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TNT Staff Smasher: The Guide

• Clear your computer area: Give yourself enough room to move around as you whack those staff members. Clutter will be your enemy in the higher (read "faster") levels.
• Is Your Mouse Clean? An optical mouse is a great asset for this game, but if you don't have one a regular mouse is fine. Just make sure your mouse is clean so that it will move smoothly while you play.
• Bigger is NOT better: Play this game with smallest screen size you can handle. In other words, do not play on Extra Small if it will hurt your eyes because you won't be able to play as well, or as long, that way. Normal size is fine, just don't go for Full Screen since you will have to move farther/more to get to the staffers.
• High Quality does not equal High Score: If you do play with the Normal screen size, be sure to set your quality to low. This will make the graphics look worse, but it will also help your mouse move faster. The higher the quality, the more likely it is that your mouse will lag while you play.
• Remember to stay focused: Try to play this game when you have some down time and won't be distracted by family or phone calls. Also, turn off the sound as this will only distract you. If you can't function in silence (or you don't live in a vacuum) listen to music instead, it will be much less distracting.

The Basics: How to Play the Game . . . To Get the Score You Want

• The Rules: This game is pretty simple. Use the mouse to guide the mallet around the screen, and LEFT CLICK to hit the staff member on the head. Using the space bar to hit the staff member will slow down your reaction time and lower your score. (My level score jumped about 20 points when I started using the mouse to hit staff members.)
• Aim Matters: Aim for the staff members' foreheads to ensure that you hit them. You don't have to hit them right between the eyes, but that general area is best.
  
• Speed is Good: In order to hit the staffers faster and more effectively, keep your mallet in the center of the game screen when you aren't whacking. That way you'll be able to move across the screen faster.
  
• The Points Breakdown:Each staff member you hit will give you a different number of points, ranging from 3 to 20. If you hit any of the Neopets, you will lose 10 points.
• Making the Grade: If you are going for the avie you need to score over 2250 (basically if you get 2251 you're golden). To get this score, the rule of thumb is to try to get 200 points per level. This will set you up to get the avie after 12 levels, after which point it gets really hard to play anyway (because the staffers move so fast). That does not mean you need 200 points each level, just make sure you have that much by level 4 or 5 (in other words have 800 points by level 4 or 1000 by level 5) otherwise you probably won't get the avie.
• Your Targets: Get to know these faces well, they are your targets in this game--the staff members you want to whack. (Note: I don't know all of the staff members' names, so I made up my own monikers for the purposes of identification.)
  

  
  Number 6 (AKA Adam): 3 points
  

  
  El Picklesaur: 4 points
  

  
  snarkie: 5 points
  

  
  Mr. Roboto: 6 points
  

  
  Voodoodidi: 7 points
  

  
  DJ Skellington: 8 points
  

  
  Blue Lady: 9 points
  

  
  Viola: 10 points
  

  
  The Phantom Orange Shirt Guy (AKA Ollie, Oliver, TPOSG): 11 points
  

  
  Tiger Catcher: 12 points
  

  
  Mr. Insane: 13 points
  

  
  Dragona: 15 points
  

  
  Poptart (you should recognize her from the avie): 20 points
  

Tips to Bump Up Your Score

• The Code is NOT Your Friend:The built in code for this game is "a5paragu5" which will give you a bigger mallet. NEVER USE IT. The mallet is unwieldy and in higher levels, where it would help, you will not have the time to waste typing the code.
• Try to Hit Every Staff Member: In the lower levels, around 1 through 7 (or higher if you can), aim for perfect accuracy. This will give you more leeway in later levels where you will end up missing some staffers.
• The Female Staff Members Are Usually Worth More: Given the choice, train yourself to go for the girls first, it will usually yield more points.
• Get to Know the Staff Members: Try to keep track of what each staff member is worth in your head. That way, when every cubicle is filled with a staff member, you will know which ones will be better (read "give you more points") to whack.
• Memorize the Scene: Try to memorize the order in which staffers pop up. That way, if Mr. Roboto and then Number Six pop up and you're closer to Number Six, you'll know to go for Mr. Roboto first since he gives more points and will disappear first.
• Remember to Relax: Take breaks between levels and games to give your eyes and arm some rest.
• Warm Up Before You Play: Play a game or two before you plan on sending your score. This way you will be in top form when you are playing to raise you score.

All Good Things in Time

• Do Not Expect to Get the Avie (or a super high score) in One Day:Doing well in this game takes time, so don't plan on reaching the Grand Master level in one day. Instead, just try to raise your score with each game--10 points, 100 points, 1 point . . . it doesn't matter as long as you continue to increase your score because every little bit helps.
• Don't Strain Yourself: If you get bored with the game, stop playing until you regain interest. Do not play for hours at a time, it will only lower your score and strain your eyes.
• General High Score Tips:In order to get a trophy plan on staying up late the last night of the month. Sending your scores (for trophies) on the last day of the month near 4am NST will give you a better chance of having your score make it onto the high score table. Good Luck!
• Remember to Have Fun: This is a game, after all, you should be enjoying yourself when you play it!

Your Rewards:

• Conquer Cluttered Surfaces: Clutter is the enemy in this game, Apprentice. Your most important asset, after your finely-tuned intellect, is a steady hand. Hands are steadiest when they are not bumping into objects strewn across your desk. You want a large area to maneuver your mouse. Generally a good rule is to have a space as large as an 8 and 1/2 by 11 inch (standard sized) sheet of typing paper.
• Choose Your Weapon: An optical mouse is a great asset for this game because it is much steadier than a regular mouse. Some players will tell you to not use a mouse pad. I find a mouse pad keeps the mouse from moving too jerkily. The final decision will lie with you apprentice. If you do not have an optical mouse, be sure that it is clean before beginning and keep in mind that it will likely take a bit of patience since older "ball style" mouses are not as steady.
• Size Does Matter: Unlike other Neopets games, this one is not about speed at all. It is 100% about accuracy. For this reason, play the game on the largest screen size you can without compromising the image integrity. I would usually also take this moment to comment on your chosen picture quality, but given Neopets technology changes game quality shouldn't impair your movements or create lag, so if you like high quality, go for it. If not, be aware you may also be distorting the game images.
• Focus, Young Apprentice: NEVER try to play this game with external distractions. You will lose. If you must leave, do so between levels. Also, this will sound strange, but turn off the sound as this will only distract you (the buzzer is annoying as is the ticking of the bonus timer). If you can't function in silence (or you don't live in a vacuum) listen to music instead, it will be much less distracting.

To Become a Grand Master, You Must Master the Basics

• The Rules: The game is simple, Apprentice. Use the mouse to guide the metal hoop around the wire on the screen.If the metal hoop touches the wire, you will complete the circuit and hear a buzzing sound. This is bad and means that you have lost a life.
• Accuracy Matters: Be sure to note where the hoop is in relation to the wire. A good rule of thumb is to keep part of the wire "visible" above and below the wire to avoid accidentally bumping it.
  
• Patience, Young Apprentice: In order to conquer the game, you must learn patience. Do not try to get your bonus points, it will make you sloppy. If you must, let the time run out completely before you start. The game is not timed, so take as long as you need.
  
• Focus: As your skills improve, the Techo Master will try to distract you. His eyes will glow red or bulge. He will stick out his tongue. Fruit will fall. In order to steer clear of these pitfalls, move slowly and try to pause until a distraction ceases.
  
• Making the Grade: If you want to get this avatar you need to score over 300. This means that you need to complete 11 of the 15 levels of the game.

Advanced Techniques

• Memorize the Scene: Take some time to assess the level before you start, young apprentice. That way you can have a sense of what you're getting into at the start of each level.
• Not all Bonuses are Good Things: It is just a device to get you to rush and therefore lose. You don't want to lose! So give up trying to get the bonus and just take your time with each level.
• The Techo is Not Your Friend: This point cannot be stressed enough. Do not let the Techo phase you!

All Good Things in Time

• Do Not Expect to Get the Avatar (or a super high score) in One Day:Doing well in this game takes time, so don't plan on reaching the Grand Master level in one day. Instead, just try to complete one more level with each game . . . it doesn't matter as long as you continue to improve your score because every little bit helps.
• Don't Strain Yourself: If you get bored with the game, stop playing until you regain interest. Do not play for hours at a time, it will only lower your score and strain your eyes.
• General High Score Tips:In order to get a trophy plan on staying up late the last night of the month. Sending your scores (for trophies) on the last day of the month near 4am NST will give you a better chance of having your score make it onto the high score table. Good Luck!
• Remember to Have Fun: This is a game, after all, you should be enjoying yourself when you play it! Now your training is complete, I can do no more for you, young apprentice. Good luck!

Your Rewards: