If I want to find a fast, free, but challenging puzzle game, I know to head to Cool Math Games to find one—and the site has come up trumps again with Lava and Aqua. If you’re trying to beat it, read on for my full walkthrough.
How to beat Lava and Aqua - Cool Math Games
The game is made up of X levels, and on each, you need to beat the lava to escape the screen before it envelopes the land. Move blocks, and remember you can press Z as many times as you like to undo your moves (even if you die). Whenever I say efficiently below, it means every move has to be precise, or you’ll run out of time.
Level 1
Simply move right and out of the portal.
Level 2
Move up four times, pushing the block up to block the lava on the left. Now, move right four times, blocking the lava on the right. Head out of the portal at your leisure.
Level 3
go down twice, then move to the left of the block and push it right. It will push the lava back, so push it right into the corner. Now push the next block up into the room above, right to the top, then go to its right and push it left a couple of times, up once, and then push it left along the passage (pushing the lave back once more). When you get to the block below you, push it down and into the small room and then walk around it into the portal to complete the level.
Level 4
The aqua stops the lava on its own, and you can alk in the aqua, so just move up and right and out of the portal.
Level 5
Move up twice and then right, pushing the block away to release the water. Keep pushing the block right until the water blocks the lava, then head up and through the portal.
Level 6
Now, you also need to touch the purple dot to clear the level, as well as escape yourself. Move around the block you’re on its right, push it left once, move underneath it, then push it up again to block the top lava flow.
Move down and push the other block down to stop the lower lava flow. You can now grab the purple dot and leave in your own sweet time.
Level 7
Move to the center and push the top block right once, letting the water out of the top. Move back and then push the left block down twice. This is enough to now let the water do its job. Collect both purple dots from the water and leave through the portal.
Level 8
Move down once and push the middle block left twice. Move up to the right side of the top block and also push that right twice. Move down to the right of the bottom block and push that right twice as well, blocking the last of the lava. Do a little dance (optional), grab the purple dots, and leave.
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Level 9
Head down and move the two blocks into the position I’ve pictured above. Now keep edging them up one space at a time, first left and then right, until those two central lower blocks are above the two blocking the left and right passageways. You can now push the block down the left passage far enough to collect the purple ball, then do the same to the block in the right passage to leave.
Level 10
Things have changed up again now. The green numbers indicate how many turns it will take until the green block disappears, freeing the lava. In this case, you have exactly enough time to move one block to a position just outside the far passage and then the other to block the left passage before the green timers run out, stopping the lava from leaving the tunnels. Once done, you can put the kettle on, take your time, grab the purple dots, and move along.
Level 11
The green numbers are key here. Again, moving efficiently, you have just enough time to push the block below the bottom left green block (12) and up into the lava. This removes the lava completely. Now, do the same through the top of the middle green number into the middle square.
Note that the top number is lower on the right side greens, so once you’ve moved the block into the central space of the middle column, you’ll need to move around to the bottom of the block (using the now empty left column) and push the block up from underneath, then across and into the right column. The two green squares blocking the purple dots will disappear just after, leaving you free to clean up.
Level 12
For the first time, water is a problem this time. Push the block down twice, then across to the right and up through the water and also through the lava, allowing you to move to the right of the screen. If you don’t do this, the water meets the lava, creating a block that traps you on the right.
Move across and under the moveable block on the right, pushing it up and right so that it blocks the lava from above and then down (collecting the top-right purple circle in the process) to squash the lava while leaving room for the water to escape. Head back up and across to get the top-left purple dot. While you’re doing that, the water will sort out the lava at the bottom of the screen, allowing you to walk through the water to get the bottom-left purple dot and then swim off through the portal.
Level 13
This level is all about edging the blocks outward to expand your playable area while not letting the lava in. The image above shows how it is done for the first three purple dots. Simply repeat for the other three.
Level 14
Ooh, a new toy. The annoying spaces with the blue square in each corner block you completely but let the lava through. Here, you simply need to efficiently push the three moveable blocks to block each side, which you have just enough time to do.
Level 15
Once more, the water is your enemy here. Efficiently push the top moveable block so that it blocks the water. Next, move down to the bottom block and put it in place to move right through the lava. If you’ve timed it perfectly, the green square will disappear, allowing you to push that block left and into the lava, quelling it. You can now move through the lower tunnel and up to the portal.
Level 16
This is a more complicated version of level 1, in which you have to outrun the lava rather than beat it. Move down and push the lower block to the right and then up, blocking the right lava flow. Then, move up and push the top block so it blocks the top lava flow. Now dash across and get the purple dot, then dash back just in time to escape. You have to be precise, but it does work!
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Level 17
Here you need to make yourself a little castle wall to survive inside while the green block stopping you from getting to the portal runs down. Once you’re in the position I’ve shown above, push the final block into the middle of your little shelter, go to the other side of it, and complete your wall just in time. Then just wait out the timer and you’re free.
Level 18
Another new square to play with! These black squares block both water and lava, and you can walk on them too. For a pleasant change, there is no rush here. Move the right block to the right side of the portal, then move the top and bottom blocks so they’re directly above and below the first block (see image). Now simply push the middle block left twice and drop through the portal.
Level 19
Back to the precise moves now. Move left three times, up to the top, then right until you’re above the block in the water. Push it down until it is two spaces above the green blocks (which should be on 2 at that point). Now move to the left of the block and push it right with the lava hot on your tail (don’t worry, it’ll get stopped by the water).
Push the block up and right and then down through the three laval spaces in the top right. Move quickly down and left so that you’re in front of the green block in front of the portal. It will disappear just in time for you to escape.
Level 20
You need to take the lava out before the green blocks time out. Efficiently move up to the top left block down between the two top green blocks. Move the top-right block onto the central right black space. Use the bottom-right block to go between the bottom two green squares. Finally, move back to the moveable block on the right and push it through the center.
Level 21
Pressing or covering the green button affects the green squares in various ways. In this instance, you simply want to push the moveable block over the green button. Once done, you can just grab the purple dot from the top room and walk out of the level.
Level 22
Precisely push the central moveable block until it covers the green button on the lower left corner. Now move up and around the top left block, pushing it down onto the other green button.
As you move back down again, collect the first moveable block (that is on the lower green button) and push it back to the right and then up and through the passage to be in front of the left green block that’s counting down by the lava. This will block it, allowing you to leave once the other green block’s counter hits zero.
Level 23
Your timing needs to be exact here. Move up, right, up, left (onto the green button). Move right off the button, blocking the lava on the left. Then, move clockwise around the button, stepping on it again when the bottom green tile on the right is about to go from 1 to zero. Step off the button again, and that lava is also dealt with. You can now collect the dots in your own time and leave.
Level 24
Head across to the moveable block on the bottom left without touching any of the green buttons. Push the block right and up and then left so it destroys the top-left lava space. Now walk around the moveable block to its left side and push it right across the map and into the top-right corner (just in front of the green block), blocking the lava there too.
Move down and left through the green button so that you’re on the right of it. Push it out and down, and then right until it covers the green button pictured above. This gives you entry to the purple dot’s location. Congratulations! You’ve beaten Lava and Aqua.
For more Cool Math Games guides here at Pro Game Guides, check out How to beat Stage 11 on Bloxorz and Open 50 Doors Walkthrough!
Chris Marling is a writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience across newspapers, magazines, and websites. Based in the UK, he has written professionally on everything from tech to tearooms. But his real passion is gaming, going right back to the Atari 2600 - and especially RPGs and MMOs. He cut his teeth on games such as The Realm and Anarchy Online. But 20 years on still gets excited about exploring each new world. When not online, you'll find him gaming analog-style around the table. Chris has had five of his own board games published, including Pioneer Days and Armageddon.