All junkyard minions locations (achievement "Fix 'Em All")

If you're having a hard time finding/reaching one of the little buddies, this guide is for you.

1. Introduction

During your playthrough, you might have seen some little brown robots around, apparently inactive. They are the junkyard minions, broken units that the player can fix/reactivate to let them go back to the Junkyard King (met in "The Junkyard" level).

There are 21 junkyard minions in the game, they're usually not too difficult to find/reach, and activating them is as simple as pressing a button (literally). Anyway, if you're missing a few of them, this guide will show you where each junkyard minion is located, plus a few tips on how to get there.

2. Requirements

In order to reach every single broken minion, the two main abilities of PONCHO must be unlocked first. They are self-explanatory:

• SMASH ability. Unlocked in level 1 "The Journey Begins", it allows PONCHO to smash weak points of the ground, revealing hidden spots and secret locations. Weak points can be identified thanks to their different graphics, since they create a clear discontinuity with the regular ground nearby.
  
• Fix ability. Unlocked in level 3 "The Junkyard", it allows PONCHO to fix and reactivate broken minions. After thanking the player, each minion will disappear and go back to the junkyard.

Please note that a few keys might be required to reach some of the locations, so it's recommended to always have at least 2-3 keys of each type in your inventory.

3. List of levels and important info

Here is the list of the 9 levels of the game, only the ones in bold style contain at least one minion:

1. The Journey Begins
   
2. The Forest
   
3. The Junkyard
   
4. And The World Shifts With You
   
5. The Mannequin Tribe
   
6. Through The Caves
   
7. The Great Lake
   
8. The Overgrown Remnants
   
9. The Ruins

Levels are usually structured as a ring/loop of interconnected areas: by moving in one direction (left or right), the player eventually ends at the starting point. In order to distinguish the different areas of a level, the starting area will be considered as "number 1" and the direction used to move between the areas (and sort them) will be specified for each level. The specified direction also acts as a "recommendation" to limit backtracking, but you are free to move between the areas as you prefer.

In addition, please note that the terms "background", "midground" and "foreground" will be used to refer to the corresponding layers PONCHO can move on.

4. Level 1 - The Journey Begins

There are 6 minions in this level. Areas are sorted from right to left.

#1

Go to the right from the starting point in the first area, and switch to the foreground. You should see a weak point in the ground: smash it to find a secret cave below. Go down, and then switch to the background: you'll find the minion by proceeding to the right.

#2

From the starting point in the first area, go to the left and reach the point with the electric fence in the foreground. Staying close to the wall nearby, switch to the midground and you'll see the minion inside an opening in the background. To get there, jump towards the opening and switch to the background in mid-air.

#3

In the first area, above the opening previously mentioned, a staircase is visible in the background: you can reach it from the starting point, by going to the left and switching to the background. The walkway will lead you to the second area, with a gap slightly after the entrance. To overcome it, jump and switch to the midground in mid-air, getting to the top of a pillar. From there, switch to the foreground and you'll find the minion on the roof of the building.


By the way, the walkway ends in the third area, where the SMASH ability is located.

#4

In the third area, there's a weak point in the ground behind the teleporter. Smashing it will take you to a secret location usually referred to as "the disco": the minion is at the end of it. The disco can be tough to go through, since the parallax effect is turned on/off repeatedly and it's even possible to get soft-locked in a few spots (you have to exit the level, in such cases). Take your time and you'll succeed eventually.

#5

In the middle of the fourth area, the minion is clearly visible at the top of some ruins, with a building behind it (midground). Use the left pillar of the building to reach the upper platform in the background, by jumping and switching in mid-air. Wait for the sliding blocks nearby to be in the midground, then jump and rapidly switch twice towards the foreground to reach the minion.

#6

In the fifth area (with a lot of ruins), keep proceeding to the left by switching (sequentially) to the background, twice towards the foreground, then twice towards the background. The minion is at the left of the short column between the ruins.

5. Level 2 - The Forest

There are 2 minions in this level. Areas are sorted from left to right.

#1

In the middle of the second area, the minion is at the top of a tall column. It's quite easy to reach it from the left entrance of the area, thanks to the green and blue buildings (you don't even have to move them). In fact, there's a 1-tile spot allowing you to reach the green building in the background with two sequential switches. When you're there, go to the right and switch to the blue building (midground): at this point, the column should be visible in the foreground. To reach the minion, jump towards the column and switch to the foreground in mid-air with precise timing.

#2

In the third area, the minion is visible in the right part of the recess in the background. You should be able to get there very easily, without further instructions.

6. Level 3 - The Junkyard

There is 1 minion in this level. Areas are sorted from left to right.

#1

This level has a linear structure rather than a circular one, and the minion is located behind the electric fence at the right end of the level. Staying to the left of the fence, it can be easily reached by switching to the background.

7. Level 4 - And The World Shifts With You

There are 3 minions in this level. Areas are sorted from left to right.

#1

The minion is located close to the starting point, in the first area. It's pretty much impossible to miss.

#2

In the first area, there are two buildings in the background: the minion is located at the top of the right building (the lower one). To get there, you have to make your way to the top of the left building (the taller one) using some sliding blocks. When you're at the top of it, jump on the most right counter block and then just walk to the right, you should land on the desired building.

#3

The minion can be quickly found in the second area. From the top of the taller building in the first area, you can get there quite quickly thanks to an upper walkway in the midground. Slightly after entering the second area, the minion is located between two metal pillars: simply switch to the foreground then midground and you'll be ok.

8. Level 6 - Through The Caves

There are 3 minions in this level. Areas are sorted from left to right.

#1

In the first area (where the teleporter is), use the parallax gate to access a secondary part of the same area. Using the sliding blocks on the left, reach the platform in the background and then go to the right till a weak point in the ground. Smash it and go down, then keep going to the right in the secret cave till you find the minion (midground).


By the way, there's an interesting pressure switch nearby... By activating it, a platform will raise from the ground (background) and you will enjoy a live performance from a singing hamster. You will also unlock the "Make a Casserole" achievement.

#2

The minion is located in the second area set in the cave (it's the fourth area from the starting point). While proceeding to the right, you'll eventually find an electric fence (midground) and some sliding blocks at its right. You have to reach the platform behind the fence, there are two ways to do it: (1) using the sliding blocks, by jumping and switching while they're in the background; (2) without using the sliding blocks, by jumping and switching and moving in mid-air, all at the same time. It's your choice.

#3

The minion is located in the very same area (the second one set in the cave), where the electric fence is. This time you have to reach a platform in the foreground instead, and you must jump and switch in mid-air with the help of the sliding blocks.

9. Level 7 - The Great Lake

There are 3 minions in this level. The level consists of one single area, travelled from right to left.

#1

The minion is well-hidden but easy to reach. Overcome the first gap (midgrund), and then switch to the background and proceed till the sandy wall in order to find it.

#2

After the first group of sliding blocks, there's a sandy platform (midground) between them and an electric fence. Looking closely, there's a platform above in the background, out of the water: get there using the sliding blocks nearby. From that platform, jump on the next platform to the left and you'll find the minion.

#3

The minion is located on a 1-tile platform behind the electric fence previously mentioned. From the top of the sandy platform (midground) at the right of the fence, simply make a long jump to the left and land on the platform where the minion is.

10. Level 8 - The Overgrown Remnants

There are 3 minions in this level. Areas are sorted from left to right.

#1

In the area to the left of the first one, a few sliding blocks will lead you to the top of some buildings on the background, slightly after the entrance. Staying in the same layer, keep going to the left and stop when you're at the top of the most left building. There should be some sliding blocks at this point: you must use them to reach the top of a building in the foreground, where the minion is. Switch while they're in the midground and you'll get there in a matter of seconds.

#2

The minion is located in the same area (read #1). Starting from the top of the most left building in the background, go down the little spot nearby (between the two buildings) where the sliding blocks are, and then switch to the midground. Go to the right till the pit: you must fall down it and switch to the foreground with precise timing, ending inside an opening. At the most right part of it, jump and switch to the midground, you'll finally reach another opening with the minion waiting for you.

#3

In the area to the right of the first one (the entrance is in the back part of it), you'll see the minion at the top of a platform in the foreground, slightly after the entrance. Use the sliding blocks nearby to reach it and you're done.

11. Conclusion

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