Little Alchemy 2’s gameplay is simple: drag items from your library to your workstation and see if they combine to form new discoveries. Though the gameplay is quite simple, there are 700 items to discover with more being added in updates. That can be daunting when your library quickly balloons to several hundred items. Here are a few of my tips for total completion without tearing your hair out.
1. Five-Plus Method
The best method I’ve found for unlocking new combinations is two-fold. Start by going through your current discovered items by clicking on the Items Tab in your Encyclopedia. Or you can click on items you may not have used for awhile and check to see how many discoveries the item still has. If it’s 5+, put it on your workstation. Find two or three more items this way to add to your workstation.
Make duplicates of each item on your workstation, so if a discovery is made, you won’t have to scroll back through your list to grab it again. Once you have your items, go through your full library and slide each one over to the items on your workstation. You’re sure to find combinations you didn’t think were even possible.
2. Change it Up
The 5+ method works well, but it can become tedious. Try another method that works for you. Say you find a combination that involves a bird, go through the birds and make all those combinations. Or…
3. Using Hints for Frustration or Fun
If you get stuck, you can use the Hint feature. Watch a video or purchase research points to unlock a hint. Only 3 hints are available at any given time if you’re watching the videos, and there’s a 5-hour cooldown. The game will show you an item you can discover based on the items you currently have.
While this is useful if you’re stuck, I enjoy using the hints to shake up the gameplay. If your wrist needs a break from constant, tedious sliding, grab yourself a hint. Now you have a fun mini-puzzle to complete, using logic and reasoning to piece together what makes the new item.
4. Double or Nothing
Whenever you make a new discovery, double-click it to make a duplicate and drag it onto itself. You’ll be surprised how many items just need a second of another to make.
5. Put it Down
When you find your eyes glazing over, and your brain has turned to jelly, close it. Like all puzzle games, sometimes the best strategy is to walk away for a bit. COme back with fresh and eyes and you’ll amaze yourself with what you didn’t think of before.
6. Don’t Rush It.
I know it may be tempting to look up a guide and unlock every item instantly (believe me, it exists), but hold up. Savor this game. If it takes you a week, a month, or six months to solve all the combinations, it’s worth it. Each new discovery is a badge of honor. Each depleted item is like scratching a chore off your To-Do list. Each final item discovery is an achievement. Complete the collection, and you’ll feel like a pirate after a long, arduous, and rewarding adventure.