Catchin' Waves is a surfing mini game played from a shack at the Cove. In this game, the player moves the cursor up and down to steer a penguin surfing along a wave. There are four game modes. There are also several advanced moves and tricks that you can do in mid-air or on the water; some of these include the "Ice Breaker" and the "Lazy Wave".
A puffle winning the game.Using a silver surfboard a player can earn up to 2000 coins in a single run, although achieving such an amount is difficult.
Surf lesson: a short tutorial with tips on how to surf.
Freestyle mode: a normal surfing mode.
Survival mode: The player must surf through rough seas and avoid icebergs.
Competition mode: There are three judges who want a certain trick or move. You must do these as many times as possible to get a high score from the judges.
Secrets
If you bring a red puffle with you, you can get a few more points which may get you a few more coins. You only can get more points by doing tricks in the air. Then your puffle will get you the maximum 3 points. Note that this secret will not work in the last game mode, Survival, because your puffle is too afraid to come with the player.
Near the end of Survival Mode, when you get 20,000 points, there will be a shark which tries to throw you off the board. You earn the Shark! stamp for this.
If you are playing the 1st, 2nd or 4th level, which are Freestyle, Survival and Surf Lesson (respectively), wait until the end when the water is going down and then lose balance and fall (if you have still 1 - 3 boards left). Then you will go back a little and you won't lose any points. Do this until you don't have any more boards.
Non-default surfboards can be bought to make the game easier, although it takes more skill to use them as they are faster and more sensitive.
Tricks/Moves
Ice Breaker: Press the A + W or left and up keys at the same time.
Coastal Kick: Press the A + D or left and right keys at the same time.
Blender: Press the S + D keys or down and right keys at the same time.
Lazy wave: Press the S + W keys or down and up keys at the same time.
Backstand: Press the S + A keys or the down and left keys at the same time.
Surf fever: Press the D + W keys or the right and up keys at the same time.
Shooting the tube: Hold back until you reach the curved part of the wave. This will slowly gain points.
Frontflip: Moving the mouse in clockwise circles while in the air.
Backflip: Moving the mouse in counter-clockwise circles while in the air.
Pressing any A S D or W key / left, down, right or up in air lets your penguin do a basic aerial trick. Flipping at the same time increases points.
Grind: When in the air pressing the left mouse button pulls your penguin down faster, if you do not stop pressing the button your penguin will grind when landed. It gains you points slowly. To get points more quickly, do tricks while grinding.
Trivia
Survival mode and competition mode used to be available for non-members until the stamps came in.
