Unlike most maze-type games, the playing of Pengo is not based upon patterns, so you never know which maze configuration will appear next. The key to Pengo strategy is simply kill or be killed. But there are many and various ways that are used to employ this strategy. In the beginning rounds the main strategy to use is to crush the sno-bees with the ice blocks or diamond blocks. However, in later rounds, as the sno-bees get faster and more aggressive, you will have to employ more advanced strategies, such as the wall strategy and the advanced diamond block strategy.
Sno-Bee Strategy[edit]
The sno-bee strategy is the main strategy of the game, with the objective of crushing sno-bees by pushing ice blocks against them.
Egg Strategy[edit]
This strategy requires a fairly good memory, since you must be able to remember where the eggs were revealed at the beginning of each round. Once you know where they are, you should maneuver Pengo to an egg-hiding ice block and crush it, thereby killing the egg and earning 500 point. Do not, however, get greedy and immediately try to crush three or four eggs at the beginning of each round. If you do this, the sno-bees will rapidly track you down, force you into a corner, and kill you. It is best to play conservatively and only kill one or two eggs at the beginning of each round.
Wall Strategy[edit]
The wall strategy is a strategy entirely unique to all video games. Unlike most video game walls, this wall is not merely a boundary which contains the maze. Instead, it is also a useful weapon against the sno-bees. Whenever Pengo is touching a wall and one or more of the sno-bees is touching the same wall, press the joystick toward that wall and depress the push/crush button. The wall will vibrate and activate a free unit. At this time every sno-bee or blob along that wall will be rendered completely vulnerable, and Pengo can destroy them by simply running over them.
Diamond Block Strategy[edit]
As mentioned earlier, whenever the three diamond blocks are lined up side-by-side, a bonus is earned—10,000 points for placement in the middle of the screen, and 5,000 points for placement against the wall. Also immediately after the bonus is earned every sno-bee that was not turning a corner before the blocks were lined up will become frozen, just as if the wall strategy had been used. However, those sno-bee that were in the process of turning a corner or hatching from eggs will not be frozen, but remain aggressive.
Advanced Diamond Block Strategy[edit]
The advanced diamond block strategy is by far the best strategy and should be used whenever possible. The main objective is to move the diamond blocks one space away from one of the walls. In this manner a 10,000 point bonus is earned, all of the non-corner-turning sno-bees are frozen, and a safe spot is set up for Pengo. Since the diamond blocks cannot be moved or crushed by the sno-bees, and since they are only one space away from a wall, now Pengo can hide between the blocks and the wall. Therefore, all the sno-bees will have to come to the wall to get Pengo. When they do this, simply freeze the wall and all of the sno-bees on the wall will become frozen and therefore vulnerable. It is impossible to be killed when this strategy is used correctly.