To unlock the secret character Andy Sum in Crossy Road, you must play as the Mallard duck and achieve a "great score," which means scoring at least 85% of your current high score. If you have a high score of 100, for example, you must score at least 85 in a run with the Mallard. The character will be unlocked when you die on that run.
A complete guide to unlocking Andy Sum
Step 1: Secure the Mallard character
Before you can begin, you need to have the Mallard character unlocked in your game. The Mallard is part of the "Original Cast" and can be obtained by either:
- Using the Prize Machine with earned coins.
- Purchasing the character with real money from the character selection screen.
Step 2: Know your current high score
This is the most critical part of the process, as your target score is a percentage of your personal best. The best way to check is to play a run with any character and observe the score you are trying to beat.
Step 3: Calculate your target score
To get a "great score" you need to reach at least 85% of your high score.
- Formula:
(Your High Score) x 0.85 = Target Score - Example: If your high score is 450, you need to reach at least 383 to unlock Andy Sum.
- Important: This is a minimum threshold. You can also unlock the character by setting a new high score.
Step 4: Play as the Mallard
Select the Mallard character and start a new run. Its gameplay is standard, with the main obstacles being trees, rocks, and the eagle that swoops down if you stand still for too long. Focus on staying alive and getting a good rhythm to approach your target score.
Step 5: Achieve the great score and unlock
When you die, the game will check if you met the 85% threshold or set a new high score. If you succeeded, you will see a "Great Score!" message appear on the screen, and Andy Sum will be unlocked and added to your roster.
Expert tips and troubleshooting
- Practice makes perfect: If you find it difficult to get a high score with the Mallard, spend some time getting used to the character and its environment. As a member of the Original Cast, it uses the standard grassland terrain.
- Avoid "fluke" high scores: If your current high score is an outlier—much higher than you can normally achieve—it may be very difficult to get the required 85%. Consider playing on another device if necessary to work with a more manageable high score.
- The easy way out: If your high score is low, this is your chance to get Andy Sum effortlessly. For example, with a high score of 50, you only need to score 43.
- Who is Andy Sum? Andy Sum is one of the three co-founders of Hipster Whale, the Australian studio behind Crossy Road. The other two developers, Matt Hall and Ben Weatherall, are also secret unlockable characters. You can unlock them in the same way, but by playing as the Lucky Cat and the Dark Lord, respectively.