How to get past the first ghost in Animal Well

A blocky, blue ghost is the first enemy you’ll encounter Animal Well. You’ll run into it just a few screens into the game — just to the right of the first telephone save point.

Our Animal Well guide will help you get past that first ghost enemy — and teach you how to use your first weapon and some more about Animal Well’s use of hidden passages.

First ghost location in Animal Well

Image: Billy Basso/Bigmode via Polygon

When you reach Animal Well’s first save point, you’ll see the squirrel to the left (it’ll run to the right), but you’ll hit a dead end if you go that way. Heading two screens to the right, you’ll run into your first enemy, a blue ghost, guarding a crank.

How to solve the first yellow button puzzle

Image: Billy Basso/Bigmode via Polygon

Getting past that ghost is a bit of a puzzle and requires you to solve a type of puzzle you’ll find throughout Animal Well. To solve this one, you’ll have to:

• When you spot the ghost, head right, and then jump up onto the ledge above you heading back to the left.
• Jump across the platforms at the top of the screen as you continue left.
• Back in the room with the telephone, wait for the platform and then ride it to the left — there’s a narrow passage on the ledge there.

Image: Billy Basso/Bigmode via Polygon

Continue left, and you’ll hit the first yellow button of three. Drop off the ledge, and hold right so you land on the level below you. Use the crank to raise a platform out of the water. Jump onto it and across to the left to hit the second yellow button.

It’s hard to see, but there’s a hidden passage right next to the button you just hit. Drop into the little gap and head through it to the left. You’ll snake through a couple halls until you eventually come up right below where you started — and hit the third yellow button.

Where to find firecrackers in Animal Well

Image: Billy Basso/Bigmode via Polygon

Use the crank to raise the platform again, and pass through the door you just opened. Pick the firecrackers in the next room, and then drop down along the left side.

Image: Billy Basso/Bigmode via Polygon

Hop across the islands heading right and, in the next room, you’ll find another ghost. Toss a firecracker with X — you might have to throw a second one if your first lands in the water. When it goes off, it’ll kill (scare into non-existence?) the ghost.

Continue right.

Image: Billy Basso/Bigmode via Polygon

Climb up along the right wall, and you’ll come back to the room with the telephone. Head back to the first ghost and firecracker it. Now you can use the crank to raise the platform and continue past find the map.