Temple Run Walkthrough and Tips for High Scores

With randomly generate levels and an arcade-like high-score focus, it might be impossible to write a very detailed walkthrough, but there are very simple steps that will help you achieve the highest score possible.

1) Comfort and Control

The easiest way to earn a high score is really a matter of comfort and helping your hand survive a record-setting run. You will absolutely cramp up if you don't hold your phone properly. With all the tilt control needed to navigate Temple Run's twisting platforms, hold your phone improperly will inhibit you from making it through a long run.

Hold your phone with your hand wrapped around it horizontally, with fingers on one side and your thumb on the other. Determine which hand you're most comfortable swiping side-to-side and up and down with and then hold the phone with the opposite hand.

2) Upgrades

Don't worry yourself with the character you're playing as or single-use powerups like the resurrection or boost. Those can come in handy later when you're really pushing for a leaderboard topping run, but in the beginning, it's best to upgrade with the coin magnet powerup. Once you've got your hands on that, it'll be easier to horde more and more coins in later runs.

As you progress you should unlock upgrades in the following order: Coin Magnet, Double Value, 50 Coin, Invisibilty, and 250 M Boost.

3) Up or Down

Many of the obstacles that Temple Run would like you to slide under can be jumped over, so it's a good idea to be prepared to jump more than slide. In fact, a high score is readily attainable if your muscle memory defaults to jumping over more obstacles than sliding under.

Also remember that until you reach extremely high distances, Temple Run will not mix up the obstacles one right after the other. Basically if you see roots, expect more roots in the short term. If you see flames, the same can be said.

4) Money Can't Buy Life

While the resurrection single-use powerup might actually refute that claim, it stands to reason that you should be much more concerned with your well-being in Temple Run than with the coins that might stray from the center of the path.

It can be tempting to make a big effort to tilt your phone side to side to grab the odd strand of coins, but in reality, there's more profit in a longer run than there is in those distractions. If you're really interested in earning a ton of dough, focus on the obstacles in front of you and stick to the middle path (unless the middle path is missing).

Once you've got the double coins upgrade, this advice will really ring true as the more valuable coins don't appear until after 1500 meters.

5) Purposely Trip

Reader Ross writes in to add to our Temple Run tips:
Later as the player starts to move much faster you can actually trip on purpose to slow yourself down. Trip twice and the monkeys will catch you, so you have to be careful. There are two easy ways to trip. Don't avoid the smaller tree root, walk right over it or swipe to turn without being at a turn. This only works on the paths that have edges that keep you from falling off.

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