Can you say you’re the savior of the seven seas if you haven’t saved the Archipelago at least once? Well, as long as you’ve tried your luck at Ship of Fools, you might be on your way to being the long-awaited protector.

Related: Best Games That Let You Play As A Pirate

Before unlocking all the playable characters in Ship of Fools, you might need some advice on various aspects of the game. A great way to be the best pirate in all of the Archipelago and the opener of the Great Lighthouse. We’ve got ten tips to remember once you boot up the game. Even though the design might be cute, the game and its seas can be brutal to an inexperienced sailor.

10 Get The Most Tendrils

Tendrils are fundamental in your journey to take down Eye, of the Storm. Without them, you won’t even be able to get close to the final boss. So make sure you get as many as you can during your journey.

Tendrils are picked up by scoring high points, breaking barrels and boxes in the shop, and one of the ways that might give you the most is by completing Jellyfish encounters. Also, each boss gives you Tendrils you can use before the final stage.

9 Letting Resources Float By

If you’ve roamed the Caribbean Sea as Edward Kenway, you know that sometimes you’ll get a chance to find some free resources floating by. Well, you might leave them in that game and not give it a second thought.

In Ship of Fools, the best advice is always to pick up floating materials; you won’t get a chance to take down enemy ships like in Black Flag and take those resources as plunder.

8 Wood Repairs Your Ship

When sailing across the map to take down a new boss, you’ll start to take on some damage. It’s evident with all the waves trying to take you down on your quest to save the Archipelago.

Related: Games To Play If You Like Ship Of Fools

Now to make sure you don’t get into your next fight with a ship full of holes, you’ll need some wood to repair your ship, so pick up as much wood as possible to be safe on your journeys. And that’s why you don’t leave any resources floating by.

7 Keep Those Cannons At The Ready

Your first line of defense is the cannons your ship is equipped with - you won’t survive any longer than the first wave if you don’t use them properly.

Make sure you always have your cannons at the ready. Always loaded to take down the next crawler trying to damage your boat and stop you from achieving your mission. To save the Archipelago, you will need to shoot down many foes, and the best way is by ensuring you or your mate are always on loading duty.

6 Paddle Your Way Through

Your paddle is the closest thing to a best friend in Ship of Fools, after your loaded cannon and your other crewmate. After the tutorial, you should know that you can deflect incoming attacks.

The best and only way to do that is by ensuring that your character is facing the right direction. If you aren’t, they won’t be able to send back the projectiles to their sender. It might be frustrating when you’ve got foes coming in at every corner, but you’ll get the hang of it.

5 Curses Give Out The Best Rewards

Ship of Fools might be frustrating enough during your first runs, but once you’ve gone through our advice, you’ll really have the hang of the game and might even find it a bit too easy. Then, to make things a little more fun, you should pick up some Curses across the Forgotten Waters.

Curses are set in grey tiles on the map and have a cracked jar logo. They'll be a great reward if you pick up the curse and take down the next boss.

4 Status Effects

Status Effects are fantastic in many games, and it would be great to be aware of each of them in Ship of Fools. The game has four different status ailments, inflicted with certain types of ammo.

Related: Games To Play If You Like Foretales

Fire is the standard continuous damage ailment. Oil is a distraction keeping enemies from attacking your ship for a set time. Ice slows down enemies and freezes them if hit enough times, and finally, Resonance, a chained damage effect, is very useful.

3 Character Perks

The Ship of Fools wouldn’t even be called it without the fun members that make up the crew of fools. As you start the game, you’ll be given two starting characters: Hink and Todd.

Hink can cause Splash Damage and Effects on Criticals, and Todd has the best Paddle stats in the game. As you progress, you’ll unlock more playable characters you can get and use their unique abilities to get to the final boss.

2 Don’t Fear Going Solo

The game has two modes you can play. First is the standard version, but right now, we’re recommending the Co-op mode, which is best for your first runs. You’ll find that keeping your cannons loaded will be a lot easier if you aren’t alone.

Now, you might be thinking that you are looking for a challenge, and the best way to challenge yourself in Ship of Fools is by going at it on your own. It will be highly challenging but worth the try.

1 Learn Your Way Across The Forgotten Waters

The map of the Forgotten Waters can be overwhelming when you first start a run. But that’s okay. You need some time to get used to it. Also, don’t forget that you are trying to reach the final boss.

That doesn’t mean you need to speed through every wind icon because you won’t be able to upgrade your ship. Instead, familiarize yourself with each tile, even if it means you need to restart.

Next: Things You Didn't Know About The Monkey Island Series