SLAP THAT FISH OVERFISHING GUIDE by Michael Martin GENERAL STRATEGY Slap That Fish is a series of battles for the fate of yourself, your honor, and all mankind, against legions of fish. Although, as the game progresses, you will begin to face enemies that are actually item usage puzzles, the core of the game (and what your score is ultimately based on) is a resource management puzzle; the general goal is to trade stamina for damage as efficiently as possible. BASIC ATTACKS You have four basic attacks (ATTACK FISH will cue you with them): PUNCH, KICK, SLAP, and BACKHAND. If they connect, they generally charge you two stamina and inflict two damage. KICKs are more likely to be evaded by smaller fish, and evaded kicks in particular will generally only cost you a single stamina point. COMBINATION ATTACKS The cost of a basic attack can vary based on the last few moves you've done; this will either deliver extra damage or cost you less stamina to perform. For example, against most enemies you can use the basic "one-two": if you follow up a SLAP with a BACKHAND, the BACKHAND will cost only 1 Stamina but inflict 3 damage. Thus "slap/backhand" is a combo that costs 3 and inflicts 5. The difference in combat effectiveness is significant; against the first opponent (the rainbow trout, who has no counters other than immunity to kicks): with a sequence of nothing but slaps, you will need to attack five times and expend 10 endurance to defeat him. As you start with only five endurance, this works out to 10 turns of battle and five attacks. However, if you instead use one-two combos, you can inflict 10 damage in two iterations, and this means you only need to rest for a single turn, between the two combinations. Running out of stamina partway through a combo will interrupt the combo and is always bad. Different fish have different combinations against which they are vulnerable. Pay attention to the text you get, as combinations in progress usually have some special text that seem to indicate that a move was unusually effective. This is worthwhile even if it looks like there's been no extra damage or lesser stamina cost; sometimes completing a combo will trigger a plot event or environmental effect that will deal loads of damage. If it looks like a combination hasn't paid off, it's probable that you just haven't extended it far enough yet. Moves that do not finish a combination but are nevertheless part of them may actually not do damage; replies to these often will mention something about the fish becoming exposed or moving into a new position that will suggest a followup. OPTIMIZING YOUR SCORE The scoring itself is based on, effectively, damage per second (DPS) and damage per attack (DPA); it's computed based on how long it takes, and how many attacks it took, to take down your foe. Because of the combat and stamina regeneration model, however, optimizing damage per endurance (DPE) - the most damage for the least stamina cost - will usually optimize both, and so this is the statistic to focus on primarily. Some items will change the damage of your basic attacks; this may change the total efficiency calculus if you have endurance to burn. There is also a point in the game where you can get a full stamina recharge, which will be necessary to get a perfect score in its fight. It is usually unnecessary to spend the between-fight times preparing items for the next fight, but it also rarely hurts. When working for a perfect run, save immediately after the ends of fights, not at the beginnings of the next ones. SPOILER SPACE BEFORE SPECIFIC HINTS FOR EACH FIGHT ... ... ... ... ... PER-FISH HINTS Trout: This is a practice fight. Get your combos going, and make every move count. If you can't perfect this guy, you may have trouble doing damage fast enough to the enemies that will actually fight back. Bass: Examining the situation and reacting appropriately will yield more damage faster than just attacking blindly. Clownfish: This enemy can be one-shotted. Think outside the box. Catfish: Just because a move has done no damage doesn't mean it's not part of a combo. Tuna: Long, repetitive combos can end with a sizable bang. Swordfish: Make your combos last as long as they possibly can. Also, do not run out of stamina while performing them or you may trigger a game-breaking bug in version 1.1. Pufferfish: You can't touch it directly. Keep the pressure on and don't let it close. Shark: This is a puzzle battle, but keep your combos in mind. Electric Eel: Protection is available. You'll need to prepare in advance to overcome its defenses fast enough for a perfect score. Fortunately, you can rest as much as you want before he shows up. Piranha: Mix it up! You cannot safely do any move more than twice. The crowd's chant gives you key to a flawless victory, but you'll need to make sure your stamina is at least half full before you make the first move. Anglerfish: In defeating the piranha, you will have improved your basic attack damage. For once, combos are not the whole of the answer, even once the puzzles are solved. Coelacanth: To complete this battle as rapidly as possible, you will need to have satisfied your winning combination's preconditions in advance. OPTIMUM COMBINATION VALUES These are targets to shoot for for a maximum score. Some fights may require you to prepare in advance during the inter-fight sequences. Others may actually be beaten by careful use of preparation or foreknowledge. Trout: 5 turns, 4 attacks Bass: 8 turns, 3 attacks Clownfish: 1 turn, 0 attacks Catfish: 9 turns, 6 attacks Tuna: 20 turns, 10 attacks Swordfish: 22 turns, 11 attacks Pufferfish: 16 turns, 6 attacks Shark: 15 turns, 6 attacks Electric Eel: 8 turns, 8 attacks Piranha: 11 turns, 6 attacks Anglerfish: 10 turns, 7 attacks Coelacanth: 8 turns, 1 attack SPOILER SPACE BEFORE COMPLETE WALKTHROUGH ... ... ... ... ... FULL WALKTHROUGH With the exception of the final combination attack, all combos are listed on a single walkthrough line. [Rainbow trout] >SLAP. BACKHAND. >REST >SLAP. BACKHAND. >Z >Z [Largemouth bass] >X MOUTH >TAKE STEEL >X MOUTH >TAKE STUD >SLAP. BACKHAND. >Z >Z [Clownfish] >THROW PIE AT CLOWNFISH >Z >Z [Bullhead catfish] >SLAP. BACKHAND. KICK. >REST. REST. REST. >SLAP. BACKHAND. KICK. >Z >Z [Bluefin tuna] >PUNCH. PUNCH. PUNCH. PUNCH. PUNCH. >REST. REST. REST. REST. REST. REST. REST. REST. REST. REST. >PUNCH. PUNCH. PUNCH. PUNCH. PUNCH. [Opens a hole in the wall; prepare for next battles] >GET BRICK >REACH INTO OPENING >REACH INTO OPENING >REACH INTO OPENING >REACH INTO BUCKET >WEAR GLOVE >ROLL PAPER [Swordfish] >ATTACK SWORDFISH WITH STAFF. SLAP. SLAP. >REST. REST. REST. >ATTACK SWORDFISH WITH STAFF. SLAP. SLAP. >REST. REST. REST. REST. REST. >ATTACK SWORDFISH WITH STAFF. SLAP. SLAP. >REST. REST. REST. >KICK SWORDFISH. SLAP. >Z >Z [Pufferfish] >HIT PUFFERFISH WITH STAFF >REST. REST. >HIT PUFFERFISH WITH STAFF >REST. REST. >HIT PUFFERFISH WITH STAFF >REST. REST. >HIT PUFFERFISH WITH STAFF >REST. REST. >HIT PUFFERFISH WITH STAFF >REST. REST. >HIT PUFFERFISH WITH STAFF [Finish building the blowgun] >PUT SPLINTER IN PUFFERFISH >PUT SPLINTER IN PAPER [Great white shark] >SHOOT SHARK >I >Z >Z >PUT STAFF IN MOUTH >HIT SHARK WITH BRICK >Z >Z >SLAP. BACKHAND. >REST. REST. REST. >SLAP. BACKHAND. >X SHARK >GET HANDLE >CUT SHARK WITH HANDLE [Electric Eel] >SLAP. BACKHAND. >SLAP. BACKHAND. >SLAP. BACKHAND. >SLAP. BACKHAND. [Piranha] >SEARCH GUTS >REMOVE GLOVE >REST [Or the piranha's next counterattack will kill us] >GET GAUNTLET >LISTEN TO CHANT >SLAP. BACKHAND. >SLAP. BACKHAND. >PUNCH >PUNCH >GET TABLET >Z [Deep Sea Anglerfish] >BOY, GIVE ME SHADES >WEAR SHADES >SLAP. BACKHAND. [Punches give better DPS for more endurance cost with the gauntlet on.] >PUNCH >PUNCH >PUNCH >PUNCH >PUNCH >READ TABLET >REMOVE GAUNTLET [Coelacanth] >MEDITATE >CLAP HANDS >EXHALE >PUSH HANDS >INHALE >TURN HANDS >PULL HANDS >SLAP FISH You have now unlocked the New Game Plus, ASSAULT MODE.