Spellunker is pretty easy to pickup (link letters to form words, move your Avatar around) but don’t let the simplicity of gameplay fool you.  There are some definite strategies you can use to rack up big points faster and make it to higher levels.

We’ll share some our best strategies for Spellunker on this page.

SCORING BIG POINTS:

Always, ALWAYS try to make words that are at LEAST 4 letters long.  If you make a word that is 3 letters long, you only get the points of each letter (plus any multipliers from special blocks).  If you make a word that is 4 letters long, the point value is multiplied by 2X.   If you make a word that is 5 letters long, the point value is multiplied by 3X.  In short, for each letter you use beyond 3 letters, you get an extra multiplier for the whole word score.

Don’t always go for the first word you see.  Many times, a better word (that is worth more points) can be found with a little thought and searching.   At the very least, don’t forget that the plural form of a word is usually just a single “s” away.  For example, “cars” instead of “car”.  Adding the “s” to “car” more than doubles the point value because it is 4 letters long instead of 3.

On Treasure Levels, your primary goal should be to make an open path to the exit.  Once you have an open path, you can collect some extra treasures.  If you don’t exit the level before the timer expires, any and all treasures you collected are worth nothing.  So, it’s *always* better to exit the treasure level with just a few treasures but within the time limit than it is to collect a lot of treasures but run out of time.

STAYING ALIVE:

Blocks don’t fall in the first 5 levels of Spellunker, so you don’t have to worry about dying.  Use these levels to gather as many points as possible.  After level 5, blocks start falling, so you need to be aware of any blocks that threaten to fall on your Avatar.

If you need a safe spot, hide under a fixed block (one with no letter on it) or a closed gate.  These blocks never fall so your Avatar is safe when underneath one of these blocks or gates.

Don’t use quakes to often.  Scrambling the letters by shaking the device to cause an “quake” is sometimes necessary if you can’t form a word.  However, keep in mind that each time you use a quake, blocks that are unsupported by other blocks will fall down sooner.

Do you have a strategy you like to use?  Share it here in the comments!

MISCELLANEOUS:

By turning OFF the game music in the Option Screen, you can play your own iTunes music through the regular iPod controls and they will continue to play during game play.