Old but Fun: "Chip's Challenge" Quiz

Answer: Melinda, the Mental Marvel

The full story is, Chip met Melinda at school, and learned that she was the head of an exclusive computer-club named the Bit Busters. Chip wanted to join, and Melinda gave him membership, but only if he collected all the computer chips in Melinda's magical clubhouse. Apparently, Melinda is so smart that all her amazing inventions are lying around everywhere, some of them dangerous to Chip.

Answer: They can be used more than once

The four key colours are red, blue, yellow and green. Red, blue and yellow keys can only open one door of their respective colours, and then they are discarded. Green keys only open green doors, but can be used an infinite number of times until Chip restarts the level or changes level. Keys and doors are used in a huge variety of ways in the game.

For example, you have to choose which doors to unlock with the keys you have in Level 46 (Three Doors). Also, you have to collect all the keys in the area in a given time limit in Level 49 (Problems).

Answer: Turn right at a collision

Water-gliders turn left when they hit a wall, pink balls bounce when they collide with something and walkers (the blue planets) turn randomly at a wall. These patterns are put together in uniquely difficult ways. Level 144 (Fireflies) involves running through a fire maze whilst dodging fireballs, and Level 35 (Lemmings) has you using a block to re-direct fireballs.

The different directions of water-gliders and fireballs are used cleverly to make an intensely difficult situation in Level 109 (Torturechamber). Pink balls may sound easy, but make deadly patterns in certain levels, particularly Level 69 (Bounce City).

The randomness of walkers can be incredibly challenging, as you may have found out if you have played Level 139 (Yorkhouse).

Answer: The block turns into dirt

Dirt is the red ground that Chip can walk on, but monsters cannot. When Chip walks on dirt, it turns into normal ground, letting monsters on it. Also, blocks cannot be pushed onto dirt. When Chip pushes a block into water, he can step on the dirt, clearing a path for another block, and therefore making a bridge.

This is the main theme in many levels, including Level 29 (Arctic Flow) and Level 37 (Seeing Stars). There are a few cases where it is important NOT to step on blocks after having being pushed into the water. An example of this is in Level 70 (Nightmare). Blocks can also be used in more complex mazes, particularly Sokoban-like puzzles, such as those in Level 81 (Writer's Block) and Level 87 (Cityblock). Sometimes there are almost impossible IQ-questions in the levels involving blocks, like in Level 138 (Partial Post).

Answer: Fire boots

There are four items Chip can use to cross different terrain: flippers, fire boots, ice skates and suction boots. Flippers help Chip across water. Fire boots let Chip on fire. Ice skates help Chip to walk on ice without sliding. Suction boots stop Chip being carried around by force floors.

There are also puzzles involving these boots, the most notable of which is Level 48 (Mugger Square), in which one has to save some of the boots until later in the level. There are also difficult mazes made purely from boots and terrain, such as Level 75 (Steam). Level 147 (Force Field) is a complicated maze in which the aim is simply to use the force floors to the suction boots.

As it happens, I still haven't completed it yet, no matter how hard I try.

Answer: Eight

These are the first eight levels in the game. Level 1 teaches you about the use of keys and doors, Level 2 talks about monsters and blocks, Level 3 instructs about boots and terrain, Level 4 is about green and blue buttons, Level 5 involves red and brown buttons, Level 6 teaches you about fake/invisible walls, Level 7 is about teleports, recessed walls and thieves, and Level 8 pits you against a teeth monster, with gravel and dirt. Hints are also given on later levels, although rarely.

They also give off very vague hints.

For example, in Level 113 (Open Question), the hint says that "the 8th block is open". This refers not to the blocks surrounding the exit square, but the fake walls above the fireballs. Also, in Level 131 (Totally Unfair), the hint tells you to "remember sjum". SJUM is the password to Level 122 (Totally Fair), which means the level is done the same way as Level 122.

However, because it is "Chip's Challenge", there is a minor difference that sets the difficulty...

Answer: Flippers

Level 18 (Castle Moat) looks at first to be the kind of level where you make a bridge to the exit. But in fact, the top-rightmost block hides flippers, which you can use to swim across the moat to the exit. Chips are found under many, many blocks in the game, and a bomb is hidden under one in Level 120 (Alphabet Soup).

The only time the exit square is ever hidden under a block is in Level 149 (Special), the last level.

Answer: Zero

The fact is, none do! The trick with this level is to slide the `wrong way` over force floors by sliding across ice (this technique is also vital for Level 132 (Mix Up)). Go to where the green button is, slide over the force floor onto the ice and then onto the green button.

Then hold the `Down` button, and Chip will slide over the force floor! When Chip is sliding over ice he goes fast enough to be able to slide over one force floor square (but not two).

Answer: Killing fireballs

The mystery of Level 121 is one that I would never have solved without help from the Internet. These are the situations: There are three sections in the level. One is the chamber in the middle of the level, which is inaccessible to Chip. One is the little strip of passageway around the chamber which Chip can move around. Finally, there is the strip of land leading to the exit, currently filled with fireballs. The fireballs are firing into the water, destroying them, but a nearby pink ball is relentlessly pouncing on a red clone button, making more fireballs. In front of the clone machine is a toggle wall. Figured it out yet? The idea is to close the toggle wall so no fireballs can be created. And the big problem is here: The fireballs in the chamber hit the green buttons in a way that Chip will not be able to make it to the exit before more fireballs are made. If you go to the bottom-right of Chip's passageway, where the hint block is, you can see two green buttons. The inner one gets pressed by two fireballs and the outer is attacked by one. Note that the green buttons are level with each other. Now you should loop to the top of the level. There is a red button that clones fireballs and the block. Here is where the puzzle unfurls:

The green buttons are level with each other. The fireballs on the inner area are not affected by Chip. However, the clone machine puts a fireball on the same path as the outer fireball. And here is the vital fact: The loop for the inner and outer section last the same amount of time. Now, press the red button when an `inner` fireball is on the single ice patch. If timed correctly, the machine should create an `outer` fireball that is level with the `inner` fireball. When the `inner` fireball romps the green button, the toggle wall changes. However, because there is a level `outer` fireball that presses the green button at the same time, the toggle wall WILL NOT CHANGE! Return to the top and repeat for the other `inner` fireball (it should be right behind/in front of the first fireball. Finally, you might make a mistake. This is where the block comes in. If you push the block down, it will slide across the ice, rebound off the wall and kill Chip. Ouch. However, if Chip pushes the block and immediately steps up, the block will come back, not affecting Chip. Useless, huh? But when an `outer` fireball that doesn't have an `inner` partner arrives close, push the block down and step up. If this is done at the right time, the fireball will hit the block and turn right, straight into the water. Use this to get rid of all waste `outer` fireballs, and if the bottom section is still raining fire, hit the green button on the left side of the level. Wait until all fireballs are gone, then follow the path and finish! Phew! (It's easier said than done. Yes, I'm serious).

Answer: JHEN

If you got this one right without the Internet then you deserve some serious respect. Level 34 (Cypher) has stray bits of dirt on it. If you look at the layout of the normal ground before any dirt is cleared and map it out, you will find they give the passwords to Level 82 (Socialist Action), Level 137 (Goldkey) and Level 146 (Cake Walk). BDHP is the password to Level 1 (Lesson 1), TONY is the password to "Chip's Challenge" unique little credits page and GCCG is the password to Level 70 (Nightmare) (my favourite level! :D)