Poppy Playtime: 5 Best Tips for Beginners

In light of Mob Entertainment’s Poppy Playtime Chapter 3: Deep Sleep announcement, we thought we’d venture back to the roots of the series—to the initial doors of the Playtime Co. complex that led us deep into the rabbit hole of sadistic plushies and ghastly contraptions. Sure enough, it isn’t the newest game on the block, but it is among those that receives countless streams and downloads on a daily basis. Therefore, if you have just picked up a copy of the first chapter in the three-piece horror anthology, and aren’t entirely sure how to tackle its puzzles, enemies, and curveballs, then be sure to read on. Here are the best tips for beating Poppy Playtime.

5. Don’t Fear the Plush

Anyone who’s ever so much as touched a survival-horror game before will know that wide-eyed, sharp-toothed animatronics are bad news. Contrary to popular belief, however, those featured in Poppy Playtime aren’t all that bad. Take Huggy Wuggy, for example—an antagonist who bulks out the majority of the first chapter; this character isn’t likely to harm you, but rather lead you into believing that such occurrences could very well happen. Truth is, the poster child of the franchise won’t unleash his inner demons until the end of the first chapter, which means you won’t have to worry about fleeing from its gaze every waking moment out on the toy factory floor.

It is worth pointing out that, while there is the arrival of Huggy Wuggy to anticipate, there are also several other mascots to avoid, such as Boogie Bot, Candy Cat, and of course, Kissy Missy. So, while you won’t have to worry too much about bumping fists with the primary antagonist, you should still be weary of the other toys that roam the corridors of the Playtime Co. building.

4. Don’t Ignore the VHS Tapes

As you’ll come to learn rather quickly about the history of Playtime Co. — everything is a little cloudy. And while you can of course do a bit of detective work to find clues on the former employees’ whereabouts, you’ll come to learn that the lion’s share of the data, weirdly, is stored away on old VHS tapes, all of which can be found around the enormous Playtime Co. complex. The only downside to this, however, is that each tape is color-coded, and can therefore only work in the matching VCR player.

The good news is, finding VHS tapes in Poppy Playtime isn’t mandatory, as they more or less serve as additional pockets of lore for those wanting to flesh out the narrative a little more. However, seeing as the campaign doesn’t really take the opportunity to invite you into the history of the toy factory, you should definitely consider obtaining as many secret VHS tapes as possible. Chances are, you’ll find the VCR players only a short distance away from the corresponding tape.

3. Familiarize Yourself With the GrabPack

There’s no real point in trying to slug through the campaign if you’re not willing to get neck deep into an underbelly of puzzles, of which there are plenty. To progress in Poppy Playtime, you will need to accustom yourself with the GrabPack—a tool that lets you, well, grab things, and essentially carry out other intricate tasks in and around the factory. For example, once obtained, the GrabPack will allow you to transfer electricity to other sockets, as well as unlock exclusive doors and compartments. So, quite the nifty tool, after all.

As luck would have it, you can get ahold of the GrabPack by watching the blue GrabPack Training tape that’s located in the Security room. To get the red hand, you will need to collect the four power circuits that are dotted around the Warehouse area. You will need to apply these power circuits to a crane module, which will in turn allow you to retrieve the GrabPack from a glass box.

2. Don’t Rely on Guides Too Much

It kind of defeats the purpose of this article, but the truth is, guides won’t get you very far with a game like Poppy Playtime. Let it be known that, as far as puzzles and combinations in Poppy Playtime go, no amount of tips or tricks will be able to give you the correct answers. Why? Well, as it turns out, a few of the puzzles and keys in the game aren’t always located in the same spot, and therefore no amount of research will ever be able to give you the combination needed to progress. A sad reality, for sure — but at least it keeps the experience fresh and exciting.

The good news is, you will only need to prepare for the one randomized puzzle, in particular: finding the fuses. Note that, while a lot of puzzles will only require a generic combination to complete, segments in which you must collect certain key items are entirely random.

1. Don’t Rush

It’s easier said than done, but if you can help it, aim to explore each and every portion of the factory, and try to scrape each room of all the contents and lore they have to offer. In other words, don’t breeze through the motions without thinking twice about the route or consequences, as more often than not, you’ll find that rushing things will only lead to quicker defeats. For this reason alone, you’ll want to take your time, and tackle each obstacle as they come — and not all at once.

Arguably one of the best reasons for exploring the Playtime Co. facility is to get a deeper insight into the history of the business. To unlock more lore, you’ll want to dig out those VHS tapes we mentioned earlier, which will spawn in certain key areas of the map. If you happen to mop up the game in twenty minutes or less — then you’re probably running it a little too fast.

So, what’s your take? Do you have any useful tips for Poppy Playtime newcomers? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.