Ship of Fools: What Does Each Symbol on the Map Mean?

In Ship of Fools, you’ll progress toward each section’s specific boss by moving forward on the map one tile at a time. Each tile has an encounter, unique rewards, a special effect, or an island to visit. Since the game doesn’t have a legend telling you what each symbol on the map means, we made this helpful Ship of Fools guide for you.

All Map Symbols in Ship of Fools Explained

There are many symbols on the map and each one holds something different. The dark tiles will always start the boss battle and get closer with every third movement. The other tiles offer you an opportunity to prepare for what is to come. Let’s get right into it.

First, while the positions of everything are always random and sometimes you won’t get a particular symbol, every map will always have the three pink symbols. Here are what the pink symbols mean in Ship of Fools:

• The pink projectile symbol – At the end of this encounter, you’ll receive a random ammo type. Ammo is placed on a pedestal and used to fire projectiles out of your cannons.
• The pink necklace symbol – At the end of this encounter, you’ll receive a random trinket. Trinkets are personal items that enhance your abilities in some way.
• The pink vase symbol – At the end of this encounter, you’ll receive a random artifact. Artifacts are placed on a pedestal and enhance your ship in some way.

Next, there are random grey symbols that litter the map. Every grey symbol is an island that is free of combat. Here are what the grey symbols mean in Ship of Fools:

• The money bag symbol – An island where you can spend your sand dollars or ship health for trinkets, ammo, and resources. You can also unlock a Fool by breaking the barrels and boxes.
• The treasure symbol – An island that has a treasure chest with ammo or a trinket.
• The dice symbol – An island where you can gamble your sand dollars on various boxes. Some hold more sand dollars, some hold resources, and some hold nothing.
• The forked path symbol – An island where two items are placed before you. You can only take one of the items.
• The broken vase symbol – An island that contains a curse. Curses work like opposite artifacts giving you and your ship negative effects, but at the end of the section, you’ll receive some of the best trinkets in the game as a reward.

There are blue symbols with a stranded person on them. This tile will only be available in a section once. They represent a stranded vendor. Once you have collected them and they are back in town, you won’t see any blue symbols in that sector.

There are white symbols that indicate a special effect. Here is what the white symbols mean in Ship of Fools:

• The wind symbol – When you enter this tile, you’ll get to move again without the enemy timer ticking down one.
• The whirlpool symbol – When you enter this tile, you’ll teleport to the other whirlpool on the map.

Lastly, there are special brown symbols on the map. there are tiles that just have waves which indicates a regular encounter with no rewards. Here is what every special brown symbol on the map means in Ship of Fools:

• The question mark symbol – At the end of this encounter, you’ll get a random resource, ammo, trinket, or artifact. This tile could also be one of the grey symbol islands.
• The jellyfish symbol – At the end of this encounter, you’ll receive a Tendril.
• The harpoon symbol – At the end of this encounter, you’ll receive harpoons.
• The plank symbol – At the end of this encounter, you’ll receive planks.
• The x-circle symbol – At the end of this encounter, you’ll receive shields.
• The star circle symbol – At the end of this encounter, you’ll receive sand dollars.

And that is what every map symbol means in Ship of Fools. Feel free to refer to this guide often until you remember what each symbol means on your own.

Ship of Fools is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.