In the heart of Africa, the Mighty Spelling River has flooded its banks, threatening the tribes, plants and animals. The local people have turned to an old and magical wizard named Yobi for help. Yobi is known for his wisdom and sense of humor.
Yobi needs your help. He must paddle upstream 100 miles on his raft to discover the cause of the flood. However, he is too old to undertake such a physically demanding quest. As Wali, his young protege, you must make the trek for him.
Your mission is to step on lettered stones to spell a tricky spelling word. Along the way, you will meet animals, mud slides, fire gods, hot coals, boulders, and old all-terrain vehicles. If you run into a tricky spelling word that's too hard for you to spell, don't worry. Yobi will be at your side to make your spelling life easier by giving you a MagicSpell, a special spelling memory trick (called a mnemonic). You can use Yobi's MagicSpells to help you remember how to spell tricky words long after your journey is over.
After correctly spelling the tricky spelling word, you will be challenged to a Spell Down along the river. For each correctly spelled word, you move upstream. For each incorrectly spelled word, you stand still. After you correctly spell several words, you will face another tricky spelling word.
You continue your journey, meeting one tricky spelling word followed by a variety of Spell Down words until you reach the end of the river. At the end of the river... well, it's up to you to find out why the river is flooding.
Main screen / the map
After loading Magic Spelling Tricks, the first screen of the game is a map. Yobi uses this map to keep track of your progress. As you play the game a red line appears showing the course you have traveled upstream of the Mighty Spelling River. Each time you correctly spell a tricky spelling word, Yobi will place a red dot on the map. At the beginning of the game, Yobi will ask you to choose a stone. You may select one of several stones.
New Game: to start a new game - a dialog box box will appear for you to type in your name. Press enter to proceed and return to the map screen where you'll start from the beginning.
Play: to play the game of the currently selected profile (either a newly created profile or a restored game)
Restore game: to continue an existing game - a dialog box box will appear for you to select the name of one of the saved players.
Quit: To leave the game.
Note that you can replay any of the tricky spelling words you've already completed by selecting one of the red dots on the map.
Trinkets occur every tenth tricky spelling word puzzle. When acquired, it will appear in color on the map. If not they will appear transparent on the map. Collecting them is not required, but offers an extra challenge.
The other explorers: Yobi keeps track of the top ten explorers (game players). To see how many miles you and others have traveled, just look at the number to the right of your name. The total distance to travel is 100 miles.
Tricky Spelling Word Game play
As the game begins, Yobi tells you the word you must spell. He will give you a verbal clue to its correct spelling. You can also use the mnemonic at the bottom of the screen to help you correctly spell the word and recall how to spell it after the game is over.
If you feel you have made a mistake while playing a tricky spelling word and wish to replay it, click on the restart lever on top of Yobi's hut. To quit the game, click on the map sign to return to the main menu where you can click the Quit stone.
Moving Wali
You can move Wali three different ways: with your arrow keys, your mouse, or your joystick.
Arrow keys: press any of the arrow keys to make Wali move in that direction, holding the key to make him continue walking in that direction.
Mouse: Wali will move one step in the direction of the mouse where you click it - hold the mouse button to make him continue walking.
Joystick: Press the joystick in the direction you want Wali to walk.
Customized keys: You can reassign directional keys. From the map screen, click in the middle of the compass and then press the keys you want for each direction (eg. N, S, W and E).
Collecting lettered stones and other objects
Collecting a letter stone is easy: Just step on it. The letter of the stone appears above Yobi's head on the reader board. Along the way you can gather other objects to use during the game. Just step on any object to collect it. These objects will also show above Yobi's head on the reader board. You can always ask Yobi for information by clicking on the object in Pause mode or refer to the list below.
How to lay down a bridge or throw an apple
To lay down the bridge, simply press the space bar or press the right mouse button. Be certain the bridge is at the narrow area of the river - it only crosses one space.
To throw an apple to feed an animal, press the space bar or press the right mouse button. Be careful not to be too close or it will go over the animal's head. Note that you can feed multiple apples at once to extend the time it affects the animal, which in a few puzzles is necessary.
The obstacles and objects
You will face many obstacles while collecting lettered stones. If you need a clue about an obstacle, ask Yobi.
Rhinoceros: The rhinoceros paces back and forth and does not turn. It is harmless to you unless it hits you with the snout. If you bribe a rhinoceros with an apple, it will turn toward you and you can push it to a new location.
Alligator: While swimming in the Mighty Spelling River, the alligator hugs the wall. Watch it closely for it is always moving. If you get too close, it will come out of the water and charge you. However you are safe if you stay away from the bank of the river. It will only go a short distance from the water. An alligator cannot be bribed with an apple.
Lion: The lion grazes when you are not around. However, if you get too close, it will charge. The key to the lion's movement is that it doesn't like to go too far from home. Once you are no longer a threat to it, the lion's only goal is to go back to its starting position. A lion cannot be bribed with an apple.
Tiger: Like the lions, tigers graze when you are not around. Once you have captured a tiger's attention, it will align with you and mimic your every movement, closing in on you step by step until it is close enough to charge. A tiger cannot be bribed with an apple.
Elephant: The elephants are always grazing. Usually an elephant is standing where you want to go. An elephant can be bribed with an apple and then pushed out of the way. As soon as the bribe has worn off, the elephant returns home to its starting position. Be careful that when it returns home, it has not blocked your way out of where you are located.
Hippopotamus: A hippopotamus mainly bobs up and down in the water. When it is bobbed up, you can walk across its back to the other side of the water. While it is bobbed out of the water, you can also throw an apple at it for a bribe. At this point, you can get on its back and ride it to another location along the river. Be quick! When the bribe wears off, you don't want to be left in the middle of the river.
Gazelle: Gazelles are always moving at top speed around the field of play. A gazelle may be annoying but it presents no hazard to you. Running into it will cause you no harm. A gazelle can be bribed with an apple to stop it from running. Once bribed, you can push it to a new location. However, once the bribe has worn off, the gazelle is back to running at full speed.
Zebra: A zebra is always grazing. When bribed with an apple, it will follow you around the playing field and you can push it around until the bribe wears off. Wherever it is standing at the time the bribe wears offis where it will stay. This is the most helpful animal in the game as it will often allow you to block dangerous animals or tricksters.
Fire Trickster: The fire trickster will throw fire balls at you if you get too close. It can throw fire balls in any direction,, also diagonally, however the range of the fire balls is relatively short. The fire trickster can be neutralized with a fire potion (orange bottle) or blocked by an animal, boulder or all terrain vehicle.
Wind Trickster: The wind trickster watches your every move and blows you across the playing field. Use the wind's strength to move where you want to go. The wind trickster can be neutralized with a wind potion (light blue bottle) or blocked by an animal, boulder or all terrain vehicle.
Dart Trickster: The dart trickster also follows your every move and blows darts at you horizontally and vertically across the playing field and even over trees. When at sufficient distance, you can avoid the darts. The dart trickster can be neutralized with a dart potion (brown bottle) or blocked by an animal, boulder or all terrain vehicle.
Mud: The mud is a very interesting element in which to maneuver. You will continue in the direction you are moving until an object stops your movement. Only then can you change direction. Animals will not go into the mud. Pushing a boulder into the mud will make it slide until it is stopped by an object. You cannot push a boulder while standing in mud yourself.
Hot Coals: Though you can walk on hot coals, whatever you do - don't stop! No animals will go into hot coals. You can also push a boulder or all-terrain vehicle across hot coals although the vehicle will vanish when stopped on hot coals.
Dark Pits: No animal will go into a dark pit... and neither should you. Everything disappears when crossing the edge.
Stone Wall: Stone walls are helpful obstacles against tricksters. also animals and you cannot cross it. Nothing can otherwise be done with them.
Water's Edge: You can't go any further than the water's edge unless you get on the raft, walk across a hippo, ride a hippo or use a walk on water potion (dark blue bottle). Water is home to the hippopotamus and alligator. No other animal will go into it.
Grass: The light green grass is protected area for you. No animal will come on the grass unless you push the animal onto it, effectively blocking it to move after the bribe wears off. However you are not protected from tricksters on the grass.
Land: The land has a very pale yellow color. You and all animals can walk across it, except for the hippo which is always in the water and the alligator which can only move onto it a limited distance from the water.
Trees: The trees are dark green in color. You and the animals cannot walk on the trees. They are an obstacle much like the stone wall except that trees don't block tricksters.
Boulder: Boulders can be pushed. When pushed on land, grass or hot coals, they serve as a barrier against tricksters or can block animals. It can also be pushed onto mud and will slide until an object stops it. When pushed into the water, they will serve as a stepping stone to the other side of the river, but will disappear after a short while, so be quick. A boulder can also be pushed across a bridge. IMPORTANT: after all letters have been collected, all objects on the playing field disappear EXCEPT boulders, often allowing the player to return to the raft.
All-Terrain Vehicle: An all-terrain vehicle is also an excellent barrier to tricksters or to block animals. It too will temporarily float in the water and allow you to cross the river. When a vehicle is pushed either forward or backward (it can't be pushed sideways), it continues in that direction until something stops its progress. When it stops on hot coals, it will disappear. It can also be pushed across a bridge.
Letter Tablets: All of the letters of the tricky spelling words are found on letter tablets scattered on the playing field. Be careful... there may be extra letters to throw you off course.
Apple: A red apple is used to bribe animals. An apple will cause a changed behavior for approximately 10 seconds after which the effect wears off. An animal can be bribed with more than one apple, extending the duration of the bribe.
Bridge: The bridge is useful when crossing water. It will remain in place for as long as you are solving the tricky spelling puzzle. You cannot pick it up again after you've laid it down. The bridge has to have solid ground on both sides, so it needs to be placed in a narrow river section. Boulders and all-terrain vehicles can be pushed across a bridge. TIP: in levels with alligators, try to place the bridge in such a way that you limit the alligator's movement.
Time Stop: The little red bottle represents the time stopping potion. When you walk over it, everything ceases to move except you. Move quickly, because it wears off within approximately 10 seconds.
Walk Over Water: The little dark blue bottle represents the ability for you to walk over water. When you step on it, you will be able to walk across the river without the aid of a hippo or bridge. Move quickly, because it wears off within approximately 10 seconds.
Fire Ball Protection: When you step on this little orange bottle, you are protected from the fire trickster's balls of fire. Move quickly, because it wears off within approximately 10 seconds.
Dart Protection: When you step on this little brown bottle, you are protected from the dart trickster's red darts. Move quickly, because it wears off within approximately 10 seconds.
Wind Protection: When you step on this little light blue bottle, you are protected from the wind trickster. Move quickly, because it wears off within approximately 10 seconds.
Trinket: Trinkets appear in every tenth tricky spelling word puzzle. When acquired, it will appear in color on the map. If not they will appear transparent on the map. Collecting them is not required, but offers an extra challenge. No hints are given on how to collect them.
Wali: That's you playing as Wali.
Raft: The raft delivers you to each tricky spelling word puzzle and takes you away to the Spell Down Challenge. Hint: getting back to the raft after you have spelled the tricky word correctly can also be a challenge. Leave yourself a way out. Remember, only boulders remain available to return to the raft.
Asking Yobi for help
To ask Yobi for help, click on the pause sign at his feet. The game will stop. Yobi will then give you a clue about anything you click on. Click Play to continue the game. Also, each time you click on Yobi, he will repeat the tricky spelling word.
The Mighty River Spell Down Game play
When you have successfully completed a tricky spelling word, you will face several spell down words. The number of words you will have to spell increases the further up the river you go. You start with 3 words, adding an additional word every 10th level, until 10 words need to be spelled. You can use your keyboard or mouse to spell them, clicking the stones at the bottom of the screen.
When you spell a word correctly, you move up the river. When you spell a word incorrectly, you stay in place and Yobi corrects your mistake. Each time you click on Yobi, he will repeat the spell down word.
Note that you need to complete both the tricky spelling word AND the spell down word for the tricky spelling word and dot to appear on the main map.
