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This game lets players guide one of the many pumpums through various obstacle-ridden underwater stages. Eschewing complex mechanics and controls in favor of a simple flick movement system, Surface Rush is all about easy to enjoy gameplay. The only real goal in this game is to make it through each expanding stage, finding coins and stars along the way. Here are some great beginner tips to help get you started in Surface Rush.
5 Which Game Mode To Choose From?
Surface Rush features a fair few number of game modes to choose from. The standard game mode tasks players with venturing through 60 stages ranging in difficulty from training to advanced, with the latter stages offering up quite the challenge. This is the mode that most players will find themselves enjoying given it provides the base experience.
There are also three other side game modes to choose from, namely, One shot, Timer, and Precision. One shot is pretty self explanatory where by players only have one chance at making it through the stage, apart from getting another go at an air bubble checkpoint. The Timer game mode is essentially the same as the base mode but offers players more stars based on quicker runs through a stage. Finally, Precision give players the opportunity to get more stars if they are able to get through a mode with less moves.
4 Flicking And Stopping At Any Time
The control system in Surface Rush is super simple. Basically, players can pull back and flick their pumpum around the stages. The movement is guided and dictated by an on-screen arrow indicator. Whichever way the arrow is facing while pulled back, the pumpum will then be shot off in that direction with immense speed. This flinging and flicking movement is easy to understand but takes a good deal of time to master, especially in the advanced stages.
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What makes this simple movement system so much fun is that the player’s pumpum can be stopped at any time, even mid fling. Players that need to quickly get out of harm’s way or need to move to a new area in rapid succession can press the thumb stick in any direction to get the pumpum to stop on a dime.
3 Seek Out Air Bubbles Or Air Canisters
Given that this game all takes place in underwater ocean stages, it would make sense that the player’s pumpum would run out of oxygen. Part of the tension in this game comes down to an ever depleting oxygen gauge. The longer the pumpum moves around, the more the oxygen level depletes. Fortunately, players can find air bubbles and air canisters to refill that gauge on the fly.
Air bubbles, apart from refilling the air gauge and acting as a safe place, also act as checkpoints of sorts, allowing players to think about their next move. The early training and beginner stages are over pretty quickly which often makes refilled oxygen feeling unnecessary, however, the later advanced stages really test players’ mettle, especially when it comes to losing oxygen. Be sure to keep an eye out for the plethora of air canisters or air bubbles.
2 Gather Up Those Coins And Stars
While not a platformer by any means, Surface Rush still offers players some collectibles in the form of coins and stars. Coins are the most common collectible and come in the form of single coins or larger coins that give the player ten at a time. Coins are littered all over the place and can even be lined up in such a way that it helps guide players through trickier areas of a given stage. Coins can also then be used back at the main menu shop to unlock character icons, trails, and colors.
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Stars are really the main progression collectible with each stage having three of them in total. Stars are typically hidden in caves, behind enemies, or in just-out-of-reach places. In the One Shot, Timer, and Precision modes, stars are handed out depending on how well a player did with the game modes’ respective objectives. Plus, the more stars players unlock, the more mini story beats they can unlock to flesh out the lore of the world and to earn some extra coins.
1 Navigating Through Hazards And Obstacles
There are a boatload of hazards to avoid during each of the stages in Surface Rush. Things just as octopi, crabs, pufferfish, and even spikes all lie around, making it difficult for the player to get to the finish line. Fortunately, the movement system in this game allows for quick on-the-spot changes to avoid such obstacles. For example, the octopi chase down the player with specific movement patterns.
The later stages also through in boxes to break, portals to dash through, and even cannons that fire out the pumpums around parts of the stage. Learning each of the stage’s layout is crucial to success in this game. Fortunately, when players do meet their demise, they quickly restart back at the start of the short stages.
Surface Rush is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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