Deep within the Lost Desert lie many crypts and the remnants of ancient cities, long since overtaken by the sands and forgotten. In the crumbling, trap-filled ruins of one such structure rests the Golden Scorchstone, a valuable relic of the lost civilization that created it. After locating the ancient ruins, Zina and Horace, two (admittedly lesser-known) members of the group of thieves known as the Desert Scarabs have just one goal: to rob the place blind.
I steal only what I can't afford (that's everything!)
How to Play
Much like Grand Theft Ummagine, Ruins Rampage is an isometric game, with everything in a given room plotted out on diamond-shaped grid. Your character is controlled with the arrow keys, with Down pointing to the bottom-left, Left to the top-left, Up to the top-right, and Right to the bottom-right as the default setting. To stop walking, press the arrow key corresponding to the direction you're walking in; this is particularly useful in trap-filled rooms. While it may seem a bit confusing at first, it's fairly easy to learn. Unlike Grand Theft Ummagine, this game has few action segments, the main challenges being exploration and a rather frustrating trial-and-error approach to figuring out what will and won't cost you a life. See the Walkthrough section below for a full guide to beating the game with the highest possible score.
Spikes, fires, and flying arrows? Seems kinda overkill...
While your primary objective is to find the Golden Scorchstone and escape the ruins with it, to get the maximum score you'll also have to collect all of the gold and silver coins scattered throughout the ruins' sixteen rooms. Hindering your progress are various traps and creatures, which can drain your health, cost you a life, or even make it impossible to get a high score. Switches hidden among the floor tiles (five of which can be seen in the screenshot above) can have either a positive or negative effect. They may raise or lower spikes, granting or blocking access to new areas, or they may drop you into a spike pit, costing you a life. In this guide, positive effect switches will be marked with a smiley face, while negative effect switches will be marked with a skull.
Items and Hazards
While most of the things you encounter in the ruins will be traps designed to foil intruders, there are also treasures and other items to help you along your way, as well as creatures that you would do best to avoid.
Silver coins are worth 25 points, while gold coins are worth 50.
Mummified Neggs will heal 50 points of health, your full health bar being 100 points.
Every few seconds, these traps will launch an arrow that does 25 damage.
The flames issuing from these vents do 25 damage, but can be safely walked over when the fire dies down.
These bouncing fireballs can cost you 50 health, but are easy to avoid.
Scarabugs walk clockwise, patrolling small square areas. They will do 25 damage on contact.
Walking back and forth in a straight line, these Scorchio Mummies pose little threat, but can take 50 health in a single hit.
Scoring
The only way to gain points in Ruins Rampage is by collecting treasure, with a set amount found throughout the game. Specifically, there are six silver coins worth 25 points each, eleven gold coins each worth 50 points, and the Golden Scorchstone, worth 150 points, for a total of 850. As it is impossible to go above this score, in order to receive a trophy you will need to send your score when the high score tables are cleared at the beginning of the month.
Quick Tips
Press the arrow in the direction you're already walking to stop.
Watch out for sunken floor tiles; these are hidden switches.
If your health is at or below 50, collect a Mummified Negg to heal.
All moving obstacles follow a set path, so observe them on entering a room.
While casual play of Ruins Rampage is centered on exploration and taking chances, for a high score (and shot at a trophy!) a step-by-step guide is almost necessary. The walkthrough below will lead you to the Golden Scorchstone and all seventeen coins found in the game, which are required to achieve the highest possible score of 850.
Horray, I can finally afford some new shoes!
Ollie Appearance
Like many Flash games on the site, this game was worked on by Ollie, also known as the Phantom Orange Shirt Guy. On the main screen, click the left scarab, then the right scarab, then Horace's eye, and then Zina's eye. Ollie will transform from a Qasalan mummy into his orange-shirted self.
The Void Within plot is taking a break! All point gathering activities are on hold for now. Stay tuned to JN, we'll announce when a more firm return date is provided.
Did you know Neopets currently has two mobile apps available? Did you know they both offer item and Neopoint prizes on Neopets.com? Get all the details on our guides:
