Key

Agent 3 collecting a key in Octotrooper Hideout.

“	Gotta have a key to open that vault!	”
— Cap'n Cuttlefish

Keys are mechanics in Octo Valley and Octo Canyon. Keys, upon being collected, can unlock vaults to allow the player to progress. Keys are typically hidden inside a crate or dropped by an Octotrooper.

Description

Keys appear similar to typical keys, excluding the fact that they are roughly the same size as an Inkling's head. The top, curved portion resembles a crab with interlocked claws raised above its head, while the lower portion more closely mimics its real-life counterpart, being a long, narrow cylinder with teeth protruding at various intervals. They are gold in color.

Usage

Agent 3 can collect a key by walking or swimming up to it. Upon collection, keys appear in the bottom-right corner of the screen as a small icon. They can be used to unlock vaults, which typically conceal important game mechanics such as launchpads. When a key is used to unlock a vault, it disappears from the bottom-right corner of the screen and briefly floats in the air in front of the vault, before shrinking and disappearing altogether. If the player gets splatted with the key before opening the vault, they will lose the key.

In Octo Canyon, Keys can also unlock a glass box that has an Industrial Squee-G inside.

Trivia

• The crab design comes from the fact that the Japanese word for "key" (かぎ, or kagi) sounds similar to the word for "crab" (かに, or kani).

Gallery

• Agent 3 approaching a key.

  Agent 3 approaching a key.

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  A vault being unlocked with a key.

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  Artwork of a male Agent 3 holding a key in the credits.

• A mem cake of a Key from the Octo Expansion.

  A mem cake of a Key from the Octo Expansion.

• A key in Spinning Spreaders.

  A key in Spinning Spreaders.

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  A key in Flooder Junkyard.

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  Another key in Flooder Junkyard.

• Agent 3 next to a key in Far-Flung Flooders.

  Agent 3 next to a key in Far-Flung Flooders.