Old Compasses are collectible items scattered across the Spirhalite Islands, and each one you grab lets you uncover a hidden Sampler Dungeon on the overworld map. They sit inside blue breakable crates tucked away in specific stages, so knowing which levels hold them saves a lot of backtracking.
Quick answer: Look for the blue breakable crate in each stage listed below, break it to collect the Old Compass, then open the treasure map and follow the compass icon to reveal a new Sampler Dungeon.
How to spot an Old Compass in a stage
Crates come in three colors, and the color tells you what is inside. Plain crates hold weapons or Spirhalite gems, orange crates hold Briny Scrolls, and blue crates hold Old Compasses. If a level contains one, a compass icon appears at the top of the stage preview once you finish a run, along with how many the level holds.
Any compass you already own shows a checkmark on that preview. If it is unchecked, the compass is still sitting in the stage and you will need to re-enter the level to grab it.
All Old Compass locations
The compasses are spread across the tropical, volcanic, and icy island regions. Here is every stage that hides one and where to look.
| Stage | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| Tumetto Rocks | Inside a blue crate on a small island between two palm trees; use a Bot Hop to cross the water. |
| Lintle Inlet | On a grate in mid-air along the main path, near a Salivator; use the green pads to jump up. |
| Carbanyara Wetlands | Behind a large rock on the circular end of the sandy outcrop, across the bridge past the first balloon area. |
| Pipyoni Cliffs | In a narrow gap between the rocks on the left of the main path, next to a dead tree by the entrance. |
| Fridda Trail | On a platform after the ink rail area; reach the blue crate with a Bot Hop, which may take a couple tries. |
| Taytur Rocks | North of the large crystal on a lower island; approach the hanging grate to trigger a wind tunnel and glide down. A Maws can spawn here. |
| Yaksubi Volcano | In a small left-side alcove after the springy bounce plants; the compass crate hides under and behind the regular crates. |
| Kreyp Lava Lake | On a foggy secluded island guarded by a Thick-Cut Salty Tongue; ride the wind gusts near the bridge to reach it. |
| Soyu Cliffs | On an elevated wire-mesh platform; climb the nearby platform and Bot Hop to the top. |
| Uven Crater | Directly along the path, resting on a ramp by the cliffs. |
| Sahlse Vents | On the right side of the island before the treasure chest; use the air vent to reach the separate island. Salmonids patrol nearby. |
| Kurmuh Lava Flows | Right in your path, behind a stack of regular crates. |
| Choclet Iceberg | Drop through the floor grates near the small crystal at the start, clear the enemies, and grab the crate in the cave below. |
| Toonya Glacier | At the two sets of rotating icebergs, look left for a wall crevice; reach it with Bot Hops or squid jumps. |
| Vanilo Mountain | Near the first crystal, climb the three ledges on the slippery slope, then follow the path to the crate at the edge. |
| Yillatay Icicles | In plain sight at the top of the mountain, which you climb to progress through the level. |
| Sweeshrim Peak | In a crate in an alcove surrounded by Sparky Salmonids. |
| Rinboh Lake | On the main path behind a Big Shot hopping on a concrete slope. |
| Krimpuff Cave | Behind a breakable wall; shoot the propeller on the ice block to break it, then hop up. |
| Seaza Mountains | At the top of a slope with three tall plants; ride the wind currents up to the crate pile. |
| Baygull Beach | By a red crystal at the far side of the map, past a Stinger’s ink blasts. |
Note: Soyu Cliffs sits on a high cliff ledge that a standard Bot Hop cannot reach, so you will likely need gadgets or relic powers that boost your jump height to grab it.
A few more compasses come as rewards for clearing Buried Ruins on Super Spicy difficulty rather than from crates.
- Chowda Buried Ruins
- Unnyarang Buried Ruins
- Minchup Buried Ruins
Trickier pickups worth a closer look
Most compasses sit close to your route, but a handful need a specific movement trick. Tumetto Rocks is a clean introduction to the routine. The crate rests on a small island just off the mainland, and a single Bot Hop carries you across the water safely.
Lintle Inlet is even simpler. The blue crate floats on top of a grate along the path you are already following, so you barely have to leave your route.
Carbanyara Wetlands hides its crate behind a large rock on the circular end of a sandy outcrop, reached across the bridge past the first stretch of balloons.
Yaksubi Volcano is one of the sneakier ones. After bouncing across the gaps with the tall plants, you drop into a fight. Check the small alcove on your left, where the compass crate is tucked under and behind the ordinary crates.
Uven Crater goes the other way and hands you the compass with almost no effort. The crate sits right on your path, resting on a ramp beside the cliffs.
Sahlse Vents lives up to its name. Use the air vent to launch across to the separate island where the crate waits, and be ready for the Salmonids patrolling around it.
How to use an Old Compass to reveal a dungeon
Once you own an Old Compass, open the treasure map. A compass icon appears at the top of the screen and points you toward a hidden Sampler Dungeon. Move in the direction it indicates to narrow down the location, and when you are standing in the right spot, press A to reveal the new dungeon.
There are three types of Old Compass, and each behaves differently while you search.
| Compass type | How it guides you |
|---|---|
| Yellow | Points directly toward the hidden dungeon’s location. |
| Orange | Fills up more the closer you get to the dungeon. |
| Blue | Reacts when you move in the general direction; the blue circle expands as you get nearer. |
Clearing the Sampler Dungeon a compass unlocks rewards you with a skill point. Some of these dungeons restrict you to certain weapons or gadgets and lean into puzzle-style challenges, so they play differently from standard stages. You will know a compass worked when it appears on your overworld map and the dungeon icon shows up once you press A in the correct spot.
