This page has instructions for each of the 15 Red Beard levels with descriptive images used to explain shortcuts which we have discovered so far.  In the diagrams a solid black circle indicates that you should jump and the black line indicates the approximate direction you should move in.  The shortcuts and strategies explained below should allow you to work up to a score of over 46,000 if you can complete the levels very quickly and pull off all of the shortcuts in one run.  This list is not necessarily complete, it is possible that we have missed some shortcuts.  If you would like to submit a comment or shortcut of your own or if you find a mistake you can email it to GreenBeard.  And now to the shortcuts...

Level 1

    There are no shortcuts on this level.  Simply run to the right fall into the water, then jump onto one of the stairs and again up to the gold.

    Potential Score: 1090  (if you have lower than this, restart)

Level 2

    No shortcuts here either.  Run to the right, jump to the land platform to get the red ball, then jump to the red elevator and again up to the gold.

    Potential Score: 2050  (if you have lower than this, restart)

Level 3

    The first level with a shortcut to improve your score is level 3.  On this level instead of jumping to the first blue ball, then jumping up to the land platform to the right and then on to the blue elevator in order to get the red ball you can actually get the blue ball and then jump straight up to the blue elevator.  After getting on the blue elevator complete the level normally.  Jump up to the red ball, jump back to the stopped blue elevator then walk off the elevator onto the land platform, and finally jump to the moving red elevator and up to the gold.  This should let you get about 3500 or better after level 3.  The picture below demonstrates the jump straight up to the blue elevator.

    Potential Score: 3590  (if you have lower than 3500, restart)

Level 4

    On level 4 you run right and get the red, then the blue ball which will start the blue elevator. Get on the elevator and jump as fast as possible to get to the red ball on the upper land platform. Then fall off and land on the second red ball to get the red elevator going. Wait just a second then run and get on the red elevator as soon as you can. This is the tricky part, jump off quickly and land in front of the blue ball, jump quickly onto the blue elevator with or without getting the blue ball. Then get the purple ball and jump to the purple slider, and then to the gold. If you start this level with 3500 points and you complete it properly you should end up with around 6350 or better.  The picture below demonstrates the the jump from the red elevator up to the land platform, then to the blue elevator without getting the blue ball.

    Potential Score: 6480  (if you have lower than 6300, restart)

Level 5

    There are a couple of key points in level 5 the first of which is right at the beginning.  As soon as it says 'Go' jump to the left onto the stopped blue elevator then directly up to the small land platform.  This saves a lot of time and is easy to do.  You can see this shortcut pictured below.

Now get the purple ball and run and jump right to the purple slider, run to the end of this slider and jump all the way to the land.  Now quickly run and collect the two red balls in order to activate the red elevator.  Jump to the top of the land platforms and wait for the red elevator to descend to the correct position.  Now jump to the elevator, and jump quickly again up to the land platform.  Collect the purple ball and jump to the purple slider, then run and jump to the land platform to collect the two red balls.  Quickly jump up the red platforms and on to the gold.  The picture below shows approximately where the red elevator should be in order to complete the shortcut.

    Potential Score:  9650  (if you have lower than 9400, restart)

Level 6

    No shortcuts that I have found on this level, just run and jump quickly.  I have no picture for this level but I will give a short description for completeness sake.  Run to the right and jump to the land platform and collect the blue ball.  Now jump left and right up the blue stair-like platforms.  (If you can master short half-jumps this can be done very, very fast).  After the last 'stair', jump left to the land platform and collect the purple ball.  Now jump all the way up the three purple platforms, turn and jump right collecting the red ball in the air and land on the red platform.  Continue to the right collecting the purple ball and landing on the purple platform, then the red ball and land on the red platform and finally jump to the gold. 

Potential Score: 10900  (if you have lower than 10500, restart)

Level 7

    Once again no real shortcuts here.  Run to the right to get the blue ball, then run left jump on the elevator and then up to the land.  Grab the purple ball and then run right and jump up the three purple platforms.  Turn and jump left onto the brick platform, now jump over the blue ball.  Jump to the land platform collecting the red ball, wait just a half-second, then jump to the red elevator and up to the gold. 

Potential Score: 13000  (if you have lower than 12500, restart)

Level 8

    Once you have completed this level a few times it is quite straightforward, but there is one shortcut you may have missed here.  To start the level run to the right and jump to the purple platform collecting the purple ball along the way, then to the red platform once again collecting the red ball in the air.  Continue to the right jumping and collecting the blue ball on the way to the blue platform.  Now turn left and jump up to the red platform, now right to the purple and again left to the red.  Here's where the shortcut is... instead of continuing up to the left you should jump up to the right and get onto the large red platforms.  Now simply walk down the red platforms and all the way to the gold.  This shortcut is outlined in the picture below.

    Potential Score:  16900  (if you have lower than 16000, restart)

Level 9

    This level is a bit frustrating at times, but with proper timing it can be done reasonably quickly.  The first step is to run to the right and get the red ball, then wait for just a moment until you can jump to the red elevator.  Usually instead of waiting I grab the red ball, run left to the sign, then turn and run and jump to the red platform (this gives you the proper timing so you can reach the red elevator).  Now you have to sit and wait on stopped red elevator while the blue one rises to the proper level shown in the picture below.

When you land on the blue elevator continue running to the right and jump off of the very end in order to land on the purple slider.  Then jump off the purple slider onto the red elevator, continue quickly and jump up to the blue elevator and jump again to the gold.  If your timing was right at the beginning of the level the rest of it should be seamless.

Potential Score:  20400  (if you have lower than 19800, restart)

Level 10

    No real shortcuts on this level, basically just try to be quick.  Run to the right and fall to the ground, run and jump all the way up the four brick stairs.  Run and jump over the purple guy to the purple platform collecting the purple ball on the way, then jump to the brick platform to the right.  Turn left and jump up to the level with the smaller purple guy.  Jump over him and jump up twice to get to the higher level.  Now run and jump up to the brick and turn right and jump up to the brick platform with the red button.  Activate this button and use the two red platforms to get up to the blue ball.  Once you have this the blue ball, turn and run left and continue to push left as you fall so that you can fall directly to the gold as pictured below.

    Potential Score:  23400  (if you have lower than 22500, restart)

Level 11

    There are no really big shortcuts on this level but there are some tips to help increase your speed.  Basically there is potential for drowning in this level and you must come up for air after 5 seconds or you will die.  Luckily under the water some bricks have been placed strategically in order to allow you to continue moving forwards in the level and get some air at the same time.  Here's how the level goes.  Run right and jump over the purple ball (you don't need it).  Then collect the blue ball under water and jump up the blue platforms back to land.  Now fall down the hole into the water and do a small jump onto the brick, run and jump off of the brick in order to clear the spikes and get air.  Do a smaller jump over the next set of spikes and a small jump onto the next pile of bricks.  Run and jump off of these bricks to get air and land on the land column surrounded by spikes as pictured below.

Continue up to the next column and jump again to the next, then collect the red ball and turn left and jump to the row of red platforms.  Run along and then jump to the purple platforms collecting the purple ball on the way.  Now turn and jump up to the blue platforms collecting the blue ball on the way.  And then simply run along the blue platform clearing the two small gaps on the way to the gold.

Potential Score:  26400  (if you have lower than 25500, restart)

Level 12

    This level is all about speed. You have to get really good at doing half jumps and turning and jumping quickly. Essentially in order to get a good score you have to make it up to the top of the level in time to jump over the purple guy before he reaches the left side and turns around.

Run to the left and jump to the platform then quickly to the blue elevator which will begin going up when you get the blue ball. Stay on this elevator until it reaches the top of its travel, or nearly, then you can jump straight up to the purple platform, and straight up again to the blue platform.  This is pictured below.

Now jump and grab a red ball and jump up to the left-most red platform.  A picture of how this is done is provided below.

Here comes the speed part. Jump quickly to activate the blue platforms and then you have to do very fast half-jumps up these platforms to the top. If you were fast all the way to the top you should be able to quickly jump on the area where the purple guy is, and jump over him. If by the time you get up there he is already turned around and walking to the right you've gone too slow.  With practice you should be able to get there in time to jump over him and save a lot of time as pictured below.

If you make it up fast and over him the last part is easy. Fall down the right side by grabbing each colored ball as you fall, when you are cleared of danger from the spikes move in the air towards the left so that you can land right on the gold nugget. Some people like to go down through the spikes on the left hand side (OrangeBeard lives on the wild side), but I find it easier to stick left.

Potential Score:  29400  (if you have lower than 28300, restart)

Level 13

    Take a long, long run to the right and then start your long trip up the blue stair like platforms after collecting the blue ball.  Once you reach the top run left and jump to the red platform collecting the three red balls on the way in order to activate this platform.  Big shortcut here! Now continue to the left and jump off the red platform and fall down towards the blue balls.  Collect some of these and continue to fall while maneuvering yourself in the air in order to dodge all of the spikes and land on the brick platform with the gold.  This basically takes a lot of practice to get to a point where it can be done consistently but it is worth it because if you cannot complete this level fast it is very hard to get a really good score.  The picture below shows the jump but it is difficult to show the path of the fall as it can be different each time, just practice...

    Potential Score:  33600  (if you have much less than 33000, restart)

Level 14

    This is a relatively long, straightforward level with one very useful shortcut.  Start by running to the right and jumping over the spikes to get the blue ball.  Now run back to the left, jump over the spikes again, jump up to the blue platform and up again to the land.  Run and continue to hold left as you fall off the land this will put you on the first blue platform over the spikes.  Now jump down to the next one, and up to the next and again to the last blue platform before jumping to land again.  You should not have to slow down this entire time.  Now jump up to the big brick and then turn to the right and jump to the next brick and up to the brick box.  Run along this box and jump down to the red platform collecting the red ball on the way.  Here is the tricky part, run back towards the brick box and if you jump at the right time you can get up on the brick box and inside to activate the blue button.  This jump is shown below, you will have to experiment to find exactly when and how to jump in order to make it, but you can practice a lot because if you miss you will not fall all the way to the spikes. 

It is ideal to make this jump on the first try, sometimes if I have to jump a second time I will, but any more than that and you may as well kill yourself and restart.  Now after hitting the blue button, jump up to the blue platform and up and out of the box.  Fall to the big red platform and then hop to the small red one, jump up to the blue platform collecting the blue ball on the way.  Now jump to the brick platform with the purple button.  If this is done correctly you should depress the button as you walk over it instead of having to jump up again to activate it.  Now just run and fall off the bricks to the purple platform, and again to the next one and then off and back to land.  After this it is a straight run over the purple guy pit and a short hop to the gold. 

Potential Score:  41300  (if you have much less than 40000, restart)

Level 15

    And finally, the final level.  This is a good level to practice because if you have completed the game whenever you click 'Continue' it will put you on this level with 3 lives.  First run and get the purple ball and jump to the purple platform then up to the red ball in order to activate the red elevator. Wait for the red elevator to get just within jumping distance from the purple platform and stop it by grabbing the purple ball.  If you stop the elevator at the moment shown in the picture below you will be in good shape.

Get on the purple platform then do a big jump to the stopped red elevator without getting the red ball. Jump off of the red elevator to the platform with the blue button. If you make the jump correctly you should depress the button without jumping again. Now this is the speed part, this can make the difference between king of the monthly score list and descent into obscurity. Do quick half jumps up the blue stair like platforms and if you make it to the top quickly enough you should be able to do a big jump and get on the left-most small blue elevator which is moving up.  This is the most critical section and is pictured below for clarity.

After getting on the blue elevator jump to the right from here to get the red ball and activate the red elevators, land on the middle blue elevator.  Now jump up to one of the red elevators. If you have gone at a very, very fast rate you'll probably want to get onto the left red elevator.  The picture below demonstrates this action, except going to the right, which is the best way to go if you haven't had an extremely fast start.

Wait for this red elevator to reach a height where you can jump and get the purple ball and land on the purple platform over the spikes, then simply jump onto the platform when the purple guy is out of the way, then up to another platform and again to the last gold nugget!

Potential Score:  47000?  (You should be getting over 45,000 at this point)

Well that's about it.  With any luck this little guide will help you as you strive towards a better Red Beard score, and at the very least it should help you enjoy the game a little more as you develop your skills.  Who knows, you may even grow to be as good as the legendary OrangeBeard and post scores over 47,000.  Anyways, once again, please forward any questions or comments to GreenBeard.  Now get out there and play some Red Beard!

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