Dandy and Randy DXis a delightful indie title that revolves around charming animal archaeologists, Dandy and Randy. Dandy and Randy find themselves in debt and have dreams of finding tons of treasure to not only pay off their debts but to simply have some fun in life. The titular duo hear rumors about a very intriguing gem that could solve their debt problems, however, there are some devious pirates that also want to get their paws on it.
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Playing out as a sort of isometric 2d pixel art adventure game,Dandy and Randy DXsees players exploring a host of colorful cartoon-like environments, pummeling enemies, working with other animal characters, and, of course, finding plenty of shiny treasure along the way. Here are the best things to keep in mind when first hopping intoDandy and Randy DX.
6There’s No Pressure To Do Anything In A Hurry
Dandy and Randy DXis a game that simply wants you to enjoy the adventure. There is no pressure to hurry through stages as Randy or Dandy. Your ultimate goal on each island stage is to claim four lost keys which help open up other areas of the stage, all of which are marked on asimple yet handy in-game map.
Players are encouraged to explore every nook and cranny of the stages, mostly because there are tons of hidden areas, treasures, and even characters strewn about. Unlike many arcade-style games,Dandy and Randy DXeschews any timer in favor of simply exploring and having fun as the quirky duo.
5Collect As Much Treasure As Possible
There is so much treasure to find in this game. From bags of coins that Scrooge McDuck would be jealous of to silver and gold coins, there is so much loot to find during exploration. Collecting treasure isn’t just a mindless activity since all treasure can be used at Oinky’s Shop to purchase healing fruits, an additional heart slot, and even some “sage” wisdom.
Treasure is often in out-of-reach places, typically only accessed by one of the game’s many tools. Don’t fret if some treasure chests or coins seem hard to get to. It’s likely the tool needed for the job is in another stage. The accrued treasure is tallied in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.
4Thrown Items Are Best To Defeat Enemies
There are ahost of different baddiesto come across inDandy and Randy DX. From bouncy frogs to slimy jellyfish to sand sharks, this game likes to mix up enemy variety depending on the given island stage. While many enemies can be stunned with the boomerang tool, they typically won’t be defeated unless players throw an item at them.
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Thrown items such as turnips, jars, and apples can all be picked up quickly to defeat enemies in one hit. Even when it comes down to thevarious boss battles in the game, it’s the thrown items that need to be used in order to fully defeat them. Fortunately, these thrown items respawn so there’s no need to worry about running out.
3Tools Galore
One of the more unique gameplay elements inDandy and Randy DXisthat of the various tools you findin golden treasure chests. This game offers players a shovel, a hammer, a hook shot, a boomerang, and running shoes. Each of these items lies hidden in one of the game’s five island stages and must be found to progress.
Each tool is needed to traverse different areas while completing the game’s block-pushing puzzles, and, more importantly, to get keys and reach hidden areas. Each island stage is essentially a new playground to utilize the found tool, with players often needing to retrace areas to get to newer spots on the map. When in doubt, experiment with each of the tools which can be swapped on the fly.
2The Frustration Of Losing Hearts
Dandy and Randy DXgives players four hearts during a normal playthrough of the game. Each heart represents a hit of damage that the player can take from an enemy or boss. Unfortunately, it’s quite easy to get hit in this game, often because baddies move quite quickly and target right towards the player as they approach.
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Losing all heart points spells a game over. A game over means starting the island over from the beginning but with all tools and keys remaining. However, half of player’s gold is lost and must be reclaimed at the spot of death. One thing to keep in mind isthat an extra heart slot can be purchasedfrom Oinky’s Shop for 5,000 gold.
1Unlockable Characters And Replaying Stages
A good thing to note aboutDandy and Randy DXis thateach of the game’s island stagescan be replayed at any time, with the game’s overview map showing how much treasure has been collected. Replaying stages in this game is encouraged since many hidden areas require one of the game’s many tools, some of which aren’t acquired until later stages.
Apart fromfinding more treasure or hidden chests, it’s the unlockable and playable characters that stand out. These additional characters aren’t all that easy to find but provide for a different cosmetic look to enjoy while venturing through the game’s island. Players can freely swap between characters from a character select screen prior to jumping into a new stage.
Dandy and Randy DXis available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One.
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