My notes and progress in the various levels of Chip's Challenge.

Chip's Challenge Help Index

*****

(Training Levels) Lessons 1-8
9. Nuts and Bolts
10. Brushfire
11. Trinity
12. Hunt
13. South Pole
14. Teleblock
15. Elementary
16. Cellblocked
17. Nice Day
18. Castle Moat
19. Digger
20. Tossed Salad
21. Iceberg
22. Forced Entry
23. Blobnet
24. Oorto Geld
25. Blink
26. ChChChips
27. Go With The Flow
28. Ping Pong
29. Arctic Flow
30. MishMesh
31. Knot
32. Scavenger Hunt
33. On The Rocks
34. Cypher
35. Lemmings

*****

[Back to Slash's Index Page]

LEVEL 17: NICE DAY
PASSWORD: AJMG
TIME LIMIT: 100
CHIPS REQUIRED: 46

Adventure Index

SUMMARY: A large open room that is criss-crossed by chips, bouncing Balls, and a new enemy---Walkers.

EXPERIENCE: This is a hectic one. Pink Balls (lol) bounce along the horizontal axises of this level, so you need to be quick to avoid them. Walkers make their first appearance in this level, and they're a step up compared to normal enemies. They travel in straight lines like Balls or Gliders, but they turn in a random direction when they hit a wall, lending them some dangerous unpredictability.

Grab the two bundles of chips in the northern half of the level (six chips each), then head down to the large row of chips at the lower half. Now the title of the level makes sense---the chips make a smiley face (no nose).

Once you've gotten all the chips (be quick now), head to the nearest corner of the room---there's an exit in each. Dodge the Balls and Walkers and reach your goal.

SCORE: 81 seconds remaining, 9310 points.

TOTAL SCORE: 95560 points.

Something, something, rhymes with moat---next up is the Castle Moat.

LEVEL 16: CELLBLOCKED
PASSWORD: SKKK
TIME LIMIT: NONE
CHIPS REQUIRED: NONE

Adventure Index

SUMMARY: This level introduces a potent new trap: recessed blocks. These spaces become immovable gray blocks when stepped on, meaning that the square can never be stepped on again afterwards. This level is composed of a maze of recessed block spaces---meaning that a single mistake or wrong turn forces you to restart.

EXPERIENCE: Argh, this level is trial-and-error hell. I had to restart about a half dozen times.

The path to victory (only listing directions where there's a choice): Right, Down, Right, Right, Right, Left, Left, Down, Right, Down, Down.

SCORE: 0 seconds remaining, 8000 points.

TOTAL SCORE: 86250 points.

Looks like I managed to find my way, but in the next level, will I have a Nice Day?

LEVEL 15: ELEMENTARY
PASSWORD: COZQ
TIME LIMIT: 250
CHIPS REQUIRED: 12

Adventure Index

SUMMARY: This level consists of four paths---fire, ice, water, and force floor---and a central lobby containing numerous locked doors and tools. You must acquire all four tools from the lobby and race into the elemental pathways to find the chips and keys hidden within. Time is a factor in this level.

EXPERIENCE: As long as you don't make a dumb mistake, you're fine. As soon as you start, grab the exposed keys and start gathering the tools in each antechamber (they're hidden under the blocks), and then pick any of the four paths. Each sector has three chips and one key---be sure to get them all in one run, as there's no time to backtrack later. Once you've got what you need, take on the next sector.

Once you've got all the chips and keys, head back to the lobby, but BE CAREFUL---there's a Bear Trap blocking the exit square, and nothing would be worse than completing the rest of the level only to be stuck one space from victory. Use the seemingly-useless brown block in the lobby to plug the brown button behind the chip socket before crossing the Bear Trap.

Beat this level in one try, although I had to rush.

SCORE: 78 seconds remaining, 8280 points.

TOTAL SCORE: 78250 points.

I braved the fires and beat the clock, but what'll happen when I'm Cellblocked?

LEVEL 14: TELEBLOCK
PASSWORD: BTDY
TIME LIMIT: 250
CHIPS REQUIRED: 4

Adventure Index

SUMMARY: This level introduces some new mechanics to teleporters---bringing blocks through them, and entering the warps from different sides to end up in different locations. You must use a set of Red Keys to access the stores of brown blocks, and then bring them through the teleports to fill in the water blocking the chips.

EXPERIENCE: This level isn't that bad, although it's easy to make a mistake with moving the blocks and be forced to restart. Be sure to keep the blocks out of corners, and always enter the teleporters from a DIFFERENT direction than the one you pushed the block into.

Also remember to open the eastern red door last, as there is no red key behind it and opening it early will force you to restart.

I beat this level on my first try.

SCORE: 178 seconds remaining, 8780 points.

TOTAL SCORE: 69970 points.

Not too challenging. But will level 15, Elementary, be as elementary as it seems?

LEVEL 13: SOUTHPOLE
PASSWORD: OCKS
TIME LIMIT: NONE
CHIPS REQUIRED: NONE

Adventure Index

SUMMARY: An ice-covered level...and you don't get any skates. There are no chips to find, and no time limit, so all you have to do is slide around the level and try to be bounced into the exit square!

EXPERIENCE: This level is the easiest in the game. There is no reason you should not be able to beat this level, unless you're a dense illiterate moron who doesn't read hints.

SCORE: 0 seconds remaining, 6500 points.

TOTAL SCORE: 61190 points.

Somehow I doubt that level 14, Teleblock, will be so simple.

LEVEL 12: HUNT
PASSWORD: WVHI
TIME LIMIT: 400 SECONDS
CHIPS REQUIRED: 652

Adventure Index

SUMMARY: CHIPS EVERYWHERE! This level is almost complete empty---except for the chips that cover it from end to end. Be careful with what you take, though---two Teeth patrol this large stage, and the chips are the only thing between you and them. Picking up the chips will whittle away your protection one square at a time.

EXPERIENCE: The good news? There are more than enough chips in this level. The bad news? It's easy to take the wrong ones and find yourself being chased by a Teeth monster or two.

As long as you keep moving, there shouldn't be too much trouble. Try to keep a layer of chips between you and the Teeth at all times; if you're thorough, you may be able to avoid being chased until the very end. Once you have enough chips, sprint for the exit squares before they pin you down in the mostly-empty space you leave behind.

I was able to beat this level on my first try.

SCORE: 258 seconds remaining, 8580 points.

TOTAL SCORE: 54690 points.

Next up, Slash takes a trip to level 13: the South Pole.

LEVEL 11: TRINITY
PASSWORD: CNPE
TIME LIMIT: 300 SECONDS
CHIPS REQUIRED: 3

Adventure Index

SUMMARY: This level consists of two main segments---the 'maze' of force floors and the three paths of fire, ice, and water. You must go into the maze, recover the keys, and then use the unlocked tools to travel down the paths and obtain the three chips---and find the exit.

EXPERIENCE: This level isn't that hard, especially once you have the force floor maze down. I recommend getting all three of the keys in one run, rather than going back-and-forth after collecting each tool. I also save time by saving the ice path for last, as it contains a chip and the path to the exit---extra time equals extra points.

I beat the level with plenty of time to spare. The only hazards in this level are the enemies guarding the keys...which, thankfully, are the predictable Bug, Fireball, and Glider.

SCORE: 199 seconds remaining, 7490 points.

TOTAL SCORE: 46110 points.

Trinity was simple---easier than Brushfire, by far! But will I tackle level 12---Hunt---so easily?

We shall see.

LEVEL 10: BRUSHFIRE
PASSWORD: UVWS
TIME LIMIT: 80 SECONDS
CHIPS REQUIRED: NONE

Adventure Index

SUMMARY: This level is a race against time---you have a mere 80 seconds to find your way through a fiery maze and reach the exit square. There are no chips to find in this level, but that isn't much comfort.

EXPERIENCE: This level is damned hard unless you've done it a number of times. The time limit is strict, and the fire-filled level presents two problems: creating a confusing and hard-to-map maze, and making even a small control mistake fatal. There is also a single bug that patrols the maze, and while you rarely cross its path, it can still be a pain in the ass.

All I can say is this: RUN, CHIP, RUN!

I accomplished this level in two or three tries. No deaths, just restarts after finding myself in a dead-end.

SCORE: 48 seconds remaining, 5480 points.

TOTAL SCORE: 38620 points.

Alright, I breezed through that challenge pretty easily. But can I conquer level 11: Trinity?

LEVEL 9: NUTS AND BOLTS
PASSWORD: KCRE
TIME LIMIT: 400 SECONDS
CHIPS REQUIRED: 9

Adventure Index

SUMMARY: This level tests the skills you learned in Lessons 1-8. There are fireballs, water to cross, false walls, ice to skate across (surrounded by fire!), bugs, bombs, and keys. THIS IS MADNESS!

EXPERIENCE: Despite the wide variety of skills needed to collect all the chips in this level, it's really not that hard. You have plenty of time, and the only enemies in the level are predictable Fireballs (as long as you're patient, they pose no threat in this level) and Bugs (again, patience). I beat this level with little difficulty, although I did die a couple times from trying to beat the Fireballs.

SCORE: 290 seconds remaining, 7400 points.

TOTAL SCORE: 33140 points.

Next I take on level 10---Brushfire.