Silly Sausage

Silly Sausage is an NES platformer game, released May 27, 2011. Players control a stretchy dog who has to navigate himself through levels trying to collect all the gems. This is Nitrome's first game to utilize a password system.

Controls
up down left right Arrow Keys - Stretch dog in respective direction.

Levels
There are 30 levels in Silly Sausage. The stretchy dog must navigate through all of them to collect the necessary gems and then reach the finish line.

Level 1
The first level has wide open spaces for players to easily navigate through and get used to the core mechanics of the game. Ten gems need to be collected before the player can proceed to the finish line. Six of the gems are in the center of the game screen while the other four are seen near the corners. There are also two blades, one at the top left and the other at the bottom right of the game screen. Because of the wide space the player can navigate through, it is not necessary to get past the blades in order to collect all the gems.

Level 2
Electricity and metal blocks are now introduced to the game. From time to time, electricity will alternate its location, so the player needs to time correctly in order to successfully get past the beams. It is also harder to grab most surfaces, since most of the blocks are metal.

This time, there are eight gems the player must collect. Four of them are in each corner of the game screen while the others are situated between paths of metal blocks. There is a spot in the middle with some grabbable blocks which can be used as a waiting place for the beams of electricity to go off. Then, like level 1, the finish blocks are seen at the top of the game screen.

Level 3
Nine rectangular platforms are arranged in three rows of three columns, with two gems on each platform as well as one gem on each top corner of the game. The level also introduces two fire spheres, which travel in another direction once they hit a surface. Spikes border the sides of the game screen as well as there being small areas of metal blocks in each corner of the game. The bottom of the screen, however, is mostly made up of grabbable blocks.

Level 4
Four green pipes are introduced into the game, along with large numbers of spike diamonds arranged in groups together. The player needs to be careful not to travel too far when going into a pipe, because this may result in hitting a spike diamond. Grabbing onto the pipes may be useful to some players to navigate through the level with control.

Level 5
This level introduces a bubble, which slowly makes its way towards the position the Stretchy Dog is in. There are six rows of gems for the player to collect, and the pathways are designed for the Stretchy Dog to navigate it in a back and forth direction. Since there is only one way to navigate through the level and get all the gems, the player has to be careful not to trap themselves with the bubble following the Stretchy Dog around.

Level 6
There are now two gems in each corner of the level as well as a smaller enclosed square area with two gems in each corner as well. Most of this enclosed section is bordered with spike diamonds and grabbable blocks. Now, four blades on conveyor belts are introduced into the game, two of them bordering the outermost part of the level and two within the square area of the level.

The only entrance inside the small area to reach a place with six gems with metal blocks surrounding it is to reach the switch nearing the top of the screen to turn off the blue blocks, then get inside the area and soforth. After collecting all the gems, the player must guide the stretchy dog to the top of the screen, where the finish line is.

Level 7
The surrounding area of this level is almost wide open, with six spinning traps bouncing back and forth from the middle of the screen to the edges. The gems mostly border the areas of the level, although there are a few gems within the area that four green pipes create. Once all the gems are obtained, the Stretchy Dog needs to make its way back to where it started from-which in this case, is the finish line.

Level 8
Like the previous level, there are six spinning traps moving back and forth either vertically or horizontally to the middle of the screen, but this level has more grabbable areas. There are ten gems to collect: one on each corner of the screen, and six bordering a small area of grabbable blocks where the spinning traps meet. The player needs to watch out for the spinning traps and rows of spike diamonds that may get in their way while playing this level. Again, like level 7, the finish line is where the Stretchy Dog was first placed in.

Level 9
Level 9 has tall pathways with grabbable blocks as well as many rows of electricity beaming periodically in certain areas. First, the Stretchy Dog must make its way to the top of the screen to get the first gem while avoiding the electricity. Then, to get the second gem, it must avoid a spinning trap. The next parts of the level are similar to the first, only flipped.

When obtaining the last gem, however, the Stretchy Dog needs to travel a far distance and successfully avoid the electricity as there are no grabbable blocks on either sides for slowly making the way up, only spike diamonds and metal blocks. After all the gems have been collected, the player must make the journey back to the finish line, the same place they started from.

Level 10
This level is more fast paced than other previous levels as the only safe grabbable areas are the ones between two moving blades on conveyor belts! The Stretchy Dog must move quickly, obtaining as many gems as possible before the blade catches up to it, then move to another safer area. The gems are scattered among many metal blocks. Once the finish line is unlocked, the Stretchy Dog must avoid a spinning trap and reach the finish line.

Level 11
In this level, four beams of electricity form, at the corners, a rectangle shape. A great number of spike diamonds are cluttered near the top of the level, and four spinning traps bounce back and forth in the middle of a long pathway made almost entirely of metal blocks. Two green pipes form routes for getting back and forth between those areas bordered with spike diamonds. Most of the gems in this level are at the top of the level, while the finish line is where the Stretchy Dog originally started from.

Level 12
Moving spike diamonds have been introduced into the game, moving either horizontally or vertically until they hit an end. In this case, seven moving spike diamonds make an appearance: three on either sides of the levels fenced by spike diamonds and metal blocks and one in a large area separating the Stretchy Dog from the finish line.

The gems in level 12 appear in the same formation on each side section. Four gems are assigned to each section where a moving spike diamond appears, except for the larger part in between the Stretchy Dog's initial position and the finish line, which is at the top.

Level 13
The only safe grabbable spot in level 13 is determined by the three finish line blocks where the Stretchy Dog is originally placed in. A large spiral of spike diamonds is what players must navigate through in order to collect all the gems, being careful not to hit the spike diamonds. The outer part of this level is bordered with metal blocks.

Level 14
Twenty small sections, each with a gem inside it, are seen in this level, with the exception of the section with the Stretchy Dog first placed in it. Apart from the two sections in the middle, the finish line or where the Stretchy Dog first started from, one moving spike diamond occupies each of these small divisions. Grabbable blocks are only seen in the top, bottom and middle row of the level.

Level 15
It's nothing but metal, clouds and spike diamonds bordering the level as the stretchy dog navigates its way to the finish block. Various spinning traps travel up and down between the paths of cloud blocks. Aside from avoiding these enemies, there are also two giant bubbles on opposite sides of the level. The stretchy dog must land on the cloud block covering the finish line before grabbing onto all the other blocks as it will end up being trapped if not so.

Level 16
The majority of this level is made up of metal blocks, with only a few grabbable blocks on either sides and the finish line at the top. The level is divided into four sections determined by four small square blocks. Spinning traps make their way through the paths created by the metal blocks. The stretchy dog must collect twenty gems in this level in order to open up the finish line and proceed.

Level 17
There are sixteen gems to collect, all arranged in a four by four square. Five beams of electricity alternate from one beam to four as well as six spike diamonds placed in a downward direction in the middle of this level. Much of this level is divided into smaller sections, some which are determined by red and blue blocks, which the player can activate when the stretchy dog lands on a switch. After making their way through the various sections to obtain all the gems, the player must have the stretchy dog make its way back to the finish line, where it initially started from.

Level 18
This time, the stretchy dog must navigate past fourteen moving spike diamonds, being careful not to hit too many of them during its journey. In this level, mostly divided into larger sections with metal and blue and red blocks, with the switch located at the top left corner of the game, there are only nine gems to collect before the stretchy dog can return to the finish line, which is where it was originally placed in.

Level 19
Five gems are needed to be collected in this level, which mostly makes use of spinning traps as well as metal blocks enclosing them in tiny sections. Though it may look impossible to complete, following the pathway of gems back and forth will help avoid the traps and allow the stretchy dog to make it all the way to the finish line.

Level 20
There are five fireballs bouncing off metal blocks to form a square formation in five different sections determining the level. In the larger of the sections, there are five gems each to collect, as well as two gems in the upper two smaller sections of the level. After obtaining all the gems, the stretchy dog can make its way to the finish line, which is located in the middle near the small sections of bouncing fireballs.

Level 21
Two chains of fireballs, each five fireball lengths long, bounce back and forth, when hitting platforms in this level. Gems are placed in eight long rows, evenly distributed throughout the level. During this part, the stretchy dog needs to successfully avoid touching the chains as it makes its way around the level to collect the many gems and get back to the finish line, which is incidentally where it originally started from.

Level 22
There are two important things to watch out for in this level: moving blades and spike diamonds. The level is designed in such a way that precise movements are especially important, and not being careful could result in hitting spike diamonds or a moving blade while navigating through the spiral-shaped level. There are nine gems needed to be collected before the stretchy dog can return to the finish line, which is far to the bottom left.

Level 23
Four small enclosed sections occupy the four corners of the level, while the resulting cross shape has four beams of electricity alternating two to two. Four spinning traps make their way up, down, back and forth as they travel through the small gaps in the sections that are the only way the stretchy dog can pass through. One gem can be collected inside each section, while the remaining fourteen gems can be found within the electricity boundaries. The finish line is found at the top middle of the level.

Level 24
Most of this level is based upon avoiding spinning traps, seven of which bounce back and forth between the wall and a barrier of blue blocks. The traps are disaligned so that, if the barrier is opened, will cross all lines within the large area they are enclosed in. The player must be careful not to let that happen, or they will find it difficult to undo the mistake.

Instead, making sure the spinning traps are within the blue boundary before activating the switch, the player will only need to worry about one set of the spinning traps at a time, thus, making them easier to avoid so they can reach the finish line, just nearby to the right of where they started from.

Level 25
Now, the stretchy dog must avoid six blades, two which travel back and forth around the area which the stretchy dog is placed in, and four making their way along the outermost conveyor belt. Grabbing on to the walls in this level will not help since it is entirely bordered off with spike diamonds. The gems needed to be collected in this level border the conveyor belts where the blades are on. Collecting them all will allow the stretchy dog to return to where it started, which is, the finish line.

Level 26
Five blades on separate conveyor belts move back and forth on the border of the level. There are also several cloud blocks making several squares and squares within squares. Two moving diamonds are in each of these areas, along with the gems. Being careful to avoid the moving spike diamonds once the cloud blocks disappear, the stretchy dog needs to collect thirteen gems in this level before it can return to where the finish line is.

Level 27
Level 27 has a lot of open area, but many beams of electricity and metal blocks bordering most of it. The gems are located all together in the top right corner of the game. Few grabbable blocks exist in this level, except for the red and blue blocks and some cloud blocks. The stretchy dog needs to grab onto the cloud blocks where no red or blue blocks are present, otherwise, upon returning back to the finish line, players will find much difficulty bypassing the beams of electricity.

Level 28
The only safe grabble spots in this level are at the very edges of the conveyor belts where the blades bounce back and forth on. There are nine blades to avoid, as well as spike diamonds which make navigating the level difficult. Metal blocks border the rest of the level. Along the way, the gems can be collected and at the end of the journey, if successful, the stretchy dog will reach the finish line.

Level 29
Two beams of alternating electricity form a cross, which is bordered mostly by spike diamonds. Through the openings made by the spike diamonds are gems. In the upper two corners of the level, three moving spike diamonds occupy small sections bordered off by blue blocks.

The stretchy dog must activate the switch to turn them off, however, since there is one gem in each small area. While avoiding these enemies, the player needs to activate the switch to turn the red blocks back to the blue ones, then reach the finish line to complete the level.

Level 30
The last level of the game is based upon narrow paths which the stretchy dog will travel in a back and forth pattern. For the first two columns, spinning traps bounce back and forth between spike diamonds. After activating the switch and making the way back down to move down to the next compartment, the next two narrow pathways involve bypassing moving spike diamonds, who only travel back and forth because of the way the level is set up. Once making the way up to activate the switch and coming back down twice, the player will encounter what might seem like the difficult part of the level: navigating through a thin maze created by spike diamonds.

Using right timing and fast movements, the player should be able to reach the top gem and should not grab the top ceiling, otherwise they would have to make their way down the spike maze again. Going back the same way it came from, the stretchy dog, if successful in avoiding the moving spike diamonds and spinning traps, can safely make it back to where it started, which is the same place where the finish line is.

Hazards
"Main article: Hazards (Silly Sausage)"


 * Saws - Blocks usually in a line of 5 or more. A sawblock is just like normal blocks, but includes a saw going slowly from edge to edge, damaging the player, if the player touches it.
 * Electricity - A 3x1 block, which, together with another electricity block, unleash a electricity wave between, lasting for 3-4 seconds.
 * Spike diamonds - If the player navigates into these blocks, the player lose a life.

Enemies
"Main article: Enemies (Silly Sausage)"


 * Blades - The first enemy encountered. It floats around in a simple pattern, either vertical or horizontal, turning whenever they bounce into a wall.
 * Fireballs - Unlike the Blades, these enemies floats diagonally around in the level, not vertical or horizontal.
 * Bubbles - A large enemy, which moves very slowly around the map, trying to get near the player.
 * Spike diamonds - Enemies with no reliable movement pattern. When ever the game begins, these enemies begin to move into a random direction, until they hit a wall, a gem, or another Spike diamond. When stopped, they are stationary for 2-3 seconds, then they begin to move to another wall.

Interactive Objects
"Main article: Interactive Objects (Silly Sausage)"


 * Gems - Collect all of these to get access to next level.
 * Blocks - The Player can attach to these
 * Metal blocks - The Player cannot attach to these blocks
 * Switches - Whenever the player attach to these, it will either turn Red or Blue blocks on. Un-triggered blocks can't be touched
 * Pipes - Teleporting blocks. Going inside one, and player will come out in the other end.
 * Cloud blocks - Like a normal block, but can only be attached to once, then disappear.
 * Goal blocks - Once all the gems have been acquired, attach to the goal, to get to next level.

March 28, 2011
Silly Sausage was previewed on the Nitrome Blog on March 28th 2011. The name or any of the core mechanics were not revealed, only an image of the game.

April 27, 2011
Almost a month later, Nitrome launched a trailer of the game. The video showcased several hazards and levels, along with the music, startup and menufor the game. xUQyBIP0vnE

Trivia

 * The stretchy dog may be based on Slinky Dog from the Toy Story trilogy.
 * This is the first Nitrome game to involve in-game passwords.
 * The levels were first planned to be displayed as stages, but for unknown reasons, they were changed to levels.
 * The previewed image is actually a beta level of the game.