On a roll with Mister Slime

Mister Slime makes his DS debut this week, and in his honor, we've got a little follow-up to last month's gameplay preview. If you're looking forward to getting your goo on -- microphone-blowing notwithstanding -- then let DS Fanboy give you the lowdown on a few more techniques for success in the land of slime.

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Down hills, up ceilings, rolling, rolling, rolling

Early in the game, players are introduced to the simple concept of rolling down hills. Rolling provides quicker travel than maneuvering from anchor to anchor and it also helps fend off enemies. However, by letting gravity and the slope of the ground take control, players gain a good amount of momentum and risk serious damage to poor Slimy. Fortunately, the risk is well worth the reward of collecting the star flowers strewn about these hills.

But star flowers arent just down low. Players may notice a significant number of star flowers on the ceiling. Though anchors do exist for players to stretch themselves over these collectibles one at a time, a much quicker (and more entertaining!) way of amassing a tiny star flower fortune is to blow into the DS microphone (yes, again). This will propel Slimy up to the ceiling at one of its curved points, given that the ceiling is curved inward like a circle. When done correctly, this will allow Slimy to roll across the ceiling just as quickly as he can roll down a hill. Remember to keep blowing into the DS microphone after Slimy has touched the ceiling, otherwise he will fall right back down. Start practicing your breathing exercises now.

Luckily, most ceilings in the game where this trick is applicable are soft, cushioned walls, meaning there is little risk in hurting Slimy as he hits the ceiling. However, in the same way that Slimy loses momentum by falling onto level ground, he cannot roll across the ceiling if he hits a flat part first. However, it is usually simple to prime yourself up for this trick, as anchor placement is well-suited to accommodate ceiling-treks.

The Multi-Arm Catapult -- Second-Amendment rights at their best

As players progress through the game, Slimy gains new skills, such as the catapult. This move can be done by maneuvering him to an anchor. Press either the L or R buttons while stretching Slimy back, then release the L or R buttons to let Slimy soar. The maneuver is usually done with two arms. However, using more than two arms will launch Slimy greater distances at faster speeds, while using fewer arms allow him to accurately reach closer areas.

Using this concept to your advantage can make the game quite fun to play, as diving head first into a sea of bad guys at break-neck speeds never gets old. Just make sure not to catapult head first into a hard wall. We hear that sucks.

More games need to allow you to slingshot about, all willy-nilly.

More microphone tricks

One of the most interesting features of Mister Slime is the ability to use the DS microphone to send Slimy flying sky-high. Using the mic isn't all about rolling across ceilings; at times, it is crucial in making your way through the game. However, it's important that you blow softly. While this may seem simple at first, using this technique at clutch points in your adventure is one of the greatest challenges you will face.

You fall off of a really high anchor and are plummeting down into boiling-hot lava – what do you do? Simply blow into the DS microphone and you'll be able to save Slimy from what, at first, might have seemed imminent death. But what if the ceiling is covered in spikes? In that case, blowing into the DS microphone softly is essential to keeping Slimy in the middle of the two dangerous perils. Life as a slime is very perilous, after all -- just chock full of the ol' peril. You'd think he'd be gelatinous enough to survive about anything, but no ....

Ground, air, physics, oh my!

Now that you've been introduced to these three different advanced skills, it's time to put them to the test! The beauty in mastering these skills is that they are not exclusive of one another, so you can combine these techniques to accomplish truly advanced maneuvers.

The best example of this is the Multi-Arm Catapult, which can be used to quickly traverse the screen. Just as gravity starts to pull Slimy down, blow softly into the microphone to maintain his forward momentum for as long as possible. In essence, you are letting him ride the wave of your breath across the level (see why we recommended exercise?), which can allow you to finish some stages in record time. Be careful though – if you blow too hard into the microphone, you will make him lose his forward momentum and instead, he will shoot straight up into the ceiling. No one likes to faceplant, not even a slime.

But these are only a few of the techniques that can get Slimy through the myriad challenges he's about to face. The best way to master the platformer? Try various techniques, and combine them to play to your strengths. There are as many ways to beat this one as there are gamers who'll play it.