Tips for the Thievius Raccoonus

Five years have passed since Sly Cooper and his gang plotted any thrilling capers. The remastered, high definition collection for PlayStation 3 is locked behind bars until early next month, but once it hits shelves, gamers might find their technique a little rusty. Every sneaky raccoon needs a few tricks under his explosive hat, so brush up on your skills with this guide. Consider it Master Thieving 101.

Stick to the Shadows

This cunning raccoon knows how to use stealth to his advantage: ducking search lights, bypassing security alarms, and outgunning Carmelita Fox.

Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, the first game in the series, rewards players for careful footing rather than a headfirst rush into danger. One hit can lick Sly for good, or at least send him running with his tail between his legs. Subsequent games offer players a little more leeway, allowing Sly to sucker a few punches before calling it quits. But for Sly and his pals, smarts are usually better than brawn — unless you’re a certain hippo.

Raccoon Blues

Sly’s extraordinary senses help him traverse otherwise impassable terrain. By following glittering blue sparkles, he can hide from enemy searchlights, tiptoe around ledges, balance on pinnacles, and grind down rails. What better way to travel?

Crack Those Safes

Finding the special green bottles scattered across the globe will make Sly one happy raccoon. Once his brainy friend Bentley uses his superior noggin to decode the secret messages contained in each, Sly can crack another safe and learn more tricks of his trade. These abilities include diving, rolling, and dropping enemies nasty surprises.

Binocucom Vision

Getting a the lay of the land is essential to ambushing enemies and overcoming obstacles, such as lasers and security traps. Sweeping over an area with the binocucom can pinpoint missing clues and dig up dirt on Sly’s opponents. General Tsao has hairy palms, you say? How embarrassing!

A Little Luck

Hidden throughout levels, lucky horseshoes can mean the difference between survival and the game over screen. Carrying one or two (making for a golden charm) of these gives Sly a second chance when he gets sloppy. 100 coins earns a horseshoe, and when our hero’s full up an extra life will come his way. Who knew raccoons had such luck?

Smile for the Camera

Checkpoints shaped like Sly Cooper’s furry head periodically pop up, snapping a photo of Sly to save his progress within a level or hub world. Of course, the star raccoon is nowhere to be seen whenever Latin bombshell Carmelita Fox is handcuffing criminals and making front page news.

Barrels Aren’t Just for Monkeys

Why let a good barrel go to waste? Sly Cooper knows they’re handy for more than storing goods and plastic monkeys: They’re the best way to counter arrows and render high-tech laser computer systems obsolete. By jumping into an empty barrel, he can cross entire security networks without breaking a sweat. Now that’s some quick-footed mischief, and certainly more fun than hiding behind bushes or trees.

Thwack!

The Cooper family cane does more than whack baddies until little tweeting birds fly in circles around their heads. With it, Sly can swing from hooks, pickpocket, and even scale treacherous ice walls. Not to mention the heirloom does something very important: make Sly look cool. Carmelita Fox only wishes she had so much style.

Super Friends

Knowing which member of Sly’s gang fits best in any given situation is the key to winning the loot and coming out on top. Best friends and partners in crime, Murray the van-driving hippo and Bentley the genius turtle have saved Sly from more than a few tight scrapes. Bentley’s computer hacking know-how lets Sly slip by the most advanced defenses while the tubby wrestling wonder Murray can send trouble-makers seeing stars.

Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses

In Sly 2: Band of Thieves, players could speak into the PS2′s USB microphone peripheral to distract or attract enemy attention. Naturally, the extra feature proved a liability, as accidental coughs or whispers could generate in-game noise and wreck even the simplest of operations. This November, the Sly Cooper trilogy bundle will incorporate the PS3′s Move technology for mini-games, enhance the experience with 3D, and treat dedicated gamers to a host of trophies.

That wraps it up. Feel free to add your own thieviusly good tips in the comments below!