The slugcat escapes up a pole from a deadly coalescipede
Rain World never ceases to surprise a player - whether it’s a new mechanic, new predator, or new tidbit of lore- there is always something more to explore. Through countless hours of meticulous play, a player will never cease to pick up helpful tricks and methods for navigating this perilous world.
While on the surface this game seems to be a rather simple 2D platformer, in reality this game is a rich ecosystem brimming with nuance and depth. The world invites a player deeper by making the protagonist just a small piece in a much grander picture, which is a refreshing change of pace from the numerous and generic player-centric games.
There are countless tricks and tips that can help a player through this game, and some of these are listed below to help set a solid foundation. Read through them to see if you learn something new, or simply to get some ideas before starting out! Doubtless, a player will learn many other of their own tricks as they progress though, making this list far from exhaustive.
1. Spear climbing
The slugcat balances on the shaft of a spear
The slugcat can easily climb poles, whether vertically or horizontally, and frequently does so in almost every area. However, did you know that the slugcat can use spears in exactly the same way? Just throw a spear into a wall and it becomes a pole that can be climbed - this technique can make hard jumps much easier or even allow access to areas that would be otherwise unreachable.
How it Works:
- Grab a spear
- Throw it into a wall (must be an unhardened wall)
- Jump and grab the protruding spear
2. Backflips
The slugcat performing a backflip
The slugcat is quite the acrobat given the right button input - even capable enough to perform flips. This is a useful maneuver to attempt to avoid a lizard in a pinch, and can even allow advanced moves such as throwing a spear downwards into the ground to stand on. The slugcat can’t do a standing backflip however, and must have some momentum.
How it Works:
- Run in any direction
- Press the jump button while also pressing the up arrow and the opposite arrow direction of the current momentum
3. Hibernate whenever possible
Nestled into the ground, the slugcat hibernates
It can be tempting to pass by a shelter if you’re making good time and wish to push on further, rather than use time and food pips sheltering. However, in this case, you risk losing the progress you’ve made and pass by the opportunity to raise your karma level. Karma is important for opening various gates between regions; sometimes it’s even worthwhile to scout around one shelter and use it several times to boost your level and get your bearings.
How it Works:
- Stop at any shelter you pass by
- Hibernate to save progress and gain karma levels
4. Transport tag
An orange lizard chases the slugcat
Portals between rooms (or even platforms) offer an excellent method of losing a closely tailing predator. Jump into the portal and wait for the predator to follow, then backtrack through the portal, which will often leave the disoriented creature behind. Sometimes, you may need to go back and forth several times along the transporter if there are multiple creatures.
How it Works:
- Flee into a portal entrance
- Wait for the predator to follow
- Backtrack through the portal
5. Full hands
The slugcat makes use of its carried rocks
Expect the unexpected in Rain World; a lizard could fall from the sky at any time. It’s wise to never move empty-handed, as more than once a rock or spear thrown at an enemy has allowed a hasty escape from an otherwise deadly situation. The slugcat should always be carrying some manner of projectile that will dissuade a predator from killing you.
How it Works:
- Find a rock or spear on the ground
- Travel while holding this object
- Throw the weapon if attacked by a predator
- Use the diversion to escape
6. Tame lizards
The slugcat feeds a green lizard a noodle fly
Lizards needn’t always be such a danger in Rain World, in fact you can tame one as a protector! If the slugcat feeds a lizard repeatedly, or saves it from another predator, it can make the creature friendly, which causes it to follow and protect the player. This is extremely useful against other attackers, not to mention is very fun, as friends are rare in Rain World.
How it Works:
- Find a lizard
- Feed the lizard bloat flies, centipedes, or other food
- Keep the lizard as a pet
7. Pause for pole plants
A difficult-to-spot but deadly pole plant
Every jump to grab a pole and then it suddenly viciously consumes you? Pole plants can be quite treacherous, particularly if one is in a rush and doesn’t give proper heed to their surroundings. Pole plants have a tell though, so keep an eye out for tall poles and give it a moment to watch if leaves move on the pole.
How it Works:
- Carefully pause before grabbing tall poles
- If 4 seconds pass without any leaves moving on the pole, it is likely safe
- If leaves move on the pole, find an alternate route or jump past the plant
8. Use squidcadas
Squidcads hover together
Squidcadas can be an excellent tool when traveling regions that require platform hopping. These flies can be grabbed and used to carry you much higher and farther when leaping - in fact, some regions in the Sky Islands actually require this method. Be careful however, as these flies will become agitated after being bothered and can try to knock you off poles and platforms.
How it Works:
- Find a squidcada
- Grab the squidcada
- Leap longer distances
9. Don’t give up when grabbed
A lizard grabs the slugcat with its long tongue
All too often a lizard will nab the slugcat and the game will require you to restart - conditioning you to succumb to the deadly fate in order to try again. However, occasionally, the bite will not kill the slugcat, or when grabbed by a long tongue, another predator can appear and interrupt the attack, allowing a chance to escape!
How it Works:
- When grabbed or bitten, don’t immediately take your hands off the keyboard
- Wait until the game actually tells you to restart
- Escape if a chance presents itself
10. Eat a neuron fly
The slugcat illuminates its surroundings
The darkness of the Subterranean can be very treacherous, with predators lurking in darkness, especially deadly clumps of wolf spiders. Carrying a light is one solution, as the brightness drives away wolf spiders, however this requires using one hand perpetually. A great alternative is to eat one of Looks to the Moon’s neuron flies, which causes the slugcat to glow brightly.
How it Works:
- Visit Looks to the Moon near the Shoreline
- Grab and eat one of her neuron flies
- Use the glowing light to easily navigate
11. Obtain a vulture mask
The slugcat wears a vulture mask next to its slain body
Vultures can be very intimidating attackers, swooping in from the sky and trying to snatch you. However, a well placed spear to the face can dislodge the mask on its face, allowing you to grab the mask. The best way to do this is to hide in a narrow tunnel where you can’t be reached and throw a spear at the vulture as it crowds the entrance. The mask will scare away most lizards for a significant amount of time, making it a very valuable item.
How it Works:
- Attract a vulture
- Hide in a tunnel with a spear
- Throw the spear at the vulture’s face
- Retrieve and use the mask
12. Watch for invisible lizards
A white lizard blends expertly into the background
Moving hastily in Rain World is a dangerous thing, as many predators lurk camouflaged and ready to ambush. The pole plant is one example of this, but there are also lizards (white lizards) that will blend into the background until the slugcat approaches. Try to look for lizard-like shapes in the background and move slowly while holding a projectile weapon just in case.
How it Works:
- Move cautiously, particularly in areas the white lizard inhabits (The Exterior, Chimney Canopy, etc.)
- Look for lizard-like background silhouettes
- Avoid suspicious shapes that may be lizards
13. Watch for dropwigs
A dropwig lurks, waiting for unwary victims
Very similar to white lizards in their hunting tactics, dropwigs blend in the background, then drop from above onto the slugcat when it blunders below. This predator will even put a desirable item beneath itself to bait you to walk underneath (spears, pearls, etc.). Keep a careful eye for its shape and be sure to be wary of conspicuous items that could be a trap.
How it Works:
- Move cautiously, particularly in areas the dropwig inhabits (The Exterior, Chimney Canopy, etc.)
- Look for unnatural background silhouettes and item traps
- Avoid suspicious shapes that may be dropwigs
14. Visit Looks to the Moon
Looks to the Moon talks with the slugcat
Looks to the Moon is an iterator located a little out of the way near the Shoreline. While this character is not necessary to interact with in order to beat the game, they contribute to the overall feel and lore of the world. As such, taking the time to visit can provide an enriched experience within the game.
How it Works:
- Travel to the Shoreline
- Enter Looks to the Moon’s area
- Have dialogue with Looks to the Moon
15. Use jetfish
The slugcat shoots across the water while holding a jetfish
Water regions typically have the slugcat swimming through or under large bodies of water or even submerged tunnels. This can leave the character at the mercy of aquatic attackers and also drowning. A jetfish is a very helpful creature if the slugcat can grab it, allowing much faster travel to escape dangerous situations and travel farther underwater.
How it Works:
- Keep an eye out for jetfish in water areas
- Grab the jetfish and use it to expedite your travels
16. Trade Scavengers
The slugcat attempts to trade a pearl to a scavenger
Scavengers are unique among Rain World’s many citizens; one of the more intelligent creatures that the slugcat can encounter. Scavengers will often trade goods with the slugcat, giving them useful items in return for spears, pearls, or vulture masks. This is a great way to build a good reputation among the scavengers and obtain useful gear.
How it Works:
- Collect an item of value to the scavengers
- Drop the item near a scavenger
- Pick up whichever item it drops in return
17. Visit Echoes
The slugcat stands before an Echo - Six Grains of Gravel, Mountains Abound
Echoes are the spirits of the Ancients, a race that used to occupy the spaces of Rain World. They are located throughout the game in different locations, with one of the most obvious ones being located close to Five Pebbles (Six Grains of Gravel, Mountains Abound). When encountering Echoes, the slugcat's karma level is increased to max level and the upper karma level threshold is also increased further - this is great for traveling through gates if the character requires more karma.
How it Works:
- Seek out Echoes through the regions of Rain World
- Obtain increased karma, useful for going through gates
18. Get food when it’s available
The slugcat leaps to grab a batfly from the air
There is nothing worse than arriving at a shelter, then not having enough food to hibernate and save all your hard work. You never know when food will be available; as a rule, you should always stock up (and store extra) whenever possible, since long stretches can go by without anything to consume. It’s a terrible thing to have to backtrack to find some extra food pips, as you risk a rainstorm and the predators erasing your hard-won progress.
How it Works:
- Keep a sharp eye out for food (fruit, batflies, etc.)
- Stock up whenever a chance arises
19. Use popcorn plants
The slugcat eyes a popcorn plant hungerly
The best food source you can ever stumble upon is a popcorn plant, as it allows you to nab unlimited food pips from it. These plants look similar to a closed umbrella and require a spear to be thrown into it in order to access the food inside. Once opened, the slugcat can grab limitless amounts of food pips from it during that cycle, which makes it a great resource.
How it Works:
- Watch for popcorn plants
- Throw a spear into the plant
- Eat the food until your food pips are full
20. Turn around in tunnels
The slugcat navigates a narrow tunnel
Ever found yourself running from a lizard into a tunnel, only to be instead slowly backing away from the rapidly gaining predator? You can turn around in a tunnel if you find yourself facing the wrong way - just press the jump button in the direction you want to face and the slugcat will reposition. This does take a moment though, so be aware if you’re being chased.
How it Works:
- Enter a tunnel
- Jump in the direction you want to face
- The slugcat will reorient itself
21. Stay still near daddy long legs
A daddy long legs probes for its next meal
Few things are as intimidating as the long tendrils of a daddy long legs probing around for the slugcat. It’s natural to want to run, but in many cases this will only solidify your demise. It is usually a better idea to remain motionless near a daddy long legs, or to move very slowly, as these creatures rely solely on sound to locate you.
How it Works:
- Encounter a daddy long legs
- Move slowly or not at all until it passes
- Continue on your way
22. Make use of snails
A snail sinks through the water
Water regions can be very tricky since the slugcat faces threats from both predators and drowning. Leeches are particularly loathsome, as they travel in large groups, thus are quite difficult to avoid. Throwing a snail in the water will stun leeches in a large radius, allowing the player to get by quickly.
How it Works:
- Find a snail
- Toss the snail into the water
- Allow the leeches to be stunned
- Swim past quickly
23. Use gravity interrupts
The slugcat hangs upsidedown near a gravity interupter
In the Unfortunate Development (arguably one of the most difficult regions), gravity will turn on and off. This may seem annoying at first, but you can actually use this quite effectively to travel across hard gaps and sneak past auditory predators. You make no noise when not moving, but your momentum can carry you noiselessly past daddy long legs and over difficult areas.
How it Works:
- Remain motionless until gravity flickers out
- Jump in the direction of a pole or other wall
- Don’t move in flight if traveling past predators
- Land and wait for gravity to come back (or jump again)
24. Pay attention to the background art
The slugcat climbs near a large background mural
Rain world is not simply about getting from point A to point B, it’s meant to immerse you in a struggle for survival. The world is meant to show you what it’s like at the bottom of a food chain in a strange and mystical land. As such, the game is meant to help you appreciate more than the single objective of completion, but also the mysterious origins and stories of the world. Try to pay attention to the background to see hints and clues about what this world used to be and who its citizens were.
How it Works:
- Explore the world for more than passing through it
- Pay attention to murals and landscapes in the background
- Think and theorize about what these things mean
25. Be aware that there is no single route
The slugcat rests underground
This world is not linear like many other 2D platformers, and as such, there are many different routes you can travel. If you get stuck trying to travel one direction, don’t be afraid to look for another. The game is highly replayable since you can miss many entire regions on your first playthrough.
How it Works:
- Don’t be afraid to try different routes if you’re stuck
- Try another direction from the last playthrough
- Be aware you may get lost
