Survival Mode Perks & Powerups List

After completing a stage, you get a choice between two perks. If you defeat a boss in a stage, you get up to three choices. You can only pick one.

Hey, Buddy! – Gives you an AI-controlled buddy. Assigned randomly. Each perk upgrade gives you a better ally.

Heat of the Battle – Deal -90% damage, but you get +2% for each hit in a combo. Damage bonus applies as long as the combo meter is active.

Blood Thirst – Hitting enemies will heal you for 8% of the damage, but healing items will not heal you anymore.

Golden Pipe – Gives you a gold pipe that deals extra damage. Great for characters like Floyd and Adam who have good reach with pipes.

Golden Knife – Gives you a gold knife that deals extra damage. Good for characters like Blaze who has their own exclusive knife attacks.

Golden Boomerang – Gives you a gold boomerang that deals extra damage.

Full of Yourself – Damage dealt +20% when at full health. Gives additional % bonuses if you take this perk multiple times.

Last Hurrah – Damage dealt +15% if health is lower than 50%. Gives additional % bonuses if you take this perk multiple times.

Survival Instinct – Damage taken -12% when your health is below 50%. Gives additional subtraction bonuses if you take this perk multiple times.

Damage Up – Damage dealt +10%. Adds +10% more for each perk upgrade.

Defense Up – Damage taken -10%. Adds -10% more for each perk upgrade.

Ground Level – Damage for all attacks are +15% higher, damage taken -15%, movement speed +15%. But you cannot jump.

A Little Closer to the Stars – Score earned +40%. Adds +20% each time you upgrade the perk.

Fire Weapon – Adds Fire effect to weapon attacks. Hitting an enemy will create an AoE fire zone on the ground, knocking foes down. Getting this perk does not remove other elemental effects.

Electric Weapon – Adds Electric effect to weapon attacks. Hitting an enemy propagates 20% of the damage to nearby enemies. Getting this perk does not remove other elemental effects.

Toxic Weapon – Adds Toxic effect to weapon attacks. Hitting an enemy with Toxic will make them lose health and slow them down for 3 seconds. Getting this perk does not remove other elemental effects.

Fire Special – Adds Fire effect to Special attacks. Hitting an enemy will create an AoE fire zone on the ground, knocking foes down. Getting this perk does not remove other elemental effects.

Electric Special – Adds Electric effect to Special attacks. Getting this perk does not remove other elemental effects.

Toxic Special – Adds Toxic effect to Special attacks. Getting this perk does not remove other elemental effects.

Fire Blitz – Adds Fire effect to Blitz attacks. Getting this perk does not remove other elemental effects.

Electric Blitz – Adds Electric effect to Blitz attacks. Getting this perk does not remove other elemental effects.

Toxic Blitz – Adds Toxic effect to Blitz attacks. Getting this perk does not remove other elemental effects.

Tactical Support – Your star move spawns 4 rockets. Adds 4 more for each perk upgrade.

Star Power – You gain 3 stars.

Elemental Star – Your Star moves have elemental effects, but they deal 50% less damage.

Glass Cannon – You deal 100% more damage, but take 100% more.

Special Moves Reduced Health Cost – Special attacks drain 10% less health. Each perk upgrade adds 10% more for the first upgrade, and then 5% for subsequent ones.

Old School – Special attacks drain 30% less health, but you cannot gain green health back from hitting enemies.

Speed Up – Speed increases by +15%. Upgrade to this perk adds an additional +10%.

Jump Up – Adds one more jump.