by Thomas Macalis (6th)

Have you ever joined Dandy’s World, played one match, and thought, “This game sucks—I’m leaving”? I don’t blame you, but the reason you might not enjoy it is because you don’t fully understand how to play. Many of my friends had this reaction after one round, and I had to explain the game before they gave it another try. This guide will cover the most important details so you can actually enjoy the game instead of quitting out of frustration.

First, let’s talk about the community. It’s a great game, but some players can be toxic. Early on, I recommend buying the “Smart Thinking!” sticker. It’s a helpful way to respond to unnecessary comments and keep team gameplay running smoothly. (It’s often used sarcastically, so be careful not to use it in a toxic way yourself.)

Next up: toons. When starting out, I recommend choosing Boxten, since it has a more useful passive ability than Poppy. Both are beginner-friendly, but your choice still matters. Other good starter toons include Tisha and Looey because of their balanced speed and extraction abilities. For more experienced players, unlocking toons like Yatta, Shelly, or Pebble can be a smart move, though they’re harder to get.

Your playstyle should guide your choices. If you like distracting enemies, try Pebble, Goob, Looey, or Blot. If you prefer supporting, go with Shelly, Tisha, or Astro. For healing, choose Cosmo, Sprout, or Teagan. If you focus on extracting, use Vee, Gigi, Squirm, Yatta, or Glisten. And one final note: avoid using Shrimpo, Scraps, or Brusha.

Now let’s talk about trinkets. You can get them by purchasing them or by completing Twisted research. Early on, Speedy Shoes and Wrench are great choices—especially Speedy Shoes. For distractors, good combinations include Dog Plush with Speedy Shoes or Clown Horn with Ribbon Spool. For extracting, try Magnifying Glass with Participation Award or Vee-Mote, but note that some combinations reduce skill check size. If you’re healing, avoid Fancy Purse—it seems useful, but it’s not worth it.

Now for the core gameplay: completing floors. The goal is to reach the highest floor possible, with some players even attempting 20-hour runs. You start each match in an elevator with your team. When the doors open, you enter a map and must complete machines to advance. As you go higher, the number of machines increases from 4 up to 20. Once all machines are done, return to the elevator to move on.

Between floors, you can buy items from Dandy’s Shop or vote on a bonus card. Some floors include special events. These include Blackout (limited visibility), Ichor Leaks (hazardous puddles), and seasonal events like Ice Out (slippery floors) and Spring Fever (faster movement but slower stamina regeneration). You can also find helpful items, such as ones that boost extraction or make enemies ignore you temporarily.

There are different machine types as well: standard skill checks, circular skill checks, and treadmill machines. Treadmills depend on movement speed, so faster toons can be especially helpful there. A future update may include a two-person machine, though details aren’t available yet.

Finally, let’s cover Twisteds. They come in five categories: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Main Character, and Lethal. Higher categories mean lower spawn rates but greater danger. If you encounter a Twisted you haven’t fully researched, let it spot you briefly to gain progress—but don’t put yourself at risk.

Some of the more challenging Twisteds include Dandy, who can eliminate you in one hit, and Dyle, who speeds up the longer he chases you. Shelly reduces extraction speed, Astro slows stamina regeneration, and Vee adds screen distractions and debuffs. Sprout leaves damaging puddles, Pebble is extremely fast, and Blot attacks from a fixed position. Goob and Scraps use ranged attacks, Glisten becomes dangerous if ignored, and Squirm drops from the ceiling to grab players.

There are many more Twisteds, but understanding these key ones will help you survive tougher floors.

That’s everything you need to get started. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll have a much better chance of reaching higher floors—even on your first few runs!