Animal Orbs
Animal Orbs are companions that float next to your character and give passive buffs or active help in combat. You can equip only one at a time, and you swap them at the Animal Ark, a sublevel you reach by entering the large boat on the left side of the Blacksmith level. Hawkster, Bi-Polar Bear, Rammy, and Piggy are the ones worth going out of your way to grab early.
Animal Orbs are companions that float next to your character. They provide passive buffs or active help in combat. You find them hidden in levels or buy them in shops.
Best Orbs for Progression
Some orbs make the game significantly easier. Go out of your way to grab these early.
- Hawkster: Attacks downed enemies and brings you fruit from dead bodies. Find him in the Tall Grass Field level. Look for a horn sign and blow the horn.
- Bi-Polar Bear: Mauls enemies (and friends) who are near death. Find him in the Snow World level. Blow the horn near the sign at the end of the level.
- Rammy: Charges in a straight line at enemies anywhere on screen and can knock down several at once. Find him in the Tall Grass Field level. Beat the Bear boss and grab Rammy before leaving the screen.
- Piggy: Boosts the healing you get from food, though not uniformly. Fruit, Wedding Crash and Lava World food, and Snow World candy all heal double, while turkeys and burgers heal 1.5x, and Corn Boss popcorn is unaffected. Buy Piggy in the Swamp Village Store for 290 gold in Remastered versions or 585 gold on legacy consoles (Xbox 360/PS3). On Insane Mode in Castle Crashers Remastered, Piggy is replaced by the Buffalo Mace.
Finding Hidden Orbs
Orbs are hidden behind eight different methods:
- Use the shovel to dig up "X" marks (Chicken, Mr Buddy, Frogglet, Giraffey).
- Use bombs on cracked walls (Scratchpaw, Snoot, Burly Bear, Troll).
- Use the horn near horn signs (Hawkster, Bi-Polar Bear).
- Use a Sandwich to shift a boulder (Burly Bear).
- Use the Key Sword on the locked Ark door (Beholder).
- Use a Magic Jump inside the Ark (Sherbert).
- Defeat specific bosses (Rammy, Bitey Bat, Cardinal).
- Buy them in stores (Spiny, Piggy, Monkeyface, Pazzo, Pelter, Dragonhead).
Stat and Utility Orbs
Orbs fall into categories, and only one of the popular picks is a true stat enhancer. The rest are Health Helpers or Item Locators, which are still valuable but do not touch your build.
| Orb | Category | What It Gives You | Where to Get It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scratchpaw | Stat Enhancer | Strength +2, Agility +2 on PC and Remastered (Strength +1, Agility +2 on Xbox 360 and PS3) | Sand Castle Interior. Blow the cracked wall open with two bombs. |
| Monkeyface | Item Locator | Raises the chance enemies drop food, gold, and weapons | Church Store. 325 gold in Remastered, 750 gold on legacy consoles. |
| Owlet | Health Helper | Finds fruit hidden inside trees | The very end of Forest Entrance, behind a large bush emitting musical notes. |
| Mr Buddy | Item Locator | Digs noticeably faster | Home Castle Barracks. Dig the far-left spot with the Shovel. |
| Frogglet | Item Locator | Grabs items with his tongue so you stop chasing drops | Marsh. Dig the X in front of the third crypt, the open one. |
Defeating the Beefy Brute in the Industrial Castle gives you Cardinal, not Owlet, and you will never find Owlet there. Owlet is in Forest Entrance.
Scratchpaw is the sleeper pick, and the only orb on this list that changes your stats. Four points on PC and Remastered during the mid-game stretch between the Barbarian War and the Industrial Castle is a larger real power swing than most utility orbs, and Agility feeds directly into your arrow and magic recharge speed.
Monkeyface is the one to run when you are farming instead of progressing. More weapon drops means more chances at the weapons you actually want, and the gold bonus compounds across repeated level runs.
Managing Orbs
You can only equip one Animal Orb at a time. Pick the right orb for the job: Piggy for tough boss fights where you need extra healing, Hawkster for general level progression.
Sources disagree on the exact orb total, partly because DLC orbs and the Golden Whale are counted inconsistently, and partly because the roster differs across platforms. Treat any single number you see with suspicion, including the widely repeated 28, and use the Animal Ark itself as your checklist since it shows what you are missing on your version.
Most orbs are situational, so do not feel obligated to hunt every one before progressing. The practical rotation for a first playthrough is Hawkster or Rammy while clearing levels, Piggy when you hit a boss wall, Scratchpaw while under-leveled, and Monkeyface once you start replaying levels for gold and weapon drops.
The Animal Ark is its own sublevel, not a menu. Enter the large boat on the left side of the Blacksmith level to reach it and swap orbs. Players who treat their orb as a permanent choice are leaving a lot on the table, so make the trip whenever the job changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Animal Orbs can you equip at once?
Only one. You change your orb at the Animal Ark, a sublevel you reach by entering the large boat on the left side of the Blacksmith level.
How many Animal Orbs are there in Castle Crashers?
Sources disagree, because DLC orbs and the Golden Whale get counted inconsistently and the roster varies by platform. Use the Animal Ark as your checklist instead of trusting a published number, since it reflects your own version.
Where do you find Hawkster in Castle Crashers?
Hawkster is in the Tall Grass Field level. Look for a horn sign and blow the horn to get him. He attacks downed enemies and brings you fruit from dead bodies.
How much does Piggy cost?
290 gold in Remastered versions and 585 gold on legacy consoles like the Xbox 360 and PS3, bought at the Swamp Village Store. On Insane Mode in Castle Crashers Remastered, Piggy is replaced by the Buffalo Mace.
Which Animal Orb is best for boss fights?
Piggy. He doubles healing from fruit, Wedding Crash and Lava World food, and Snow World candy, and gives 1.5x from turkeys and burgers. Corn Boss popcorn is the exception he does not affect. For general level progression, Hawkster is the better pick.
Where do you find Owlet?
At the very end of Forest Entrance, behind a large bush that emits musical notes. Defeating the Beefy Brute in the Industrial Castle gives you Cardinal instead, which is a common mix-up.
How do you find hidden Animal Orbs?
Dig X marks with the shovel, bomb cracked walls, and blow the horn near horn signs. Others need a Sandwich to move a boulder, the Key Sword on the Ark's locked door, or a Magic Jump inside the Ark, and several come from bosses or stores.
What to Read Next
- Getting Started. Stat priorities your orb choice should support.
- Combat and Juggling. Orbs that change your offensive options.
- Unlocking Characters. Characters that pair well with specific orbs.
- Tips and Tricks. Where Owlet really is, and the boat that lets you swap orbs.