How the Level Map Works
Order of the Sinking Star contains more than 1,000 interconnected puzzles, so knowing your region helps you find the right walkthrough quickly. Begin with the four campaigns branching from the Crossroads, then explore the gold rooms that connect their mechanics. The tables below index those starting campaigns and documented crossover areas without claiming to enumerate every individual puzzle.
The official game website describes four distinct worlds that gradually intersect. That structure matters when tracking completion: finishing an introductory campaign leaves additional challenges involving its mechanics elsewhere on the map.
Your first stop is the tutorial. It introduces pushing rocks, running and slowing time, undoing moves, restarting levels, and unlocking cages. Afterward, collect the map immediately north of your arrival point at the Crossroads.
Keep these different units separate when recording progress:
- Campaigns: the four major starting routes.
- Areas and screens: locations containing multiple puzzles.
- Individual puzzles: challenges within those locations.
- Collectibles: treasures or gems tracked by particular walkthroughs.
A guide labeled “Part 3” does not necessarily identify an in-game level named “Level 3.” Matching the region, screen, and visible puzzle layout is more reliable than matching a number alone.
The Four Starting Routes
All four initial campaigns are accessible through different directions from the Crossroads. Game Rant’s walkthrough hub recommends north, east, south, then west based on difficulty, while noting that players can choose their own order.
| Direction | Starting campaign | Main puzzle focus | Walkthrough coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | The Hearty Heroes of Hauling | Characters with different movement and object-handling abilities | Main campaign; Heroes 2: Monsters; Heroes 3: Bard, Druid |
| East | The Mirror Isles | Using reflections to exchange positions | Walkthrough divided into Parts 1–3 |
| South | Skipping Stones to Lonely Homes | Throwing stones into water to create routes | Introductory walkthrough; Level 1 and Level 2 solutions |
| West | Vault of the Beamcasters | Grid puzzles involving beams | Level 1 and Level 2 walkthroughs |
The northern route introduces the heroes’ distinct abilities. Its later guide groups cover monsters and then the bard and druid. Record the relevant group when looking for help, since “the heroes area” can describe several different stages of progression.
The eastern route centers on mirror interactions. Its three walkthrough parts are publishing divisions, so use the pictured location and puzzle arrangement to identify where you belong within them.
The southern route develops stone placement and navigation across water. The western route explores beam-based puzzles, with walkthroughs also organized around gem collection.
Each initial campaign leads to an achievement. Completing those campaigns gives you a useful first milestone, but further regions combine their mechanics into additional challenges. If one route becomes frustrating, trying another is compatible with the game’s open starting structure.
Gold Rooms and Connected Areas
Gold rooms form another stage of exploration by opening access to areas where puzzle systems meet. Their abbreviations identify the participating worlds: H for Heroes, M for Mirrors, S for Skipping Stones, and B for Beamcasters.
| Gold room | Combined mechanics | Location or related coverage |
|---|---|---|
| HxS | Heroes and Skipping Stones | Far north and south connections; Heroes and Stones West and East |
| HxM | Heroes and Mirrors | Northeast; Heroes and Water, plus Heroes and Mirrors |
| MxS | Mirrors and Skipping Stones | Southeast; Mirrors and Stones |
| SxB | Skipping Stones and Beamcasters | An approach through Torc appears in Postmode’s walkthrough |
| HxB | Heroes and Beamcasters | Postmode provides a dedicated gold-room puzzle solution |
The route to Heroes and Mirrors illustrates how these connections work:
- Unlock the golden mirror in The Mirror Isles and follow the relevant path through The Hearty Heroes of Hauling.
- Open the HxM gold room and complete its required puzzle sequence.
- Push the crystal that becomes available on the golden platform to the right.
- Follow the resulting route into Heroes and Mirrors.
There is another dependency inside that area. The lower puzzles on screen 1 require progress on screen 2: solving its middle puzzle removes a barrier in the connecting corridor. You must then position a mirror to reach the lower puzzle group.
The Heroes and Mirrors walkthrough covers this return route. If screen 1 appears inaccessible, check that prerequisite before repeatedly attempting its entrance.
Documented Level Groups and Puzzle Counts
Several walkthroughs specify how many puzzles belong to a numbered group. These figures help you check progress within that group, but they should not be treated as a complete count for the corresponding world.
The following counts appear in Postmode’s walkthrough playlist:
| Level or area group | Puzzles listed |
|---|---|
| Skipping Stones 1 | 13 |
| Skipping Stones 2 | 12 |
| Heroes and Water 2 | 3 |
| Heroes and Water North | 4 |
| Mirrors and Stones 1 | 6 |
| Mirrors and Stones 2 | 4 |
| Mirrors and Stones 3 | 6 |
| Mirrors and Stones 4 | 4 |
| Mirrors and Stones 5 | 7 |
| Mirrors and Stones 6 | 4 |
| Torc | 3 |
The six Mirrors and Stones chapters list 31 puzzles altogether. The two numbered Skipping Stones chapters list 25.
| Area | How its walkthrough is organized | Listed coverage |
|---|---|---|
| The Mirror Isles | Walkthrough parts | Parts 1, 2, and 3 |
| Heroes and Mirrors | Screens | Screens 1–7 |
| Heroes and Water 1 | Area walkthrough | Puzzle solutions and overworld navigation |
| Vault of the Beamcasters | Gems | An initial walkthrough covering 12 gems |
| Vault of the Beamcasters Underground | Gem labels | Gems 12–20 |
Seven screens do not mean seven puzzles: a single screen can contain multiple challenges. Similarly, gem collection totals measure a different objective from puzzle counts. Keep those units visible in your notes instead of combining them into one completion number.
The playlist also includes an Antipode access walkthrough involving the MxS teleporter and an audio log. Treat that as a navigation objective when organizing your route, rather than assuming every video corresponds to another numbered level.
Finding a Specific Puzzle and Tracking Progress
The community interactive map provides location markers and level file names that can help identify a puzzle precisely. Its creator explains that color-and-number labels are a navigation aid, with numbering restarting in each area.
For example, the community discussion identifies “orange 22” as mirror_pals. The direct mirror_pals map link is more specific than a color label.
Build a practical checklist with these details:
- Region: record the full area name.
- Location: note the screen, numbered group, or map identifier.
- Objective: distinguish reaching an exit from collecting optional items.
- Prerequisite: record any blocked corridor or earlier puzzle dependency.
- Return point: describe the entrance or landmark you will use later.
The map began with demo coverage, and its creator later reported adding release levels to the Heroes 3 area, including compactor_v2. Check coverage before relying on it as a complete release checklist. An absent marker alone is not evidence that an area contains nothing else.
Optional objectives deserve their own notes. A Steam community guide covers six optional treasures in the first Skipping Stones puzzle and flags early preparation for the sixth. Completion-focused players should check that setup before following only the main route.
FAQ
Does this order of the sinking star all levels guide list every individual puzzle?
This page indexes the starting campaigns, documented gold rooms, and named puzzle groups. The official website describes more than 1,000 puzzles without giving a precise total. The regional counts above cover selected groups and should not be mistaken for a complete inventory.
What order should I play the starting campaigns in?
North, east, south, then west is Game Rant’s suggested difficulty progression: Heroes, Mirrors, Skipping Stones, then Beamcasters. It is a recommendation, not a mandatory sequence. You can pursue the initial campaigns in another order.
Are gold rooms the end of each campaign?
Gold rooms provide connections to further areas. Completing an initial campaign, opening its associated connections, and solving crossover puzzles are different milestones. Keep separate entries for the room and the region it leads into.
Why can I not reach the lower puzzles on Heroes and Mirrors screen 1?
First solve the middle puzzle on screen 2 to remove the connecting corridor’s barrier. Access also requires repositioning a mirror. The area’s walkthrough explains the return path and the mirror setup.
Does completing a level mean I have collected everything?
Do not assume so. The first Skipping Stones puzzle has six optional treasures covered by a separate community walkthrough. Track puzzle completion and optional collection independently, especially when a treasure requires preparation earlier in the route.