Animal Wellis a game that practically no one saw coming, but when it burst onto the scene as a day-one PS Catalog release, many flocked to this outlandish-yet-refreshingly simple and minimalist Metroidvania. The game has been praised for its ability to allow for natural discovery and player freedom, but I want to focus on the items within the game today specifically.
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These items present tried-and-tested 2D platforming tropes, but do them differently, offering a fresh and unique take on these mechanics. So with that in mind, I want to look at all the items inAnimal Welland decide once and for all which are the coolest of the bunch.
Just a little note before we get into things. We will only be listing the items that the player can actually use within the game. Plus, we will be ranking based purely on how fun and satisfying it is to use the items in question.
14Pencil/Stamp
Stationary That Will Help You Keep Moving
Allows you to stamp/draw on map
How To Obtain
In Egg Room (Pencil is reward for 16 eggs)
We begin with what’s easily the most boring of all the usable items inAnimal Well, but in fairness, these are still useful items. The Stamp and Pencil allow you to alter your map, essentially allowing you to stamp important areas and annotate the map with your pencil as you see fit.
These items help you make sense of the mysterious world of Animal Well and ensure that you don’t lose your bearings, but overall, they aren’t all that exciting.
13Firecrackers
And Boom Goes The Dynamite
Creates Loud Bang, Startles Animals, Gets Rid of Ghosts
Consumable Item Dotted Around The Map
I was on the fence about including a consumable because then you have to start including fruit that grants you health and such, but I chose to include Firecrackers because they do have a unique effect that often helps with puzzle-solving. Firecrackers inAnimal Wellallow you to throw a firework, which will light up dark areas briefly, startle or distract animals and also help you fend off Ghosts.
These are helpful items, but they aren’t all that satisfying to use, as they are in limited supply, only spawn in certain areas and are only helpful in a handful of situations. They can be helpful when looking for Candles, but there are better items that will help with that later down the line.
12UV Lantern
A Welcome Burst of Neon
Reveals UV Messages
Light All Candles Or Use Animal Flute
The UV Lantern has to rank quite low on this list, as this item is only really something that facilitates late-game puzzles, but to its credit, when you use it, this item brings a whole new 80s ultraviolet effect to the world ofAnimal Well.
This item allows you to kill the lights and reveal the neon wonders hidden in plain sight, and this will, in turn, allow you to reveal hidden messages and clues that will lead to interesting new discoveries that we won’t spoil here. It’s a clever addition to the game, but again, because of its limited use, we can’t rank it much higher than this.
A Light In The Darkness
Lights Dark Areas and repels Ghosts
Light The Four Flames
I have to say, the Lantern visually is a much less zany version of the UV Lantern, but it ranks slightly above its UV counterpart because it’s a much more useful item overall. This light can be used to light up dark areas, making it much easier to navigate certain areas of the map and find Candles dotted around the place.
But not only that. This Lantern will also repel Ghosts, allowing you to explore without the need for Firecrackers, allowing you to access areas previously blocked by a wall of spirits. Again, not super-exciting, but you may’t deny, it is useful.
Who Changed The Channel?
Switches Dotted Line Blocks On/Off
Get The S Medal
Now we have an end-game item that will make traversingAnimal Well’senigmatic world a bit easier. For large portions of the game, you’ll need to manually flip switches to activate blocks, and sometimes, there won’t be a switch to flip at all. But when you gain access to the remote, you can activate these blocks as and when you deem it appropriate.
This will allow you to access new areas, get through previously-annoying puzzles in seconds flat and it’s also super-satisfying to use. It’s not a groundbreaking item in terms of mechanical genius, and its position on this list reflects that, but it’s a great item that completionists should pursue.
9Cheater’s Ring
Tut Tut Tut…
Enables The Player To NoClip
Cheating (Shame on You!)
I don’t want to place this one too high on the list because, in truth, you should never see this item if you play the game as the developer intended. On your travels, however, you may encounter an island that has been dubbed Snail Island. A little pocket of the map that is completely inaccessible, but inexplicably holds a chest, essentially teasing players.
Well, through intricate methods we won’t get into here, you can access this room and get this chest. Which rewards you with the ‘Cheater’s Ring.’ An item that marks you as a Cheater on this save file and allows you to NoClip through structures. Which, ironically, would have made getting the Cheater’s Ring much easier. It’s a fun developer gag, and even though it’s not part of the game per se, we think it deserved a little mention.
8Spinning Top
Let It Rip!
Breaks Weak Spikes and Floors
Reward for 32 Eggs
Next, we have the Spinning Top, which effectively acts as your battering ram withinAnimal Well. Alongside the Yo-Yo, this item can be used to break weak spikes for easier traversal. The real USP of this item is its ability to break weak floors, however, allowing you to use it as a makeshift jackhammer and drill underneath the floor to see what you can find.
It’s a useful item, but like a lot of items on the list, it only has a few meaningful uses within the game. Not to mention, it’s not as clever as some of the other items in the game. It’s worth picking up when you do collect 32 Eggs, but it’s not as remarkable as the other items you’ll find in The Well.
7Bouncy Ball
Boing, Boing, Boing
Breaks Unique Bricks
Get the K Medal
When you initially get your hands on the Bouncy Ball, you may think that it’s just a little silly item you can use to throw around for fun, but as is the case with all Animal Well items, it has a unique and important purpose. This item can be used in certain areas to activate a Brickbreaker mini-game allowing you to destroy blocks and create a path to treasures hidden behind them.
Basically, if you see a particular type of block in the wild, throw your Bouncy Ball at it, and the path it reveals is bound to have something cool waiting for you. It’s an incredibly situational item, but for the fun and whimsy of the Brick Breaker mini-game alone, this one is a great item to seek out inAnimal Well,but you’ll need to take on the Kangaroo to get it, so watch out!
A helpful little Hamster Ball
Creates a Wheel invulnerable to Spikes
Free The Cats In Cages
If you’ve played any Metroidvania game, you’ll know that spikes are always a bad thing. You fall into those jagged edges and you’re able to kiss your health goodbye. This usually remains the case throughout the entire game, but inAnimal Well,you can get your hands on the Wheel. An item that acts as a huge hamster wheel, allowing you to roll across spikes without taking any damage.
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This is a great way to navigate areas that would have otherwise been completely inaccessible and can also be used to activate wheel controls as well. Not to mention, this is easily one of the silliest, cutest items in the game by some distance. You’ll need to find a way to free the cats from their cages, but it’s well worth doing to roll around in style.
I WentAround The WorldTo Get This Thing
A Ranged Shot Used to Reach Buttons and Break Rocks
Chest In Southeast of map
We have seen so many 2D Metroidvanias use arrows or spells to give the player the option to use a ranged attack. So, when I saw thatAnimal Wellhad reworked its formula, offering players an item that could be used to reach inaccessible areas, get around bends in walls, and shoot below solid platforms, I was impressed.
The Yo-Yo is a satisfying item that’s used for a wide variety of puzzles, and can be used to break rocks, distract animals, change the direction of wheels and so much more. It’s a multipurpose tool and a wonderful re-imagining of how ranged attacks can work in games such as this. Oh, and you may literally Walk The Dog, but I’ll let you discover what that means for yourself.
