How to Play WhirlyBurly in Wizard101

For Empyrea Part 2, KingsIsle introduced a new minigame that is integrated into the story but can also be played separately once you've completed the quest. This game has thrown some wizards off and it's a little tough to get the hang of early on. Here's a playing guide and some tips to get you started.

WhirlyBurly: Getting There

WhirlyBurly is played in Velo City. To get there, use the Streamportal to Port Aero, then pass through the Southwest Aeroplains and the Northeast Aeroplains and into Velo City. The WhirlyBurly Kiosk is located just outside the arena.

Playing Requirements

WhirlyBurly has no requirements to play. Although the game is used for an Empyrea Part 2 storyline quest, any player of any level who can get to the kiosk can play the game. A wizard's level has no effect on gameplay.

Kiosk Options

Play Game - You'll be placed in the queue for a game of WhirlyBurly

Play With Group - If you have exactly three friends in a group near the kiosk, choose this option to play against each other

Watch a Game - Select from a list of ongoing games to watch. Unlike just watching from the arena stadium, you'll get all of the special camera angles.

Instructions - Show Basic Instructions for the game.

Matching Up

If other players are playing WhirlyBurly, you will be matched up against them. If no players are playing the game, you will be queued for 30 seconds before being matched up against the computer, represented by other dwarves where the players usually stand.

Winning the Game & Scoring Points

It's simple: score the most points and win. At the beginning of each round, the point totals update for the three players (Red, Blue, and Orange).

Capturing a space is worth 1 point. If you step on a space, it becomes your color and you get one point, even if it already has a color. This means you will lose points as others step on your spaces.

Capturing a piece is worth 3 points. Certain units allow you to capture other units, which sends them back to their starting position. This can happen to your pieces as well. 

Capturing a chest is worth 10 points. Each color has a chest. You can't capture your own, but stepping on the space with another chest awards 10 points.

Tip: Capture or bump pieces to prevent others from getting chests, including your own.

Playing Pieces

You get three playing pieces: a Dwarven Hunter, a Dwarven Scrapper, and an Aerobot Charger. While it's helpful to know how pieces interact with other pieces, this is not essential to win, so don't worry about memorizing all of it. You'll get the hang of it.

Hunters capture Scrappers. Stepping on a Scrapper with a Hunter piece will send that Scrapper back to its starting position. Hunters bump other pieces one space away, continue one space, and end their movement (even if they still had moves left). 

Scrappers capture Chargers. Stepping on a Charger with a Scrapper will send that Charger back to its starting position. Scrappers swap places with other pieces they bump then continue their movement.

Chargers capture Hunters. Stepping on a Hunter with a Charger will send that Hunter back to its starting position. Chargers bump other pieces two spaces away then end their movement (even if they still had moves left).

Tip: There's a small triangle in the game in the bottom-left corner reminding you which pieces capture which others.

From left to right: Hunter, Scrapper, Charger

Playing a Round

There are 9 rounds and whoever has the most points at the end of those rounds wins. Each round, you get a hand of five cards to start with. Let's break down a turn, piece by piece.

1. Select a card, then select a piece to use it on.

Cards show the series of tile movements a piece will make. If the tile has a "C", "H", or "S" on it, try matching it up with your Charger, Hunter, or Scrapper respectively. When using a card on its proper piece, the piece will claim all surrounding spaces at the end of its movement.

Tip: Right click to discard cards that you don't find helpful or that don't move very many spaces. You can mouse over units to see which is which.

2. Order your pieces and press "Ready."

On the left, use the arrows next to the piece names to determine the order of your pieces. Also notice the turn order, which changes every round, in the top right. When you're done, click the "Ready" button. Neither of these is essential to win or necessarily particularly important, but they are options to watch.

3. Determine a direction using the arrows and hit "Done."

When it's your turn, use the arrows to rotate the path you chose on each piece in whatever direction you choose. Then hit done and do the next piece until you've chosen paths for all three pieces. Note that paths are cut off by the edge of the board and that capturing other pieces can also cut movement short.

Tip: Try to branch out early on and try not to retrace your steps. Make sure to hit "Done" in time or your piece may not move at all!

Time Limits

(1) Select a card and (2) order your pieces: 30 seconds

(3) Choose path directions: 10 seconds each, 30 seconds total

Up to 1 minute total for your turn, Up to 3 minutes total for 1 round

Up to 27 minutes total of selection per game not including movement animations

Strategies

Every game will go a little differently and you'll inevitably end up in a poor position at one point or another. However, having some idea of what your goals are will help to steer you toward victory.

Divide & Conquer

There are a number of things you can do to gain points, but you may also want to prevent your opponent from getting points by protecting your area and guarding your chest. Ultimately, the best plan to be to taking as many new spaces as you can every round, but keeping one piece in the general vicinity of your side of the board while you're doing that is a possibility. More importantly, spread your pieces out. Head in different directions and aim for the two opposing chests and to overtake the other colored areas.

Piece Taker

You get three points for every piece your capture. This is the only way in the game you can generate more points than their are spaces on the board not including chests. This requires keeping track of which pieces capture which. It's also helpful to know to avoid being captured by other players and to avoid wasting moves on bumping pieces instead of taking them, as bumping usually ends your movement early. This strategy combines well with some others.

Chest Collector

You should always aim to collect chests where possible because they each award ten points that you can't lose. Splitting up your pieces early to move in separate directions is a good plan to aim for chests. While you may take pieces along the way, going for chests tends to necessitate a direct approach where you need to move quickly. Try to steer clear of other pieces in this instance so as to avoid being captured yourself.

Punish the Leader

While it's certain that the leader will change while you play, there's oftentimes a color that is dominating the other two (yourself included). Don't forget that you can take away other players' points by stepping on those colored tiles. If I'm on the blue team and the orange team is way ahead, I will try to concentrate my pieces on taking over orange territory to not only advance my own point total, but also knock orange back down.

Ending a Game

At the conclusion of round 9, the game will end. The player with the most points at this stage will win, and the camera will pan around as the point totals are shown. Do NOT click on the "Exit" button! Wait for these animations to complete or you won't get credit for your game.

What do you think of WhirlyBurly?

Thanks for reading and see you in the Spiral!