Stage 23: Spongy Observatory

Sunken Scroll After crossing the second checkpoint, look over the edge—just below is a small platform. Swim down the nearby sponges to leap across to this platform. Smash the crate to retrieve the level’s Sunken Scroll.

Use the Inkzooka provided here to rapidly eliminate the surrounding Octotroopers. Fire a tornado of ink across the line of sponges ahead to make them expand. Then cross the expanded sponges so you can hit the more distant Octotroopers. Eliminate these enemies as quickly as possible as their incoming blobs of ink will make the sponges shrink, potentially causing you to fall. Stay near the center of the sponges while firing the Inkzooka to avoid falling off—each shot fired knocks you backward.

These Octobombers are out of range of the nearby Balloon Fish, meaning you’ll need to take them out directly. Stay hidden in your ink until you can swim close enough to each Octobomer to shoot them out of the sky. If you’re detected, they’ll continually toss Splat Bombs at you, potentially knocking you off the narrow platform or causing the sponge beneath your feet to shrink. So stay hidden until it’s time to strike.

Two Octolings wait to ambush you on this final platform—but they only appear once you touch the platform. So ink all five sponges and spread more ink on the floor below before touching down on the platform. Standing atop the sponges gives you a good height advantage. But remember, if the sponges are hit by enemy ink, they’ll shrink. So be ready to retreat to another sponge if you take heavy fire. If you find yourself on the floor, use the Inkzooka to blast tornados of ink at your Octoling foes. Once both Octolings are splatted, use the launchpad to reach the Zapfish.