Any% Run Optimization

With the 19 years of experience I have in the game (as well as coming across the .xml files that govern what appears in each level; thank you, Feeding Frenzy modding community), this is the path to a fully optimized Any% speedrun of Feeding Frenzy, as far as I am able to tell as of August 2nd, 2023.

Stage "Routes"

For the sake of simplicity and lack of a better term, I've divided every stage in Feeding Frenzy into one of four "routes." This determines the objective of each level, which changes how you approach the level and try to finish it quicker. Please note that these are not meant to be followed robotically; due to the nature of Feeding Frenzy as an RNG-heavy game, you will never play the same stage the same way twice.

Route 1: "git gud lol" (Stages 1, 2, 3, 8, 13, 21, 22, 28)

These stages do not contain special tricks to complete them faster than the normal way. The only way to speed up these levels is to get good RNG and to optimize your movement as much as possible. (This applies to every other stage, too, but for these stages, they are the only way to go faster).

Route 2: Golden Minnow Skip (Stages 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 18, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35)

Prior to discovering the stage .xml files, I thought that most levels had a chance for a Golden Minnow to spawn; however, upon closer inspection, every stage either has a 100% chance or a 0% chance of having a Golden Minnow. The stages listed in this route have a Golden Minnow in them. The fastest way to complete these levels, then, is to eat the Golden Minnow and skip the longest phase of the level (typically phase 2, when you are at medium size). Due to Golden Minnow inconsistencies, stages that have both a Golden Minnow and an Oyster should be hybridized between this method and the Oyster Camping method (explained below).

Route 3: Oyster Camping (Stages 4, 5, 6, 10, 15, 17, 19, 26, 30, 34, 37, 38, 40)

These stages contain at least one Oyster, but no Golden Minnows. The fastest way to complete these levels is to rely on Oyster RNG to give pearls and black pearls. I do not know the chances of a pearl/black pearl being given are. However, the game does specifically say that black pearls are five times more valuable than regular pearls, so when given the choice, always go for the black pearl. While this route does say to camp Oysters, you should not neglect eating smaller fish.

Route 4: Bonus Stage Skip (Stages 16, 20, 24, 32, 36, 39)

These are all bonus stages that can be skipped by dying in them. These were already known and classified before this guide's existence, and as such I will stop talking about them.

Stage-Specific Tips/Quirks

Stage 9/Stage 15: Red Surgeonfish and orange Parrotfish are of equal value, and should be targeted as if they were the same fish.

Stage 10: Yellow Pufferfish are more valuable than orange Parrotfish, and as such, should be prioritized.

Stage 24: While the skip for this level is already known, it can be optimized. If the first Barracuda spawns before your invincibility has worn off, you can still die early by Inhaling the Barracuda's mouth.

Stage 27/29: Orange Pufferfish, Marlins, and Tuna are all of equal value, and should all be targeted as if they were the same fish. Additionally, this means orange Pufferfish are more valuable than Barracuda and cyan Surgeonfish.

Stage 40: Eating the Shark King does not contribute to finishing the level, and as such targeting the Shark King loses time. Additionally, Tuna stop spawning in phase 3 (when you are at your largest), which makes phase 3 uniquely long.

Power-Up Tips/Quirks

Flash Bomb Bubble/Stun Bubble: Flash Bomb Bubbles will stop Golden Minnows in their tracks, however, using a Flash Bomb Bubble at the end of a stage will delay the stage ending.

Speed Boost Bubble: Speed Boost Bubbles, as you might imagine, help you catch fish faster. This also includes Golden Minnows, and can make timing Oysters much easier.

Fury Bubble: Fury Bubbles make you completely invincible to all effects, including Naval Mines and Poison Minnows. Fury Bubbles will not target either of these, but touching one while using a Fury Bubble will remove the hazard from play. Additionally, if you eat a Fury Bubble and Poison Minnow simultaneously, the one you encountered first will take precedence. As such, another way to remove Poison Minnows is to Inhale a Fury Bubble, then use the same Inhale to suck up Poison Minnows. Finally, Fury Bubbles will target Golden Minnows, but will not target pearls or black pearls.

Shield Bubble: If you have a shield, you cannot be harmed by Oysters in any way.

Hopefully, this guide will help in the optimization of Feeding Frenzy speedruns. If the RNG function and fish AI can be examined in the future, there is the possibility that using that information and the information here, a proper TAS can be made of the game. Until then, this guide should hopefully allow for faster runs of this game from now into the future.