Feeding Frenzy Any% Full Game Strategy (by UDUC)

# Any% Run Optimization

With the 19 years of experience I have in the game (as well as coming across the .xml files that govern what appears in each level; thank you, Feeding Frenzy modding community), this is the path to a fully optimized Any% speedrun of Feeding Frenzy, as far as I am able to tell as of August 2nd, 2023.

## **Stage "Routes"**

For the sake of simplicity and lack of a better term, I've divided every stage in Feeding Frenzy into one of four "routes." This determines the objective of each level, which changes how you approach the level and try to finish it quicker. **Please note that these are not meant to be followed robotically; due to the nature of Feeding Frenzy as an RNG-heavy game, you will never play the same stage the same way twice.**

### Route 1: "git gud lol" (Stages 1, 2, 3, 8, 13, 21, 22, 28)

These stages do not contain special tricks to complete them faster than the normal way. The only way to speed up these levels is to get good RNG and to optimize your movement as much as possible. (This applies to every other stage, too, but for these stages, they are the *only* way to go faster).

### Route 2: Golden Minnow Skip (Stages 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 18, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35)

Prior to discovering the stage .xml files, I thought that most levels had a chance for a Golden Minnow to spawn; however, upon closer inspection, **every stage either has a 100% chance or a 0% chance of having a Golden Minnow.** The stages listed in this route have a Golden Minnow in them. The fastest way to complete these levels, then, is to eat the Golden Minnow and skip the longest phase of the level (typically phase 2, when you are at medium size). Due to Golden Minnow inconsistencies, stages that have both a Golden Minnow and an Oyster should be hybridized between this method and the Oyster Camping method (explained below).

### Route 3: Oyster Camping (Stages 4, 5, 6, 10, 15, 17, 19, 26, 30, 34, 37, 38, 40)

These stages contain at least one Oyster, but no Golden Minnows. The fastest way to complete these levels is to rely on Oyster RNG to give pearls and black pearls. **I do not know the chances of a pearl/black pearl being given are.** However, the game does specifically say that **black pearls are five times more valuable than regular pearls,** so when given the choice, always go for the black pearl. While this route does say to camp Oysters, **you should not neglect eating smaller fish.**

### Route 4: Bonus Stage Skip (Stages 16, 20, 24, 32, 36, 39)

These are all bonus stages that can be skipped by dying in them. These were already known and classified before this guide's existence, and as such I will stop talking about them.



## Stage-Specific Tips/Quirks

**Stage 9/Stage 15:** Red Surgeonfish and orange Parrotfish **are of equal value,** and should be targeted as if they were the same fish.

**Stage 10:** Yellow Pufferfish are **more valuable** than orange Parrotfish, and as such, should be prioritized.

**Stage 24:** While the skip for this level is already known, it can be optimized. If the first Barracuda spawns before your invincibility has worn off, **you can still die early by Inhaling the Barracuda's mouth.**

**Stage 27/29:** Orange Pufferfish, Marlins, and Tuna **are all of equal value,** and should all be targeted as if they were the same fish. Additionally, this means **orange Pufferfish are more valuable than Barracuda and cyan Surgeonfish.**

**Stage 40:** **Eating the Shark King does not contribute to finishing the level,** and as such **targeting the Shark King loses time.** Additionally, **Tuna stop spawning in phase 3** (when you are at your largest), which makes phase 3 uniquely long.



## Power-Up Tips/Quirks

**Flash Bomb Bubble/Stun Bubble:** Flash Bomb Bubbles will stop Golden Minnows in their tracks, however, **using a Flash Bomb Bubble at the end of a stage will delay the stage ending.**

**Speed Boost Bubble:** Speed Boost Bubbles, as you might imagine, help you catch fish faster. This also includes Golden Minnows, and can make timing Oysters much easier.

**Fury Bubble:** Fury Bubbles make you **completely invincible to all effects, including Naval Mines and Poison Minnows.** Fury Bubbles will not target either of these, but touching one while using a Fury Bubble will remove the hazard from play. Additionally, **if you eat a Fury Bubble and Poison Minnow simultaneously, the one you encountered first will take precedence.** As such, another way to remove Poison Minnows is to Inhale a Fury Bubble, then use the same Inhale to suck up Poison Minnows. Finally, **Fury Bubbles will target Golden Minnows, but will not target pearls or black pearls.**

**Shield Bubble:** If you have a shield, you **cannot be harmed by Oysters in any way.**



Hopefully, this guide will help in the optimization of Feeding Frenzy speedruns. If the RNG function and fish AI can be examined in the future, there is the possibility that using that information and the information here, a proper TAS can be made of the game. Until then, this guide should hopefully allow for faster runs of this game from now into the future.

Feeding Frenzy Any% Speedrun Strategy by TheLPGinger and IvanderLatidjan

Feeding Frenzy Level Notes (created by TheLPGinger)
2 bonus unavoidable
7 jellyfish introduced
8 bonus unavoidable
10 puffer fish introduced
13 bonus unavoidable
14 mines introduced
15 poison fish introduced
16 mines die fast
18 black pears
20 bonus clams die fast
21 small and fast
22 fish crossing
24 bonus barracuda die fast
28 puffer bonus round, don't grab time, and stun or suck up masses
32 clams die fast
36 clams die fast
39 mines die fast

Feeding Frenzy Bonus Level Skips (created by IvanderLatidjan)
Level 16: Mines Die Fast
Level 20: Clams Die Fast
Level 24: Bonus Barracuda Die Fast
Level 32: Clams Die Fast
Level 36: Clams Die Fast
Level 39: Mines Die Fast

(IvanderLatidjan notes: This is a Feeding Frenzy Any% Speedrun strategy level notes created by TheLPGinger. Please follow this guide since it may help you to speed run this game easier and faster. In addition, the more simplify level strategies are created by IvanderLatidjan.)

Feeding Frenzy Autosplitter on PC

# Author

Coded by @Seisen_Star

Documented by @plAer_2 and @Seisen_Star

# Website

https://github.com/Xh3o1vn/FeedingFrenzy_Autosplitter

# Game Preparation

It is recommended to run v5.7.18.1 or v2.9.16.1 of Feeding Frenzy (you can click **Game Options** on **Main Menu** to see the version). v2.9.16.1 is provided at [Resources](https://www.speedrun.com/feeding_frenzy/resources). Other versions may not be compatible with the Autosplitter.

# Autosplitter Settings

Make sure you have already downloaded Livesplit.

Open Livesplit. There are two ways to set the Autosplitter.

- Right-click **Edit Splits**, and type *Feeding Frenzy* in **Game Name** (must be complete and correct),  after Autosplitter is identified, click Activate.
- Download the .asl file [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p73sIBo_mA50DvtitZq12fGpj4J02AY1/view?usp=sharing). Right-click **Layout Editor**, click **+** on the left and select **Control** -> **Scriptable Auto Splitter**, then double click **Scriptable Auto Splitter**, click **Browse** and select the .asl file you have downloaded.

P.S. Only choose either of the two methods, otherwise the segmentation may occur twice.

# Start Time Setting

**Start Timer at:** should be set to -2.20 for both the Any% Speedrun and Individual Stage Speedrun.

# Any%

If you're trying to do an Any% Speedrun, please make sure your Livesplit have 40 splits. You can download Feeding Frenzy Any% Splits [here](https://www.speedrun.com/feeding_frenzy/resources); Autosplitter will automatically segment at the beginning of each level when it is loaded.

# Individual Stage

If you're trying to do an Individual Stage Speedrun in normal mode, please check **Individual Stage Split** in **Settings** of Autosplitter and keep Livesplit with only one segment (or right-click on the Livesplit page and select **Close Splits**, but this will require you to refill the information in **Edit Splits**). You can submit the Individual Stage Speedrun from an Any% Speedrun to the Level Leaderboard.

P.S. If you plan to run a bonus stage, make sure you eat **at least 1 fish** (poisonous fish, pearls, starfish bubbles are all acceptable) before the end of the stage, otherwise the timer will not stop due to no change in foodbank, and a better end checking method will be found in the future to replace the existing one.

# Reset Function

Reset function is activated by default, which means timer will reset once you return to the main menu. If you don't need the function, you can uncheck **Reset** in **Settings** of Autosplitter in **Splits Editor**.

# Other Information

Autosplitter is not necessary, it can be deactivated if you don't need it. You can still manually time your run with or without Livesplit (moderators will retime your run manually), but we still recommend you to use it to finish your speedrun to make it easier for moderators to check your time.

If you have any question about this Autosplitter, feel free to post [here](https://www.speedrun.com/feeding_frenzy/forum).

You can also join [Popcap General](https://discord.gg/cnUe7dhNfS) server which has a Feeding Frenzy channel.

IvanderLatidjan

m2p98y5x

Seisen_Star

UDUC

Feeding Frenzy

19 - Six Degrees

22 - Surgeon Crossing

32 - Sucker's Bet

XcosyX

XoanoN

USA / NTSC

Console

PC/Console

**The level warping glitch is now banned as it cannot be reproduced reliably.**

Based on our poll results and negotiations between moderators/runners, we have decided to ban the use of level warping glitch on the category of PC Any%. Level warping refers to the technique of spamming left clicks on 

الاسم	المؤلف
Feeding Frenzy Any% Full Game Strategy (by UDUC)	UDUC 1 year ago
Feeding Frenzy Any% Speedrun Strategy by TheLPGinger and IvanderLatidjan	IvanderLatidjan 6 years ago
Feeding Frenzy Autosplitter on PC	Seisen_Star 1 year ago