1. Perception is everything

Monument Valley is a planet that is entirely made up of optical illusions. It’s not so much about what you’re looking at as it is about how you look at it. Having said that, if you’re stuck on a problem, make sure you’re looking at it from all sides. A staircase or a connector may be visible from one perspective but completely obscured from view from another.

2. Start each level off by exploring the landscape

Before moving Ida around too much, one of the first things you should do is examine your surroundings. Check to see if there are any things you can rotate or shift before deciding on the best course for Ida to take. Make a mental note of any switches. You won’t be able to interact with these, but Ida will. It’s usually a good idea to make getting Ida to any objects that only she can interact with your first priority.

3. Use pulleys and switches to your advantage

Crows will try to reverse switches you’ve pressed as soon as you walk off of them in several chapters. In these situations, you must find a means to put a stop to it. This is usually done using a pulley or block that you can hold just long enough to deflect them. Then it’s all about the time.

4. If a lever rotates, lay a path out in front of Ida

Returning to lesson number one, the most important thing to remember regarding spinning obstacles is that how you perceive them is more significant. When you rotate the level, keep track of which stairways connect to which. Then work out how to get Ida from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible.

5. If you can’t see Ida, that move won’t work

A good rule of thumb to remember is that if Ida is out of view, you won’t be able to move at that perspective unless you move Ida around a bit. If you’re trying to guide Ida around a tight corner or plan another move, the best rule to follow is to keep her in sight at all times. That suggests anything you’ve planned will be successful.

6. Crows are all about timing and trickery

For lack of a better phrase, crows are harmless. They do, however, get in the way very frequently. To get past them, you may need to use a little deception and timing. Most of the time, you can achieve this by timing your taps to move Ida around them. If there is a persistent Crow, you may need to try to find a means to keep Ida out of the fray before dragging her into the fray. The majority of the time, a part of the monument can be lifted to block their route.

7. Learn cranks and rotation devices at the beginning of a level

Get to know any cranks or other mechanisms that allow you to change the scenery at the start of the level. You’ll save a lot of time transferring Ida back and forth if you do it this way. If you step off certain locations or onto others, certain cranks may become inoperable. Learning how to maneuver around them and use them to your advantage early on will help you figure out how to effectively move around them and use them to your advantage.