- Stop The Tsunami update focuses on digging, wall-building, and stopping escalating waves
- Tool progression runs from plastic shovel to excavator, dump truck, and cement gear
- Gravel and boulders add critical reinforcement when sand walls alone fail
- Emergency digging during a wave can salvage a failing defense
- Layered walls outperform a single tall barrier every time
Stop The Tsunami Update Overview
The Stop The Tsunami update is built around one escalating loop: waves approach your town, you dig and build to block them, and each successful stop pays out cash you reinvest into better tools. Early rounds are forgiving — a simple sand dam raised with the starter bucket and shovel is enough. As rounds progress, the game sends multiple waves per round, each taller than the last, and unlocks more coastline you are expected to defend.
Key systems introduced in the update include the tool shop, the workshop cove material depot, and vehicle-based construction equipment. Understanding the order in which to buy tools is the single biggest factor in whether your town stays dry past wave five.
Digging Phase
- Trench and mound sand
- Use shovels and dig tools
- Cheap, fast early defense
Building Phase
- Walls and layered barriers
- Glue and flattening tools
- Mid-game stability
Heavy Equipment
- Bulldozer, excavator, dump truck
- Move gravel and boulders
- Late-game must-have
Waves grow taller every round. If your wall barely survived the last wave, it will not survive the next one — always reinvest your payout into height and thickness before starting a new round.
Tool Progression Priority
Cash is earned per successfully blocked wave, so spending order matters enormously. The table below ranks the shop's core tools by value.
| Tool | Cost Tier | Role | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upgraded Shovel | Low | Faster manual digging and mounding | ★★★★ |
| Sand Trencher | Low | Cuts strategic diversion trenches | ★★★ |
| Lifeguard ATV | Low | Fast map travel, hard to control | ★★ |
| Big Shovel | Medium | Wider dig area, better mounding | ★★★★ |
| Bulldozer | Medium | Pushes sand into huge drifts fast | ★★★★★ |
| Mini Excavator | Medium | Faster digging, tricky to maneuver | ★★★★ |
| Wall Tools / Glue | Medium | Builds and hardens proper walls | ★★★★★ |
| Dump Truck | High | Hauls gravel and boulders from cove | ★★★★ |
| Large Excavator | High | Grabs massive sand loads per pass | ★★★★★ |
Do not save up for the top-tier excavator early. The big shovel and bulldozer cover the mid-game far more efficiently, and the large excavator is slow to move across the map.
Step-by-Step Wall Building
Follow this sequence each round to build a defense that scales with wave height.
Trench the Approaches
Dig a deep trench in front of your build line using the sand trencher or shovel. Water dips into the trench first, bleeding off momentum before it reaches your wall.
Mound the Core Wall
Use the bulldozer to push sand into a wide drift. Width matters as much as height — thin walls get eaten through by repeated hits.
Reinforce with Gravel
Once the workshop cove is unlocked, haul gravel with the dump truck and spread it across the front face of the wall. Gravel stabilizes loose sand.
Thicken with the Excavator
Park the excavator halfway along the wall line and stack sand upward. Sitting in the trench while digging adds both height and strength to the berm.
Layer for Insurance
Build a second and third wall behind the first. Overflow that tops wall one should die against walls two and three before reaching town.
A three-wall defense where each wall is only shoulder-high outperforms a single massive wall, because each layer absorbs and slows the surge independently.
Wave Defense Tactics
Every round follows a predictable rhythm: the ocean pulls back, alarms sound, and the wave funnels toward the lowest or weakest point on your line — often the port section. Use that predictability to your advantage.
| Tactic | When to Use | Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|
| Diversion trench | Before every round | Reduces wave speed |
| Glue spraying | On flattened sand walls | Hardens surface |
| Boulder placement | At weak gaps and port entrance | Blocks surge channels |
| Emergency digging | Mid-wave, when wall fails | Can save a flooding town |
| ATV repositioning | Multi-front rounds | Covers ground quickly |
When a wall fails mid-wave, do not run. Stay at the breach and dig continuously — a hastily deepened trench in front of the town can absorb enough water to save the round.
Waves tend to funnel through the narrow port opening. Concentrate your boulders and thickest wall segment there rather than spreading materials evenly across the whole coast.
Round Goals Checklist
Per-Round Checklist:
- Reinvest wave payout into the next tool upgrade
- Deepen the front trench before starting the round
- Add height and thickness to the main wall
- Stock gravel or boulders at the port entrance
- Confirm a backup wall exists behind the front line
Each blocked wave grants cash immediately. Multi-wave rounds pay multiple times, so surviving all three waves in one round often funds a full tool tier jump at once.
FAQ
Q: What is the best first tool to buy in the Stop The Tsunami update?
The upgraded shovel is the strongest opening purchase because it accelerates every digging action you perform. Follow it with the big shovel, then the bulldozer for pushing large sand drifts quickly.
Q: How do I stop the huge waves that go over my wall?
Build layered defenses. Water that tops the first wall loses momentum against the second and third walls. Also reinforce the front face with gravel hauled from the workshop cove, and keep a trench in front to slow the surge.
Q: Are boulders worth buying with the dump truck?
Use them sparingly. The dump truck only carries about four boulders per trip, which is slow. Gravel is generally the better material for bulk stabilization, while boulders work best as targeted blockers at gaps and the port entrance.
Q: What should I do if my wall breaks during a wave?
Stay at the breach and dig emergency trenches immediately. Deepening the ground directly in front of the town can absorb enough overflow to save the round even after the main wall fails.