Bonus Play in Quinn’s Aquarium — sometimes referred to as “random puzzles” or “bonus puzzles” — can be unlocked by finishing all three parts of the first tank, the Tropical Tank. This can be a daunting task, as it requires you to finish 180 sequential levels — no skipping around — and since not every game of mahjong can be won, you may get stuck from time to time. You may need to repeat a puzzle multiple times before you can win and move on.
The problem with this is that Pogo puts out badges, some of them given to all players as free gifts for marathons, that require you to match Lock & Key Tiles. Not only do you have to win the game by clearing all of the tiles from the board in order to get badge credit, you also won’t find Lock & Key Tiles in every puzzle. If you’re someone who got stuck on a level in the Tropical Tank you wouldn’t be able to make badge progress. Fortunately, Pogo put something called Bonus Play in the game, and it can be unlocked by all players.
Tip: if you’ve gotten stuck on a level in Quinn’s Aquarium or have been too afraid to try the game at all yet, check out our Quinn’s Aquarium Tips and Tricks. There are some great strategies in there that can maximize your chances of removing all tiles from a puzzle.
Once you unlock Bonus Play, you’ll be able to play random puzzles, but more importantly it allows you to quit and reload a different random puzzle. Not only does this come in handy for badge challenges requiring Lock & Key Tiles, because you can quit and reload until you find a puzzle with Lock & Key Tiles in it, but it also comes in handy for those tough “Match all six sets of shell tiles” badges.
When you load a random puzzle through Bonus Play, you have a chance at getting a Challenge Round puzzle. Those are the ones that came every 5th level during the regular tank progression, and they contain twice as many tiles to work with! If you need specific tips for the “Match all six sets of Shell Tiles” badges, check out the Quinn’s Aquarium Badge Guide for our best strategies.
How to Access Random Puzzles in Quinn’s Aquarium
When you have finished all three parts of the Tropical Tank, the game’s main menu will read “Bonus Play” under the tank. Click on the tank to view it, and your play button will read “Play Random Level”.
Use these random levels to find puzzles with locks & keys, or to find Challenge Round levels that you can use to match all six sets of shell tiles. If you click “Play Random Level” and the puzzle you get doesn’t have what you need, click the orange gear icon in the upper right corner, then click Quit. Click the “Play Random Level” button again and repeat until you get the type of puzzle you need.
Other Guides in this Series:
Quinn’s Aquarium Tips and Tricks
Quinn’s Aquarium Badge Guide
Lura says
The next marathon (starting 1/8) will be in Quinn’s Aquarium. If Pogo includes Lock Tiles badges or “Match all six sets of Shell Tiles” badges in this marathon like they have in the past, players who haven’t unlocked random puzzles will struggle.
I challenge you to finish the Tropical Tank before January 8th so you’ll be set to complete any badges Pogo might include — are you in?
barryandlinda20 says
I have finished all levels and still having trouble trying to get 6 shells in one game. A few very nice people have given me tips, but I only completed one game with 6 shells I like this game, but some of the challenges are a bit too much.
Lura says
Go into Bonus Play and quit/reload until you get a Challenge Round because Challenge Rounds have more tiles and that badge becomes SO much easier. There are tips for all of this in the Badge Guide:
https://www.badgehungry.com/2018/12/27/quinns-aquarium-badge-guide/
kabro says
I am just heading into level 28 in part 3 Tropical Tank. Not sure I will make it before Jan 8th, but I could use some good thoughts. Will be really glad to have that done 🙂
Lura says
If you start now and aim to complete at least 2 puzzles a day, you’ll get it!
SAL says
I am just heading into level 29 in part 1 Tropical Tank. I don’t believe in possible to complete the remainder of Tropical Tank by Jan 8, 2019 (Maybe Jan 8, 2020? lol) Guess I should just plan to skip this Challenge?
Lura says
I think it could be possible, just depending upon how much time you have to work on it. You have 151 levels left and 11 days. If I recall correctly, I finished the first 2 parts of the Tropical Tank within the first week of trying.
All of that said, Pogo might not include badges that require Locks & Keys in this marathon, so you might be able to finish it without access to random puzzles. Even without access, if they include Locks & Keys, they still show up once in a while during the storyline. Just see how far you can get before January 8th, and then if you haven’t unlocked random puzzles when the marathon begins, you can prioritize the non-Lock badges and maybe finish up during the marathon.
MomsBassetHound says
If I remember correctly there was only one really bad level in Part 1 and one really bad level in Part 2. When I started Part 3 I had only used 2 of the original free power ups given to us when the game was released.
It was Part 3 that required restarting puzzles a million times or giving in and buying power ups.
Hopefully you will be able to get most of the Marathon done by the time you hit Part 3.
Good Luck!!
Suz
kabro says
It was a journey, but finally finished the last one in the Tropical Tank. And no one around me could understand why I was cheering.
As always, thanks to Badge Hungry for all the helpful hints.
MomsBassetHound says
Congrats!!!
Suz
Lura says
Yay, that’s wonderful news! Congratulations!!!
beth says
please excuse me if this has been addressed or answered!! my brain is like scrambled eggs not retaining nothing I read lol, but once you have finished 1st take and can do bonus rounds if I go in jelly fish tank will I lose the ability to go back to random in tank one?? thank you in advanced!! BIG HUGS boop 🙂 <3
Lura says
Once you unlock Bonus Play (random puzzles) in the Tropical Tank you will always have access to it no matter how far ahead you play in other tanks.