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Easy (it would be funny to say this one is Child's Play, wouldn't it?)
TIP: Bring groups of four kids of the same color close together, then quickly connect the groups. You picked up a point if you hear them laugh.
114. Block Party: 3 of 3
TASK: Complete all three levels!
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: If the Diploma piece is your only goal, just work on one or two Popstars at a time, like my girlfriend does. You won't win many games that way, but you'll pick up points.
115. Midas Mahjong: 2 of 2
TASK: Make a match worth at least 45 points
POINTS REQUIRED: 333 (three hundred thirty-three...not a typo)
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 3 (also not a typo)
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Just as you would play Mahjong Fortuna and Treasure, look several matches ahead, so that you can click them off in rapid succession. You have to click a pair within one second of the previous pair to score 45 points.
116. Klicker Klacker 2: 1 of 3
TASK: Clear at least 95% of a level
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Another one where you have to think before you click. Work out how the blocks will line up after you remove a group. Don't forget about your Column Blast--The game ends immediately if you run out of moves, even if your Column Blast is ready to be used.
117. Pool King: 1 of 2
TASK: Sink two balls in a row
POINTS REQUIRED: 18
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: I've been told that this includes scratches (sinking the cue ball) as well, but I don't know this for certain. I also don't know if combo shots count, though they should. Anyway, when lining up a shot, if your aim is too jittery, hit the space bar and use the left and right arrows to fine-tune it. If you're going to put spin on the ball, you should "lock in" your aim this way first.
118. Four Seasons: 3 of 3
TASK: Make a group containing at least two stars
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Points can be fairly hard to come by in this one, as you don't always get two star kids of the same color. But when you do, move them together carefully, without catching either one of them up in a group of five until you're ready.
119. Flower Power: 1 of 1
TASK: Clear at least three groups of flowers with one move
POINTS REQUIRED: 100
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Don't attempt this one in one sitting! I don't have enough space to accurately describe how to place the flowers to do this, so I'm going to do something I don't normally do and refer you to someone else. Check out dark_dwaggie's Youtube video for this game--this is one I think you have to see to understand.
120. Klicker Klacker 2: 2 of 3
TASK: Score 50,000 points
POINTS REQUIRED: 5
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
DIFFICULTY: Extreme!
TIP: For each game, try to group together as many radioactive blocks of the same color as you can and make as big a color group as possible on each level. Be sure to play the daily progressive at least once a day, and if you get a set of boards that scores well enough, then keep playing that tournament until you get your points or you run out of entries.
121. Pool King: 2 of 2
TASK: Sink the 9 ball within ten shots
POINTS REQUIRED: 12
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 12
DIFFICULTY: Hard
TIP: Not all your shots have to be legal. You can use deliberate fouls to position the 9 near a pocket (as long as you don't scratch, which will reset the table position), then smack the target ball into the 9 and in. You won't win many games this way, but you'll get this otherwise difficult piece.
122. Chuzzle: 1 of 3
TASK: Remove three Giant Chuzzles
POINTS REQUIRED: 60
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 6
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Giant Chuzzles begin to appear on Level 2. The instructions aren't quite correct about making them appear, because I've had them appear after clearing non-square formations. When a Giant Chuzzle appears, try not to clear Chuzzles of the same color without removing the Giant Chuzzle with that move. The more Chuzzles you have on the board of the same color, the easier it will be. Note that you get a point for every three removed, and I'm not sure if blowing one up with a Super Chuzzle counts or not.
123. Klicker Klacker 2: 3 of 3
TASK: Use five bombs in a game
POINTS REQUIRED: 27
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 14
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Click on every bomb that touches the bottom of the screen, as they only activate then. If a bomb is in one of the three columns above an active bomb, bring it down to the third row from the bottom before blasting the active bomb. If you bring it down to the second row, it will be taken out by the detonation, which doesn't count.
124. Memo Matcher: 1 of 2
TASK: Make five consecutive matches without a mistake(!)
POINTS REQUIRED: 100
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 8
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Don't try to memorize all the tiles, unless your memory is that good. Focus on the light bulb tiles, as matching them correctly will tell you what's next to them. When you run out of matches you're sure of, study the tiles about to fall, and if any of them match, just remember which columns match each other, then click off the top tile of each of those columns once they fall. Oh yeah: The exclamation point is in parentheses because you also get an achievement point for this task, but only when you do it on Level 3.
125. Chuzzle: 2 of 3
TASK: Make a chain of four or more matches
POINTS REQUIRED: 125
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 13
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Make your matches near the bottom of the screen when possible. When you're using a Super Chuzzle in a match, try to put it on the outer edges of the group you're matching, rather than the middle, as it will take out more Chuzzles that way.
126. Chuzzle: 3 of 3
TASK: Remove 100 Chuzzles
POINTS REQUIRED: 70
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Just play as fast as you can, and remove Giant and locked Chuzzles as quickly as you can, so that they don't impede your progress any more than necessary.
127. Memo Matcher: 2 of 2
TASK: Make a match with a star with the meter full
POINTS REQUIRED: 40
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Pay attention to what the star tiles are, and watch for tiles from the incoming row that match them. Also, pay close attention whenever you match a light bulb tile, to find more matches for star tiles.
128. Quiz Queen: 1 of 1
TASK: Get at least 7 questions right
POINTS REQUIRED: 14
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 14
DIFFICULTY: Hard (goes up to Extreme! if you're not from the US or UK)
TIP: Not much to tell you here. Either you know your US and UK trivia or you don't. Use your lifeline if you have no clue whatsoever.
129. Word Seance: 1 of 2
TASK: Make two accepted six-letter words
POINTS REQUIRED: 7
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 3
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Either you know your six-letter words, or you don't. This game is not available to Americans, so I'm writing tips for this diploma from memory of when I was able to play it. If I remember correctly, the six-letter words don't usually show up until the last few rounds.
130. Word Seance: 2 of 2
TASK: Complete all rounds without losing a life
POINTS REQUIRED: 5
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: The important thing is to remember what words you've used, in order to avoid repeating them. A repeated word doesn't count, and if you do that on a level that requires perfection, you lose a life. Think of using various forms of the same word if the given letters allow it, such as plurals, different suffixes, etc.
131. Midas Solitaire: 1 of 3
TASK: Solve the layup with two or fewer turns of the deck!
POINTS REQUIRED: 7
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Hard
TIP: Keep in mind that you can transfer part of a stack to another stack if necessary. For instance, if you have a layup pile that ends with the 6 of spades and another one that has the 6 of clubs in the middle, you can lift off from the red 5 down and move them to the 6 of spades, in order to move the 6 of clubs to the foundation. This will really help you wade your way through layup piles.
132. Midas Solitaire: 2 of 3
TASK: Solve the layup in five minutes or less!
POINTS REQUIRED: 8
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 8
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Playing the progressives can get you this one quickly. The layup and deck will be the same each time you re-enter, so you'll know what's coming and how to play it.
133. Midas Solitaire: 3 of 3
TASK: Just play the freakin' game
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 20 (ok, this one isn't approximate)
DIFFICULTY: Child's Play
TIP: If you need help with this one, then you're beyond my help. Good luck with the rest of your life, 'cause you're gonna need it.
134. Daisy Defender: 1 of 2
TASK: Complete a wave with all daisies intact
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: The description for this piece says "Complete a level with all flowers left", but if this were correct, you'd only be able to get 3 points a game, and I've gotten 6; yet I've made it through entire games (9 waves) without losing any flowers and still only got 6 points, so it must be that they take no hits at all. Anyway, just shoot the bugs as high up on the screen as you can for this piece.
135. Daisy Defender: 2 of 2
TASK: Kill four or more bugs with one shot
POINTS REQUIRED: 200
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Several bits of advice for this piece. First, watch for bugs whose paths will intersect or come close together, and aim for the meeting point. Second, watch for the little green bugs and the maggots to flash--this means that they are about to release up to five bugs. When you see one of these bugs flash, immediately fire about an inch beneath the main bug. Finally, hit the Sweet Soda if you see it. This will cause the bugs to speed up, making it more likely that they will reach your poison cloud before it dissipates.
136. Candy Rail: 1 of 1
TASK: Make a chain of 3 or more matches
POINTS REQUIRED: 120
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 8
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Just look for places to make sequences of A A B B A A B A, A A B B C C B A, etc. The balls move very slowly, especially if you're used to Zuma's fast pace, so this one should be a snap. This piece is exactly the same as #80, other than that #80 is for Luxor, of course.
137. Bunny Bon Bon: 1 of 3
TASK: Catch 12 or more jelly babies with one jump
POINTS REQUIRED: 50
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5 (wildly variable, depending on boards appearing)
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Pay attention to the surfaces you're jumping from and to. You'll get your longest jumps when jumping from jelly (orange), and if your landing area is milk chocolate, then the greater your horizontal trajectory, the farther you'll slide when you land, collecting jelly babies all the way.
138. Bunny Bon Bon: 2 of 3
TASK: Get combo bonus of at least 5000 in a level
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: You get combo bonus by grabbing multiple jelly babies in one jump. Look for places on the level where you can grab a very large number of jelly babies. Oh, and you have to exit the level for the point to count--if you run out of time, you don't get the point.
139. Bunny Bon Bon: 3 of 3
TASK: Collect all jelly babies on Level 2 and finish the game
POINTS REQUIRED: 7
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Moderate (varies, depending on what board comes up for Level 2)
TIP: Not much to say here. Just jump quickly and accurately, and don't try to get too cute with it. Bubble power-ups are a big help for this piece.
140. Match Blocks: 1 of 2 (classic Match Blocks - green button games only)
TASK: Isolate five bombs
POINTS REQUIRED: 17
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 9
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: When you see a bomb, immediately look to remove the blocks surrounding it. Don't get cute with this, as you may find yourself unable to remove a block that you didn't think was a problem. If you're lucky, you might get up to 10 bombs between the three levels, which will give you two points.
141. Match Blocks: 2 of 2
TASK: Complete all three levels
POINTS REQUIRED: 17
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 17
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Full speed ahead works pretty well for this one. Clear out any bombs as soon as they appear, and be on the lookout for "orphan" blocks, which have no visible match. You'll have to isolate those to get rid of them, unless scrolling the screen causes another one to appear.
142. Klick, Klack & Turn: 1 of 3 (deluxe Klick, Klack & Roll - orange button games only)
TASK: Click off a group worth at least 7000 points
POINTS REQUIRED: 7
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: At the start of each level, pick the group that is most numerous on the board, or has the most radioactive pieces. Clear out as many of the other-colored pieces as you can, then spin the board. Keep turning and turning until you either eliminate as many of the other-colored pieces as possible, or you manage to bring all pieces of the target color together into one group.
143. Klick, Klack & Turn: 2 of 3
TASK: Clear 100% of a level
POINTS REQUIRED: 12
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 3
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Be careful not to leave just one of any color on the board, unless you'll be able to remove it with a bomb. Also, keep in mind that if you reach a position where nothing can legally be clicked off, the level will end immediately, even if turning the board will open up a legal move.
144. Klick, Klack & Turn: 3 of 3
TASK: Clear a group of 12 or more
POINTS REQUIRED: 17
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: Approach this one the same way you do the first piece--clear out as much as you can of all but one color, then keep turning until you bring that last color together.
145. Dart Duel: 1 of 3
TASK: Score at least 170 points in one turn!
POINTS REQUIRED: 17
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 9
DIFFICULTY: Hard
TIP: You're gonna have to hit some big triples for this one. Even if you hit an inner bull (center circle), you'll still have to hit two triple-20's. All three of your darts must hit either the inner bull (as just described), or triples of at least 17--any non-triple or lesser triple won't cut it. I suggest trying for one side of the triple-20 area with your first dart and the other side with your second dart, which will give you options with the third.
146. Dart Duel: 2 of 3
TASK: Win the game in five or fewer turns
POINTS REQUIRED: 7
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
DIFFICULTY: Moderate (depending on quality of opponents)
TIP: Hit big triples early and often, and don't "doink" any of your darts if you can help it. If I hit the triple-20 with my first two darts, I prefer to hit the triple-19 with the third, if I haven't already. If your score is 170 or less after your turn, use your opponent's turn to do the math--in other words, to figure out what you need to hit to win.
147. Dart Duel: 3 of 3
TASK: Score a total of at least 300 in two consecutive rounds
POINTS REQUIRED: 5
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 3(?)
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: If you've already played the previous hunts for this game, you get the idea of hitting high triples and bulls. The only thing I'm unsure of is if you can get two points in one game, as I haven't tried it. You can't make two separate pairs of rounds totalling 300, of course, but "overlapping" pairs might count. For instance, if you score 120 in round 1, 180 in round 2, and 140 in round 30, you've scored a total of 440 points. However, rounds 1 and 2 equal 300 points, and rounds 2 and 3 total 320. See if that works for ya.
148. Zuma: 1 of 3
TASK: Collect a coin
POINTS REQUIRED: 33
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 6
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: There's a trigger to cause coins to appear, but I have yet to figure out what it is. You'll usually have to shoot through a gap in the line to collect a coin. The best way to do this is to wait for a pair or group of balls of a color that you currently have (if you have time), then when the front of that group passes in front of the coin, quickly fire off two shots. If done properly, the first ball will remove the group and the second one will hit the coin. Careful though: If you shoot too quickly, the second ball will get caught in the removal of the group. You'll get the hang of it with practice.
149. Mahjong Masquerade: 1 of 3 (regular Mahjong Masquerade - green button games only)
TASK: Complete the game without mis-matching!
POINTS REQUIRED: 11
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 11
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TIP: Take your time, but watch your time at the same...uh...time.
150. Zuma: 2 of 3
TASK: Make a combo of three or more hits
POINTS REQUIRED: 80
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 8
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIP: This one is exactly the same idea as #80...just a different game.