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The Diploma Guide Archive, Volume I 1/22/08 3:58 PM
As the Diploma Guide gets ever larger, I've decided to make a few changes to its presentation.
This entry is the first volume of the Diploma Guide Archive, which contains tips for the first 50 pieces. After every 50 Diploma Hunts, I'll transfer them from the main Guide to the next volume of the Archive. I'm enabling comments for the Archives because they will no longer be updated, so if you have a question about a piece in the Archive, ask away!
1. Pyramid Quest: 1 of 3 (deluxe Pyramid - orange button games only)
TASK: Reach Level 6!
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
TIP: Just play quickly and accurately. You have 5 minutes, which means you must solve the first five levels in under a minute each.
2. Mahjong Treasure: 1 of 2
TASK: Complete a level with only perfect matches (color as well as number)
POINTS REQUIRED: 50
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 17
TIP: You'll probably have to use the Shuffle button quite a few times, including when you have simple matches, which will eat up your time. It's not always possible to get a point on every level here, so watch your time and finish with simple matches if you have to.
3. Rainbow Rescue: 1 of 3
TASK: Complete all three levels
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 30
TIP: If your only concern is the diploma point, just click every valid group as quickly as you can. Focus on colors that you haven't yet completed.
4. Magic Spinball: 1 of 3
TASK: Complete a level with at least 45 seconds left (listed incorrectly in the diploma description as "Complete a level in less than 45 seconds")
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
TIP: Release at least one extra ball in each level, unless you grab a Multiball power-up early on. Then keep as many balls in play as you can, and head for the warp when it opens.
(5.) Skat: 1 of 2
TASK: Bid and win a hand without picking up the skat
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
TIP: You either have a hand fit to do this, or you don't. If your hand is poor enough to make a Null bid without any improvement and you aren't overbid, that's one way to do it. In any other case, you should probably have at least two jacks and either a good long suit or a lot of overall general strength to try to get a point here.
6. Pyramid Quest: 2 of 3
TASK: Complete a level with at least two cards remaining on the board
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 6-9, depending on your skill level
TIP: Unlike regular Pyramid, it's not always necessary to remove all the cards to complete a level. Concentrate on removing only the cards that are covering the goal cards, unless one of the "stray" cards helps you unload several more (and you can spare it without blowing the point). (Note that Levels 1 and 3 do require you to remove all the cards, so no point is possible there)
7. Mahjong Treasure: 2 of 2
TASK: Complete a level without shuffling
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
TIP: Stay alert for simple matches, and always remove the piece(s) that are blocking the most other pieces.
8. Rainbow Rescue: 2 of 3
TASK: Collect at least 7 Sky Coins!
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: Focus on clearing one color at a time. When you finish a color, a Sky Coin will appear. Concentrate your efforts on moving that coin to the bottom of the board.
9. Mahjongg Fortuna: 1 of 3
TASK: Complete both levels!
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: Work quickly. If you have trouble seeing the pieces, lower your screen resolution through your Start menu. Look carefully before shuffling, and be alert for tile stacks of different sizes, meaning that some tiles that look blocked are actually free. If you're not sure about a tile, mouse over it, and it will turn yellow if it's free.
10. Pyramid Quest: 3 of 3
TASK: Make a run of 15 or more cards
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: ? (depends on luck of the deal)
TIP: This is one of the hardest pieces to get. The key, as the Fool has pointed out, is to use your Wild Card wisely. Make the longest run you can, then use the Wild Card, then put together another run without dealing another card. If your runs are long enough, that'll do the trick.
11. Magic Spinball: 2 of 3
TASK: Collect at least 7 coins
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: It seems to be easier to collect a coin when your ball is moving almost vertically or almost horizontally. Also, having multiple balls in play is a big help here. Subtract one from the multiplier you get at the end of a level to see how many coins you collected.
(12.) Skat: 2 of 2
TASK: Bid and win a hand of Grande
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
TIP: You should attempt a game of Grande whenever possible, which is when you have strength in all suits and preferably at least two jacks. It's dangerous to try it if you have a wide-open suit, as the opponents can lead that suit and force you to trump, causing you to lose control of the hand.
13. Rainbow Rescue: 3 of 3
TASK: Make a group of at least 60 Rainies
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 3-5, depending on the boards
TIP: Remove groups of all but one color, until the remaining color almost completely fills the board. This seems to be easiest to do on Level 2, as the Level 1 board is quite small, and Level 3 has five colors, making it more difficult to mass one of them. You know you scored a point if you scored at least 3600 for your group.
14. Startris: 1 of 2
TASK: Make at least 3 tetrises (removing four lines at once)
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
TIP: Stack the pieces carefully, leaving one column completely empty and no holes anywhere else in the lines. Then once you have four lines stacked properly, wait for the long straight piece.
15. Bejeweled 2: 1 of 3
TASK: Make a hyper cube
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2-3
TIP: Make yourself familiar with the hyper cube setup, which looks like this: X X O X X either horizontally or vertically. When you see this, try to manipulate the right color gem next to the middle gem. If it's horizontal, you may be able to make column matches through the middle column to do this. It seems to be easier to line it up when it's vertical.
16. Magic Spinball: 3 of 3
TASK: Use the warp
POINTS REQUIRED: 50
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 17
TIP: This is one of the easiest pieces to get, despite the number of games you have to play. Just don't clear all the blocks before exiting, but steer the ball into the warp instead. As I said in my Tip Sheet for this game, use the edge of the paddle to knock the ball in if it's just slightly off target.
17. Mahjongg Fortuna: 2 of 3
TASK: Make at least 10 matches in a row that earn speed bonus
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2-3
TIP: Study the board before you start clicking. Think several moves ahead, like a chess player. Plan a sequence of matches before you move. If you stumble and don't make the next match quickly enough, stop and plan again before continuing.
NOTE: You do not lose your speed bonus by shuffling if there were no more matches. If you make the next match quickly enough, you can keep going. However, if you missed a match when you shuffled, you will not receive any time bonus for the next match, regardless of how quickly you make it.
18. Itsy Bitsy Spider: 1 of 1
TASK: Divide the wasps on Level 3
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
TIP: On Level 3, start slowly and block off small areas while the wasps are close by and near each other. Be patient and inch your way up to them. When one moves away, try to quickly slide between them, but don't make your line excessively long. The longer your line, the more likely you are to get hit.
19. Startris: 2 of 2
TASK: Score at least 20,000
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: You don't necessarily NEED the 10,000 completion bonus to get this one, but it sure helps. Clear as many lines at once as you can, preferably tetrises whenever possible. Try not to leave stars in the outermost columns on Levels 1 and 2--you'll get credit for any stars that were in lines cleared by the shrinking of the board, but you will NOT get credit for stars in the outermost columns that are removed by this shrinking.
20. Bejeweled 2: 2 of 3
TASK: Explode two or more power gems with one switch
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
TIP: Any line of four, or "T" or "L" shape you form will give you a power gem. Make these formations whenever possible--it's possible to amass a whole bunch of power gems on the board, and in the King.com version of B2, you don't lose your power gems if you run out of moves.
21. Mahjongg Fortuna: 3 of 3
TASK: Clear Level 1 with at least half the time remaining
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 25
TIP: All I can say is to move quickly, and adjust your screen resolution as described earlier if necessary.
22. 8 Ball Pool: 1 of 3
TASK: Win by sinking the 8 ball (not by opponent's foul)
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: What can I say? Either you know how to play 8-Ball or you don't. Just try to always leave yourself a playable ball, and move the 8 toward a pocket when you can safely do so.
23. Bejeweled 2: 3 of 3
TASK: Reach Level 4!
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 20
TIP: You need 3000 points to make it to Level 4. The best way to score big is to make several power gems, then blow them all with one switch. Points for chain reactions of this sort pile up quickly.
24. Honey Combo: 1 of 2
TASK: Complete a level without shuffling
POINTS REQUIRED: 45
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: Big groups of 10-cards (10s and face cards) make it very difficult to earn this point. Try to make inroads into such a group whenever you can, even if it means (and it often will) making groups with tiles you've already used. Remember that you can take out two 10-cards with an ace if you click the ace last.
25. 8 Ball Pool: 2 of 3
TASK: Win with at least four of your opponent's balls left on the table (incorrectly listed as three)
POINTS REQUIRED: 5
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
TIP: This one is extremely difficult, if you're playing against someone who even has the slightest clue what he's doing. I'm not ashamed to admit that I needed help to get this one.
26. Polar Bear Bounce: 1 of 1
TASK: Bounce 20 bears into the correct color doors
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 25
TIP: You should be able to get at least 9 or 10 on Level 1, as they only come one at a time. Just don't panic on Levels 2 and 3, when you get two at a time. The key to this game is learning how to control the distance and direction of bounces by the lines you draw and how big you make them.
27. Match Blocks Speedtrap: 1 of 2 (deluxe Match Blocks - orange button games only)
TASK: Isolate at least 20 blocks
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 25
TIP: It's rather difficult to isolate 20 blocks in three minutes. Your best bet is to isolate a small group, then carefully pick out the blocks that will split up the group.
28. Honey Combo: 2 of 2
TASK: Make at least 3 gold cards
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 20
TIP: You make a gold card by making a group of at least 5. Wherever you have a group of low cards, it may be possible to make a gold card.
29. 8 Ball Pool: 3 of 3
TASK: Sink 3 of your balls without losing your turn!
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
TIP: Try to position several of your balls near pockets. Again, this one is all about your pool skills--either you can get 'er done or you can't.
30. Bomp Bomp: 1 of 3 (regular Bomp Bomp - green button games only)
TASK: Make at least three Star-Bomb Special Matches
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 25
TIP: Don't use your Star-Bomps until you get a Bomb-Bomp of the same color. When a Bomb-Bomp appears in a color of which you have a Star-Bomp, move them together, using non-matching switches if you have to. Just make sure you can bring them together before the Bomb-Bomp blows.
31. Match Blocks Speedtrap: 2 of 2
TASK: Isolate at least five bombs
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 25
TIP: You'll start every level with a bomb, and there'll often be another one nearby, either already on the screen or appearing after you've scrolled a few rows. Just go to work on it as soon as you see it, and for purposes of this piece, if there's a bomb on the screen when the gold piece becomes fully visible, take the bomb out before going to work on the gold piece.
32. Big Bang: 1 of 2
TASK: Make a Big Bang!
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10 (technically 6, but Big Bangs on Levels 4 and 5 are extremely rare)
TIP: Probably the easiest way to do this is to build up the atoms in the center, make sure you've built the outside up enough, then fire away, starting with a Charged or Unstable atom if you have one. See my Tip Sheet for more info.
33. Bomp Bomp: 2 of 3
TASK: Remove at least 500 Bomps
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 25
TIP: The best way to remove large quantities of Bomps is through the Special Matches, so stock up on Star-Bomps. You'll know you made it if your Bomp Bonus at the end of the game is at least 1500.
34. Ace Solitaire: 1 of 3
TASK: Clear the layup with at least 10 cards left in the deck
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
TIP: Concentrate on removing layup cards, and using the reserve cards as little as possible.
35. Big Bang: 2 of 2
TASK: Complete Level 5
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
TIP: Make chains as long as possible. Every three atoms taken out in one chain will get you an extra electron. For example, a chain of 15 will get you 5 extra electrons. Use your electrons wisely!
36. Keyword: 1 of 3
TASK: Have all three words accepted in round 5
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
TIP: Note that the point is for round 5, not the Bonus Round. Work your way through the first four rounds as quickly as you can, then look carefully at the board for round 5 and pick out three words of at least three letters. This assumes that you're only interested in the piece; it takes more thought if you're trying to win as well.
37. Bomp Bomp: 3 of 3
TASK: Make at least five Tri-Star Special Matches
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 30
TIP: Again, save up your Star-Bomps. When you get three in close proximity to each other, line 'em up.
38. Ace Solitaire: 2 of 3
TASK: Score at least 65,000 points
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 20
TIP: You'll have to clear at least two, and most likely all three layups to score enough. Work quickly and carefully, and try to keep a fairly high ratio of low cards to high cards available whenever possible.
39. Midas Links: 1 of 1
TASK: Get a hole in one
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
TIP: It's all about reading the wind. I'll have a Tip Sheet out for this game soon, but for now, keep in mind that you don't have to change your aim at all, unless there's a strong wind blowing to the left or right. Even if it's blowing to the right, you might not have to move it if it's not too strong.
40. Keyword: 2 of 3
TASK: Make an accepted 7-letter word
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
TIP: As with most word games, either you know your words or you don't. Look for ways to tack on -S, -ED, -ER, -ING, and other such endings whenever possible. Also, for American players, keep in mind that British spellings are also acceptable (King.com is based in the UK, after all), and you may be able to stick a U into a word containing OR.
41. Carnival Shootout: 1 of 3
TASK: Hit a gold ball on all three levels!
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: Watch for the animals carrying gold flags. Be sure to hit the target on said animals, as you won't get a shot at a gold ball if you hit it, but don't hit the target. When the gold ball appears, aim carefully--you don't want to take out the animal before hitting the ball.
42. Carnival Shootout: 2 of 3
TASK: Complete a level with 100% accuracy
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
TIP: Aim very carefully. Adjusting your screen resolution will make the targets easier to see. Don't worry so much about gold balls in this one, as you're likely to miss unless you're very good at this game. Note that hitting animals carrying white flags count as hits, even though they reduce your score. Yeah, technically you could just hit one animal and then sit still the rest of the round, but that's wasteful; you won't reach the required score that way, and you certainly won't win.
43. Masquerade Maze: 1 of 2 (deluxe Mahjong Masquerade - orange button games only)
TASK: Complete the first level with at least half the time remaining
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: Work quickly and carefully. The fewer turns a line has to make, the quicker the match will be recorded. Don't get stuck behind the blocks, and try not to leave large groups while picking off individual tiles. You'll know you made it if your time bonus for Level 1 is at least 250.
44. Ace Solitaire: 3 of 3
TASK: Score at least 22,000 in a level
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
TIP: The total value of the layup is 7000 points, so you have to score at least 15,000 with the pack cards. Use as few reserve cards as possible, and when you do use them, try to pair them with cards as high in the layup as possible.
45. Model Studio: 1 of 2
TASK: Get three "bull's-eyes" in the dressing room
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7-10
TIP: This piece is different in that the "bull's-eyes" and points accumulate during the course of a game. In other words, if you get six of them, you'll get two points. Whenever you send a model to the dressing room, watch the timing of the target. Once you have the hang of it, it shouldn't be hard to hit the green. You can watch it go through the cycle two or three times if you have to to get the timing down.
46. Keyword: 3 of 3
TASK: Make a word containing at least two gold tiles
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: ?
TIP: Whenever you make a word of six or more letters, you'll get at least two gold tiles in the next round. It doesn't usually take long to see if the tiles are close enough together and the letters appropriate to form a word using them both.
47. Masquerade Maze: 2 of 2
TASK: Complete all three levels!
POINTS REQUIRED: 12
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 12
TIP: Work quickly, but carefully. Watch for tiles behind blocks, and 2x2 groups that form an "X" of two different pairs. When you see such a 2x2 group, make sure you take out one of the tiles with a tile from elsewhere, or you'll get stuck.
48. 5 Card Solitaire: 1 of 2
TASK: Make a Four of a Kind
POINTS REQUIRED: 35
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 6
TIP: Five of a Kind counts as well. Just look for four of the same rank in columns close enough together, or three of the same rank and a Joker, then make smaller hands as necessary to bring them together.
49. Carnival Shootout: 3 of 3
TASK: Hit five targets worth at least 700 points
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: It's all about your aim. Each board has one or two certain targets that will score 700 points when you hit the bull's-eye; of course, most of them have movement patterns making them very hard to hit. Identify the targets in question, then when one appears, wait for the slowest part of its movement cycle, then make sure the small black dot in the center of your aiming sight is within the bull's-eye. This one was extremely hard for me--I finished it with only about ten minutes left.
50. Jungle Bubble: 1 of 3
TASK: Complete the game in 2 minutes or less
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 20
TIP: Well...um...play fast! Look for long strings of bubbles in one color, because popping them will often cause many bubbles to drop. Dropping lots of bubbles clears a large portion of the board at once.
This entry is the first volume of the Diploma Guide Archive, which contains tips for the first 50 pieces. After every 50 Diploma Hunts, I'll transfer them from the main Guide to the next volume of the Archive. I'm enabling comments for the Archives because they will no longer be updated, so if you have a question about a piece in the Archive, ask away!
1. Pyramid Quest: 1 of 3 (deluxe Pyramid - orange button games only)
TASK: Reach Level 6!
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
TIP: Just play quickly and accurately. You have 5 minutes, which means you must solve the first five levels in under a minute each.
2. Mahjong Treasure: 1 of 2
TASK: Complete a level with only perfect matches (color as well as number)
POINTS REQUIRED: 50
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 17
TIP: You'll probably have to use the Shuffle button quite a few times, including when you have simple matches, which will eat up your time. It's not always possible to get a point on every level here, so watch your time and finish with simple matches if you have to.
3. Rainbow Rescue: 1 of 3
TASK: Complete all three levels
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 30
TIP: If your only concern is the diploma point, just click every valid group as quickly as you can. Focus on colors that you haven't yet completed.
4. Magic Spinball: 1 of 3
TASK: Complete a level with at least 45 seconds left (listed incorrectly in the diploma description as "Complete a level in less than 45 seconds")
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
TIP: Release at least one extra ball in each level, unless you grab a Multiball power-up early on. Then keep as many balls in play as you can, and head for the warp when it opens.
(5.) Skat: 1 of 2
TASK: Bid and win a hand without picking up the skat
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
TIP: You either have a hand fit to do this, or you don't. If your hand is poor enough to make a Null bid without any improvement and you aren't overbid, that's one way to do it. In any other case, you should probably have at least two jacks and either a good long suit or a lot of overall general strength to try to get a point here.
6. Pyramid Quest: 2 of 3
TASK: Complete a level with at least two cards remaining on the board
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 6-9, depending on your skill level
TIP: Unlike regular Pyramid, it's not always necessary to remove all the cards to complete a level. Concentrate on removing only the cards that are covering the goal cards, unless one of the "stray" cards helps you unload several more (and you can spare it without blowing the point). (Note that Levels 1 and 3 do require you to remove all the cards, so no point is possible there)
7. Mahjong Treasure: 2 of 2
TASK: Complete a level without shuffling
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
TIP: Stay alert for simple matches, and always remove the piece(s) that are blocking the most other pieces.
8. Rainbow Rescue: 2 of 3
TASK: Collect at least 7 Sky Coins!
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: Focus on clearing one color at a time. When you finish a color, a Sky Coin will appear. Concentrate your efforts on moving that coin to the bottom of the board.
9. Mahjongg Fortuna: 1 of 3
TASK: Complete both levels!
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: Work quickly. If you have trouble seeing the pieces, lower your screen resolution through your Start menu. Look carefully before shuffling, and be alert for tile stacks of different sizes, meaning that some tiles that look blocked are actually free. If you're not sure about a tile, mouse over it, and it will turn yellow if it's free.
10. Pyramid Quest: 3 of 3
TASK: Make a run of 15 or more cards
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: ? (depends on luck of the deal)
TIP: This is one of the hardest pieces to get. The key, as the Fool has pointed out, is to use your Wild Card wisely. Make the longest run you can, then use the Wild Card, then put together another run without dealing another card. If your runs are long enough, that'll do the trick.
11. Magic Spinball: 2 of 3
TASK: Collect at least 7 coins
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: It seems to be easier to collect a coin when your ball is moving almost vertically or almost horizontally. Also, having multiple balls in play is a big help here. Subtract one from the multiplier you get at the end of a level to see how many coins you collected.
(12.) Skat: 2 of 2
TASK: Bid and win a hand of Grande
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 4
TIP: You should attempt a game of Grande whenever possible, which is when you have strength in all suits and preferably at least two jacks. It's dangerous to try it if you have a wide-open suit, as the opponents can lead that suit and force you to trump, causing you to lose control of the hand.
13. Rainbow Rescue: 3 of 3
TASK: Make a group of at least 60 Rainies
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 3-5, depending on the boards
TIP: Remove groups of all but one color, until the remaining color almost completely fills the board. This seems to be easiest to do on Level 2, as the Level 1 board is quite small, and Level 3 has five colors, making it more difficult to mass one of them. You know you scored a point if you scored at least 3600 for your group.
14. Startris: 1 of 2
TASK: Make at least 3 tetrises (removing four lines at once)
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
TIP: Stack the pieces carefully, leaving one column completely empty and no holes anywhere else in the lines. Then once you have four lines stacked properly, wait for the long straight piece.
15. Bejeweled 2: 1 of 3
TASK: Make a hyper cube
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2-3
TIP: Make yourself familiar with the hyper cube setup, which looks like this: X X O X X either horizontally or vertically. When you see this, try to manipulate the right color gem next to the middle gem. If it's horizontal, you may be able to make column matches through the middle column to do this. It seems to be easier to line it up when it's vertical.
16. Magic Spinball: 3 of 3
TASK: Use the warp
POINTS REQUIRED: 50
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 17
TIP: This is one of the easiest pieces to get, despite the number of games you have to play. Just don't clear all the blocks before exiting, but steer the ball into the warp instead. As I said in my Tip Sheet for this game, use the edge of the paddle to knock the ball in if it's just slightly off target.
17. Mahjongg Fortuna: 2 of 3
TASK: Make at least 10 matches in a row that earn speed bonus
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2-3
TIP: Study the board before you start clicking. Think several moves ahead, like a chess player. Plan a sequence of matches before you move. If you stumble and don't make the next match quickly enough, stop and plan again before continuing.
NOTE: You do not lose your speed bonus by shuffling if there were no more matches. If you make the next match quickly enough, you can keep going. However, if you missed a match when you shuffled, you will not receive any time bonus for the next match, regardless of how quickly you make it.
18. Itsy Bitsy Spider: 1 of 1
TASK: Divide the wasps on Level 3
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
TIP: On Level 3, start slowly and block off small areas while the wasps are close by and near each other. Be patient and inch your way up to them. When one moves away, try to quickly slide between them, but don't make your line excessively long. The longer your line, the more likely you are to get hit.
19. Startris: 2 of 2
TASK: Score at least 20,000
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: You don't necessarily NEED the 10,000 completion bonus to get this one, but it sure helps. Clear as many lines at once as you can, preferably tetrises whenever possible. Try not to leave stars in the outermost columns on Levels 1 and 2--you'll get credit for any stars that were in lines cleared by the shrinking of the board, but you will NOT get credit for stars in the outermost columns that are removed by this shrinking.
20. Bejeweled 2: 2 of 3
TASK: Explode two or more power gems with one switch
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
TIP: Any line of four, or "T" or "L" shape you form will give you a power gem. Make these formations whenever possible--it's possible to amass a whole bunch of power gems on the board, and in the King.com version of B2, you don't lose your power gems if you run out of moves.
21. Mahjongg Fortuna: 3 of 3
TASK: Clear Level 1 with at least half the time remaining
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 25
TIP: All I can say is to move quickly, and adjust your screen resolution as described earlier if necessary.
22. 8 Ball Pool: 1 of 3
TASK: Win by sinking the 8 ball (not by opponent's foul)
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: What can I say? Either you know how to play 8-Ball or you don't. Just try to always leave yourself a playable ball, and move the 8 toward a pocket when you can safely do so.
23. Bejeweled 2: 3 of 3
TASK: Reach Level 4!
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 20
TIP: You need 3000 points to make it to Level 4. The best way to score big is to make several power gems, then blow them all with one switch. Points for chain reactions of this sort pile up quickly.
24. Honey Combo: 1 of 2
TASK: Complete a level without shuffling
POINTS REQUIRED: 45
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: Big groups of 10-cards (10s and face cards) make it very difficult to earn this point. Try to make inroads into such a group whenever you can, even if it means (and it often will) making groups with tiles you've already used. Remember that you can take out two 10-cards with an ace if you click the ace last.
25. 8 Ball Pool: 2 of 3
TASK: Win with at least four of your opponent's balls left on the table (incorrectly listed as three)
POINTS REQUIRED: 5
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
TIP: This one is extremely difficult, if you're playing against someone who even has the slightest clue what he's doing. I'm not ashamed to admit that I needed help to get this one.
26. Polar Bear Bounce: 1 of 1
TASK: Bounce 20 bears into the correct color doors
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 25
TIP: You should be able to get at least 9 or 10 on Level 1, as they only come one at a time. Just don't panic on Levels 2 and 3, when you get two at a time. The key to this game is learning how to control the distance and direction of bounces by the lines you draw and how big you make them.
27. Match Blocks Speedtrap: 1 of 2 (deluxe Match Blocks - orange button games only)
TASK: Isolate at least 20 blocks
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 25
TIP: It's rather difficult to isolate 20 blocks in three minutes. Your best bet is to isolate a small group, then carefully pick out the blocks that will split up the group.
28. Honey Combo: 2 of 2
TASK: Make at least 3 gold cards
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 20
TIP: You make a gold card by making a group of at least 5. Wherever you have a group of low cards, it may be possible to make a gold card.
29. 8 Ball Pool: 3 of 3
TASK: Sink 3 of your balls without losing your turn!
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
TIP: Try to position several of your balls near pockets. Again, this one is all about your pool skills--either you can get 'er done or you can't.
30. Bomp Bomp: 1 of 3 (regular Bomp Bomp - green button games only)
TASK: Make at least three Star-Bomb Special Matches
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 25
TIP: Don't use your Star-Bomps until you get a Bomb-Bomp of the same color. When a Bomb-Bomp appears in a color of which you have a Star-Bomp, move them together, using non-matching switches if you have to. Just make sure you can bring them together before the Bomb-Bomp blows.
31. Match Blocks Speedtrap: 2 of 2
TASK: Isolate at least five bombs
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 25
TIP: You'll start every level with a bomb, and there'll often be another one nearby, either already on the screen or appearing after you've scrolled a few rows. Just go to work on it as soon as you see it, and for purposes of this piece, if there's a bomb on the screen when the gold piece becomes fully visible, take the bomb out before going to work on the gold piece.
32. Big Bang: 1 of 2
TASK: Make a Big Bang!
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10 (technically 6, but Big Bangs on Levels 4 and 5 are extremely rare)
TIP: Probably the easiest way to do this is to build up the atoms in the center, make sure you've built the outside up enough, then fire away, starting with a Charged or Unstable atom if you have one. See my Tip Sheet for more info.
33. Bomp Bomp: 2 of 3
TASK: Remove at least 500 Bomps
POINTS REQUIRED: 25
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 25
TIP: The best way to remove large quantities of Bomps is through the Special Matches, so stock up on Star-Bomps. You'll know you made it if your Bomp Bonus at the end of the game is at least 1500.
34. Ace Solitaire: 1 of 3
TASK: Clear the layup with at least 10 cards left in the deck
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7
TIP: Concentrate on removing layup cards, and using the reserve cards as little as possible.
35. Big Bang: 2 of 2
TASK: Complete Level 5
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
TIP: Make chains as long as possible. Every three atoms taken out in one chain will get you an extra electron. For example, a chain of 15 will get you 5 extra electrons. Use your electrons wisely!
36. Keyword: 1 of 3
TASK: Have all three words accepted in round 5
POINTS REQUIRED: 10
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
TIP: Note that the point is for round 5, not the Bonus Round. Work your way through the first four rounds as quickly as you can, then look carefully at the board for round 5 and pick out three words of at least three letters. This assumes that you're only interested in the piece; it takes more thought if you're trying to win as well.
37. Bomp Bomp: 3 of 3
TASK: Make at least five Tri-Star Special Matches
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 30
TIP: Again, save up your Star-Bomps. When you get three in close proximity to each other, line 'em up.
38. Ace Solitaire: 2 of 3
TASK: Score at least 65,000 points
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 20
TIP: You'll have to clear at least two, and most likely all three layups to score enough. Work quickly and carefully, and try to keep a fairly high ratio of low cards to high cards available whenever possible.
39. Midas Links: 1 of 1
TASK: Get a hole in one
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
TIP: It's all about reading the wind. I'll have a Tip Sheet out for this game soon, but for now, keep in mind that you don't have to change your aim at all, unless there's a strong wind blowing to the left or right. Even if it's blowing to the right, you might not have to move it if it's not too strong.
40. Keyword: 2 of 3
TASK: Make an accepted 7-letter word
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 2
TIP: As with most word games, either you know your words or you don't. Look for ways to tack on -S, -ED, -ER, -ING, and other such endings whenever possible. Also, for American players, keep in mind that British spellings are also acceptable (King.com is based in the UK, after all), and you may be able to stick a U into a word containing OR.
41. Carnival Shootout: 1 of 3
TASK: Hit a gold ball on all three levels!
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: Watch for the animals carrying gold flags. Be sure to hit the target on said animals, as you won't get a shot at a gold ball if you hit it, but don't hit the target. When the gold ball appears, aim carefully--you don't want to take out the animal before hitting the ball.
42. Carnival Shootout: 2 of 3
TASK: Complete a level with 100% accuracy
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 5
TIP: Aim very carefully. Adjusting your screen resolution will make the targets easier to see. Don't worry so much about gold balls in this one, as you're likely to miss unless you're very good at this game. Note that hitting animals carrying white flags count as hits, even though they reduce your score. Yeah, technically you could just hit one animal and then sit still the rest of the round, but that's wasteful; you won't reach the required score that way, and you certainly won't win.
43. Masquerade Maze: 1 of 2 (deluxe Mahjong Masquerade - orange button games only)
TASK: Complete the first level with at least half the time remaining
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: Work quickly and carefully. The fewer turns a line has to make, the quicker the match will be recorded. Don't get stuck behind the blocks, and try not to leave large groups while picking off individual tiles. You'll know you made it if your time bonus for Level 1 is at least 250.
44. Ace Solitaire: 3 of 3
TASK: Score at least 22,000 in a level
POINTS REQUIRED: 30
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 10
TIP: The total value of the layup is 7000 points, so you have to score at least 15,000 with the pack cards. Use as few reserve cards as possible, and when you do use them, try to pair them with cards as high in the layup as possible.
45. Model Studio: 1 of 2
TASK: Get three "bull's-eyes" in the dressing room
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 7-10
TIP: This piece is different in that the "bull's-eyes" and points accumulate during the course of a game. In other words, if you get six of them, you'll get two points. Whenever you send a model to the dressing room, watch the timing of the target. Once you have the hang of it, it shouldn't be hard to hit the green. You can watch it go through the cycle two or three times if you have to to get the timing down.
46. Keyword: 3 of 3
TASK: Make a word containing at least two gold tiles
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: ?
TIP: Whenever you make a word of six or more letters, you'll get at least two gold tiles in the next round. It doesn't usually take long to see if the tiles are close enough together and the letters appropriate to form a word using them both.
47. Masquerade Maze: 2 of 2
TASK: Complete all three levels!
POINTS REQUIRED: 12
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 12
TIP: Work quickly, but carefully. Watch for tiles behind blocks, and 2x2 groups that form an "X" of two different pairs. When you see such a 2x2 group, make sure you take out one of the tiles with a tile from elsewhere, or you'll get stuck.
48. 5 Card Solitaire: 1 of 2
TASK: Make a Four of a Kind
POINTS REQUIRED: 35
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 6
TIP: Five of a Kind counts as well. Just look for four of the same rank in columns close enough together, or three of the same rank and a Joker, then make smaller hands as necessary to bring them together.
49. Carnival Shootout: 3 of 3
TASK: Hit five targets worth at least 700 points
POINTS REQUIRED: 15
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 15
TIP: It's all about your aim. Each board has one or two certain targets that will score 700 points when you hit the bull's-eye; of course, most of them have movement patterns making them very hard to hit. Identify the targets in question, then when one appears, wait for the slowest part of its movement cycle, then make sure the small black dot in the center of your aiming sight is within the bull's-eye. This one was extremely hard for me--I finished it with only about ten minutes left.
50. Jungle Bubble: 1 of 3
TASK: Complete the game in 2 minutes or less
POINTS REQUIRED: 20
APPROX. MINIMUM GAMES NEEDED: 20
TIP: Well...um...play fast! Look for long strings of bubbles in one color, because popping them will often cause many bubbles to drop. Dropping lots of bubbles clears a large portion of the board at once.