Boosting

This page describes a mechanic specific to the 1992 Microsoft port of Chip's Challenge (and anything that emulates it). It may not exist in any other Chip's Challenge game.

Boosting is a technique in the MS ruleset of Chip's Challenge. When Chip steps from any sliding tile to a non-sliding tile, he is allowed to make a move instantaneously without waiting to come to a stop. Since the slide is an involuntary move, it is not limited by Chip's maximum walking speed of 5 m/s.

Some prominent examples of boosting-intensive levels are Forced Entry, Arcticflow, Mugger Square, Rink, Amsterdam, Force Square, Block Buster, Block Buster II, Doublemaze, Icedeath and Force Field.

Lynx to MS changes, and busts

Lynx does not include this instantaneous move; Chip always slows to his normal speed of 5 m/s when leaving a sliding tile. Boosting in MS is effectively caused by a glitch.

Levels such as Three Doors, Traffic Cop, Hidden Danger, and Scoundrel are busted because they were not changed to fit the new rules, and Floorgasborg is also affected mildly because the suction boots are not required.

Demo

This level is only solvable with boosting:

If Chip tries to slide right and walk past the middle tile he is killed by ball:

However if he slides right and then boosts over the middle tile he skips the ball and can finish the level:

Expansions

After a boost is taken, the next move by Chip will sometimes happen immediately or sometimes after a half turn. The reason this happens is because a move can be made every 0.2s normally, but sliding and boosting happens every 0.1s. If Chip boosts on the second half of a 0.2s window, then by the time the boost is finished (taking 0.1s) Chip is into the next 0.2s window and can immediately make another move. However if Chip boosts during the first half of a 0.2s window, then he has to wait another 0.1s before he can move.

Because of its effective kinship to the spring step, this behavior is known as the spring slide.