DiCaprio aside, James Cameron's Titanic wasn't a bad film. Some of its best parts come near the end though, when special effects wizardry shows the doomed ship's stern as it begins to rise at an impossible angle out of the water. As I watched Titanic's deck chairs, heavy equipment, and panicked passengers begin to crazily tumble downward, I never imagined such a concept would ever be turned into a game, but lo and behold, it has. On the Deck is a physics-based title by longanimals and BiscuitLocker that challenges your sense of balance like never before as you control a series of ships and other floating craft on a bobbing ocean, trying to keep people and cargo from tumbling overboard.
At its core, On the Deck feels like a classic gravity-tilt-drop puzzle, only instead of guiding a ball into a hole, you have to manipulate tumbling passengers and cargo into doors, hatches, or just keep them onboard and out of danger. Controlling a ship or raft is deceptively simple — just click and drag left or right to bob each side of your craft up or down. You can also open and close hatches and doors by clicking them, which becomes critical on later levels. Some levels have you controlling a ship's bow and stern, while others involve listing the port and starboard sides back and forth. The real challenge comes from the fact that each floating craft is on a moving sea with huge swells that get worse over time.
In addition to the bobbing waves, On the Deck has various types of characters and obstacles to contend with in the game. The main characters are a series of boogying, Titanic-era sailors and ladies you generally have to save. There are also nefarious gangsters on board, as well as vicious giant crabs, hungry sharks, and deadly mines. Cargo includes different shaped boxes and rolling barrels, plus lifeboats and a few old-timey cars.
Make no mistake, On the Deck may sound simple, but it is tough. Addictingly tough. Some levels are pretty straightforward, while others will have you pulling out your hair trying to accomplish seemingly simple tasks. Mastery of the game requires a good feel for the rhythm of the bobbing sea, nimble manipulation of the decks to flip characters, and good timing to have sailors and ladies slide past deadly obstacles. Some of the hardest stages merely require you to keep a stack of cargo afloat for 30 seconds, and just when you think you've got it, you watch helplessly as the stack comes apart despite your heroic efforts to counter a large swell. Frustrating? Perhaps. But darn it if you don't keep replaying until you get it right.
On the Deck is quite fun despite its tough challenge. Its colorful artwork and folksy guitar jazz gives the game a nifty personality, and its varied, ample levels will keep you occupied for a good while longer than most casual Flash games. So grab your Dramamine pills, strap on a life vest, and hang on for dear life as you tackle this tricky nautical puzzler.
Walkthrough Guide
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On the Deck - Walkthrough
Much of the strategy in this game involves controlling the motion of each ship/raft in time with the waves. There is a meter at the bottom of the screen to help you see how much tilt your craft is pointed in each direction. This walkthrough will refer to various notches in the meter either to the left or right of center.
While this walkthrough will get you through each level, it isn't concerned with getting the highest score by saving bonus items on deck. You'll need to find the best strategy for points on your own!
Tutorial 1 - Saving the Passengers
Goal: Move the gentleman into the exit.
This level is just teaching you the basic mechanics. Click and drag to the left at least two notches to slide the gentleman to the exit.
Tutorial 2 - Riding the Waves
Goal: Keep the lady on the raft.
This level teaches you the skill of balancing your raft on increasingly choppy seas. The trick is to pay attention to the raft, ignoring everything else on it.
Basically, you want to keep the raft nice and level. To do this, make sure you drag slowly in each direction, since jerky movements will cause anything on the raft to bounce into the sea.
On the crest of the wave, drag one notch to the right. On the trough of the wave, drag one notch to the left, and so on.
Tutorial 3 - Cargo Down the Hatch!
Goal: Move the cargo into the hatch.
First click the orange hatch to open it.
Next, drag one notch to the left to slowly slide a box into the hatch.
Finally, drag two notches to the right to slide the rest of the cargo into the hatch. Be sure to compensate for the waves, keeping the angle controlled so boxes don't slide too fast.
Tutorial 4 - Gangsters and Doors
Goal: Move the passengers into the exit.
This level teaches you about gangsters. If they touch a passenger or enter a door, you have to restart the level.
Click the door near the gangster to keep him from sliding.
Drag the ship to the right to slide the passengers to the lower deck (no more than 2 notches), then drag it left to slide them into the door.
Tutorial 5 - Rival Gangs
Goal: Move the gentleman into the exit.
This level shows that gangsters wearing different outfits can shoot each other.
First click the door to close it.
Next, slide one and a half notches left to make the gangsters collide.
Then click the door to open it again, and slide the passenger inside.
Tutorial 6 - Lifeboats and Crabs
Goal: Move the gentleman into the lifeboat.
Crabs will kill whatever they touch, but only when their claws are snapping.
Wait for the crab to stop snapping its claws, then drag two notches to the left to slide the gentleman into the lifeboat.
Tutorial 7 - Sharks and Timed Doors
Goal: Move the lady into the exit.
Pink doors will open and close every 4 seconds.
Make sure the shark has jumped, wait for the doors to open, and immediately drag two notches to the right to get the lady into the door.
Tutorial 8 - Locks and Mines
Goal: Move the gentleman into the exit.
There are two ways to beat the level.
The easiest one is to click the lock to break it, then drag two notches to the right to make the mine and gentleman slide to safety.
The second was involves a skill you'll need to know for later levels. It will wrap up a chained mine so it's out of the way.
Quickly drag two notches to the left, then as the chain swings, quickly drag four notches to the right. The mine will wrap up above, and the gentleman will reach the exit.
Tutorial 9 - Bouncing Bombs
Goal: Remove the mines before they explode.
You need to move the mines toward the trampoline in 30 seconds.
Tilt two notches to the left, then two to the right to get them there.
Now drag and wiggle back and forth until the mines bounce away from the ship.
Tutorial 10 - Bonus
Goal: Move the passengers into the exit.
You get bonus points for keeping yellow cakes, chairs, pineapples, and the cat on board at the end of the level.
To beat this level, drag one notch to the right, then the left to get the passengers through the door.
Normal - Slidey
Goal: Move 2 ladies into the exit.
Do careful drags (no more than one notch in either direction) to get the ladies to the exit. You only need 2 of the 3.
Try wiggling back and forth if nothing seems to be working.
Normal - Gently Does It
Goal: Move the passengers into the exits.
Click the orange hatch in the center to close it.
Do careful drags (no more than one notch in either direction) to get both passengers to the exit.
Normal - The Inept Escape
Goal: Move the gentleman into the exit, avoiding the gangsters.
Slowly drag one notch to the left. When the gentleman starts to fall to the lower level, drag one notch to the right. Then quickly drag one notch to the left.
If you do it right, the gentleman will fall down, avoiding the gangsters.
Normal - Help!
Goal: Move 2 scouse gentlemen into the exit.
In case you're wondering, Scouse gentlemen come from Liverpool.
If you just sit back and watch, at least two trampolining sailors should reach the exit on their own.
If not, do small movements (no more than one notch in either direction) to get them to fall in the middle.
Normal - Sharkbait
Goal: Keep the lady alive for 30 seconds.
Ah, your first balance challenge. To get past this one, just do extreme tilts (5 notches) in the opposite direction of the jumping shark.
First tilt left, then right, and so on until 30 seconds elapse.
Normal - Sharkbait II
Goal: Keep the gentleman alive for 30 seconds.
This level is similar to Sharkbait (15), only you can't do extreme tilts without dipping the gentleman into the water and into the hungry jaws of a shark.
The sharks come up one at a time, from right to left. Just tilt enough to get out of their way (usually 2-3 notches)
Normal - Balancing Act
Goal: Keep the ladies alive for 20 seconds.
Just focus on the platform the ladies are standing on, trying to keep it as level as possible.
If they fall off, focus on the deck instead, making small motions to keep it level and counter the waves. Just don't do extreme motions, which will throw them overboard or into the claws of the crab.
Normal - Tug Madness
Goal: Keep all cargo items on board until the timer expires.
You have 30 seconds to keep 8 pieces of cargo from tipping overboard.
Just focus on the deck, moving the boat slowly. Don't worry if things fall to the deck.
On the crest of the wave, drag one notch to the right. On the trough of the wave, drag one notch to the left, and so on.
You'll have to progressively tilt at greater notches back and forth as the waves get larger.
Try to anticipate a wave coming and begin your tilts early. It takes practice, but you'll get it in time.
Normal - Pineapple Fizz
Goal: Move the passengers into the exit.
Here you'll learn how to fling passengers along ramps, Jai Alai style.
Drag with extreme motions to flip a passenger into the door. Take advantage of the waves to get momentum.
Normal - Swinger
Goal: Move the cargo into the hatch.
Click the orange hatch to open it.
If you don't care about score, drag extreme right to get the beach balls overboard.
Wait for the ship to bob and the chain to swing upward, then click the lock to loose the cargo. If you time it right, it should fall into the cargo hold.
If you miss, hit the ! to restart.
Normal - Table Dancer
Goal: Keep the lady dancing for 10 seconds.
Just focus on the middle of the raft, moving it slowly.
On the crest of the wave, drag one half notch to the right. On the trough of the wave, drag one half notch to the left, and so on.
Normal - Evil Knievel
Goal: Move the car into the hatch in 30 seconds.
First, click the orange hatch to open it.
Slowly tilt one notch to the left, then three notches to the right, finishing with one notch to the left.
Normal - Tightrope
Goal: Move 8 cargo into the hatch.
This one is HARD.
There are 10 crates, but only 8 need to get into the hold.
First, click the orange hatch to open it.
Drag one notch to the left to get all the crates to fall onto the chain.
You need to carefully drag each individual crate over the edge, then to the right so they each fall into the hold.
This takes practice and timing, so keep trying until you get it!
Normal - Heavy Load
Goal: Move 6 cargo into the hatch.
There are 8 crates, but only 6 need to get into the hold.
First, click the orange hatch to open it.
Just manipulate the large crates back and forth until you get them to the deck and into the hold. Try not to use large movements.
Slide the biggest boxes to the right first, the slide them into the hold to the left.
Normal - Lifeboat Launcher
Goal: Move 4 passengers into the lifeboat.
Click the chain on the lifeboat to set it free.
Slide the lifeboat to the center of the ship.
Click the left door and carefully slide the ladies into the boat (women and children first!)
Click the right door and carefully slide the gentlemen into the boat.
Normal - Cake Stand
Goal: Move the lady into the exit.
Do an extreme tilt to the right to get the lady up the stairs, then flip her into the air with an extreme tilt to the left.
Catch the lady on her fall between the lower pipe and deck, then slide her towards the door.
Normal - Seaman Shooter
Goal: Move the seaman into the exit.
Carefully drag about 1 notch to the left to slide the seaman towards the trampoline.
Drag in the opposite direction to make sure the seaman doesn't fly over the mines and off the ship, then slide the seaman into the exit.
Normal - My Ship is Covered in Seamen
Goal: Move 6 seamen into the exit.
You'll need to fling the seamen up and over the rail, towards the door, timing it so the crab doesn't catch them.
Wait for the crab to stop snapping his claws, then drag to the extreme left, then the extreme right, angling the ship so the seamen fall towards the door. Repeat as needed.
Normal - Cool for Cats
Goal: Move the lady into the exit.
Do a tiny nudge to the left to get the lady to fall down without going overboard.
Drag to the right to get the lady into the door. Phew! Halfway through the game.
Normal - Unchained Malady
Goal: Move the gentleman into the exit.
Flip the gentleman to the other side of the hook by doing extreme drags left and right.
Once he's on the other side, do an extreme drag to the right, and click the lock to release him from the chain once he's on the upper deck. He should then slide into the door.
Normal - Hatches
Goal: Move all the cargo into the hatch, and keep the seamen on deck.
Click the orange hatch to open in.
Drag three notches to the left, and quickly flutter to the right a few times to nudge the barrels over the metal lip and into the hatch.
Repeat the above as needed. Make sure the seamen don't fall down the hatch.
Normal - Safety First
Goal: Move all the passengers into the lifeboats.
Another extremely tricky level. Take your time and don't give up!
Click both orange doors to close them.
Drag to the right, then quickly drag left to flip the right-most mine up over the metal lip.
Carefully drag to about 1 notch to the right, and click the right-most door to open it.
When one lady gets past the door, click the door to close it again.
Carefully drag a little more to the right, getting the lady into the boat.
Repeat the process with the second lady, being careful not to nudge the mine loose.
Repeat the process for the gentlemen on the left side.
Normal - Who Stacked That?
Goal: Save 15 cargo items from oblivion until the timer expires.
Yet another difficult level! Just don't panic and focus on the center of the raft instead of the objects - it'll make keeping it level easier.
On the crest of the wave, drag one notch to the right. On the trough of the wave, drag one notch to the left, and so on.
You'll have to progressively tilt at greater notches back and forth as the waves get larger.
Reset the level to try again if things start falling.
Normal - Flip Flop
Goal: Move all the passengers into the exit.
Click the door to close it.
Drag about a half notch to the right and let go.
Wait for the passengers and gangsters to start sliding right. When a passenger passes the door, quickly click it open and closed. Repeat for all the passengers.
Normal - Not So Safe
Goal: Move Virginia into the lifeboat!
Drag about 1 notch to the right and let go.
Once Virginia gets near the edge, quickly flip in the opposite direction to make the lifeboat pop up into the air. Try to catch Virginia! Reset if needed.
Normal - All At Sea
Goal: Keep Arthur and Maud alive for 30 seconds.
Again, focus on the center of the raft instead of the passengers - it'll make keeping it level easier.
On the crest of the wave, drag one notch to the right. On the trough of the wave, drag one notch to the left, and so on.
You'll have to progressively tilt at greater notches back and forth as the waves get larger.
Normal - Odd Boat
Goal: Move the Mackenzie Brothers in to the lifeboats.
Just quickly click the locks above each lifeboat to make them drop on top of the Mackenzie Brothers.
Normal - Quick Save
Goal: Move 10 people into the exit, quickly.
You have 20 seconds to save 10 of the 11 people on board.
Try wiggling back and forth to shake the passengers to the lower decks.
Use small motions to angle the passengers through the door.
Normal - Monkey King
Goal: Move the gangster into the hatch and keep everyone else alive.
Drag one notch to the left to get the gangster falling to the left. In midair, quickly do an extreme drag to the right to get the passengers out of the way.
If you do it right, the gangster should be on the left, and the passengers to the right.
Click the left hatch and drag the gangster into the hold.
Normal - Gangsters
Goal: Remove the gangsters and keep the seamen alive.
Drag one notch to the left to get the different colored gangsters to fall onto each other. Give counter balance as needed.
Normal - Whiskey Galore
Goal: Keep 20 barrels on board until the timer expires.
You have 30 seconds to keep this tumbly ship with at least 20 barrels remaining. You can lose a lot of barrels and still win, so don't worry.
Focus on the center of the ship's deck instead of the barrels - it'll make keeping the ship level easier.
On the crest of the wave, drag one notch to the right. On the trough of the wave, drag one notch to the left, and so on.
You'll have to progressively tilt at greater notches back and forth as the waves get larger.
Normal - Fishy
Goal: Move the passengers into the exit.
Just time your tilts to avoid the jumping sharks, watching for the timed locks to open and close.
Expert - Hostage!
Goal: Help the passenger dunk the gangster.
Now it gets even harder. But this one's pretty easy.
You don't need to worry about keeping the passenger alive. Just do extreme tilts to get the duo to fly overboard.
Expert - Swing Boat
Goal: Move the passengers into the lifeboats.
Try a quick, extreme drag to the left, then a quick swing to the right to loose the lifeboat and scoop up the falling lady.
Quickly do another quick swing to the left to catch the gentleman in the same manner.
Expert - Onwards and Upwards
Goal: Remove the mine before it explodes!
Do an controlled, extreme drag right to move the mine towards the ramp, and drag left to angle it towards the trampoline.
Once the mine's on the upper deck, do an extreme drag left, then right to get it off the ship.
Expert - Gangster Dodge
Goal: Move the ladies into the exit.
Drag left, then quickly right to knock the gangsters to their feet and move them to the left.
Carefully drag the boat to the right so the ladies reach the door before the gangsters do.
Expert - Henry's Nightmare
Goal: Keep 5 cars on deck before the timer expires.
There are 8 cars, but only 5 need to survive in 30 seconds.
It's possible to win this level without touching anything. Usually 5 cars will make it without any intervention.
Expert - Chain Evil
Goal: Move Major Peregrine into the exit.
Open both orange doors and drag the boat to the extreme right.
When the timer doors open, the Major should slide to the exit without touching the mines.
Expert - Not a Good Decision
Goal: Keep 4 passengers alive until the timer expires.
There are 16 passengers and 4 cats. Only 4 passengers need to last 30 seconds.
Passengers will fall. Try to make sure at least 4 stay on the raft or you'll have to restart.
Focus on the center of the raft - it'll make keeping it level easier.
On the crest of the wave, drag one notch to the right. On the trough of the wave, drag one notch to the left, and so on.
You'll have to progressively tilt at greater notches back and forth as the waves get larger.
Expert - Weird Hatch
Goal: Move the barrels into the hatch before the timer expires.
First, click the hatch to open it.
Next click the door and loose one or more barrels. You can close the door to keep others behind if you want.
Do an extreme drag to the left, and when the barrel is at the lip, do an extreme drag to the right.
As the barrel flies in the air, tilt left again to angle the "basket" closer to the dropping barrel.
Repeat as needed before 40 seconds elapses.
Expert - Spiro the Greek
Goal: Remove the mines in 10 seconds!
Do extreme movements to the left, right, left, right, left, right to get the mines out of the ship. Try to make your movements smooth from one direction to the other.
Expert - Crabs Vs Ladies
Goal: Move the ladies into the exit and avoid the crabs.
This one requires a bit of luck and persistence.
Do a quick drag left, then right, then extreme left. If you do it right, the middle lady near the middle crab should bounce to the right, while most of the other ladies fly to the right.
Carefully tilt the remaining ladies past the crabs when their claws are closed, and head to the exit.
Expert - The World's Most Irritating Level
Goal: Remove all the gangsters before time runs out.
You have one minute to get rid of the gangsters. Do extreme drags to maneuver the mine so it rolls over the trapped gangsters.
Try to flip the mine to the upper deck before it rolls to the left by using quick opposite drags.
Expert - Mine Clearance
Goal: Remove the mines from the ship before they explode.
Use extreme drags in opposite directions to get each mine closer to the middle trampoline and off the ship.
Each mine needs about 4 uninterrupted bounces to get high enough to be clear of the ship.
Try to avoid getting the cakes or the cat inside the ship - it'll make using the trampoline very difficult.
Expert - Triple Jump
Goal: Move the gentleman into the lifeboat, avoiding the crabs.
Do an extreme drag to the right to send the gentleman flying.
Try to angle the boat so he lands on the right-most trampoline.
Angle the boat so he lands into the lifeboat.
Expert - Help II!
Goal: Move 4 scouse gentlemen into the exit.
Do a quick drag in each direction to get rid of the planks keeping the gentlemen from the trampolines.
Maneuver the boat so the gentlemen bounce and all land in the middle door.
Expert - Gymnastics Lesson
Goal: Move all the ladies into the lifeboats.
This level is easier if you handle one lady at a time.
This level is easier if you clear the baggage off the ship, since they interfere with the trampolines.
Open one of the doors, and tilt the boat about 1 notch until a lady is past the door, then close the door.
Angle the lady towards the trampoline, and have her bounce 3-4 times, then angle the ship to catch her in the boat.
Repeat for the other ladies.
Expert - Barrel Bouncer
Goal: Get 7 or more barrels into the hatch.
Last level! Click the orange hatch to open it.
There are 10 barrels, but only 7 need to make it into the hold.
Use your skills of extreme drags in each direction to bounce the barrels into the hold.
You did it! You are a true Master of the Seas!
Posted by: J-Witz
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December 29, 2010 12:24 PM