Collection Events

Collection Events are limited-time BTD6 events where almost everything you play earns event items, such as eggs at Easter or candy at Halloween. Those items open chests full of Insta Monkeys, and the more items you collect during the event, the better the chests get. It is one of the only reliable ways to get Tier 5 Insta Monkeys, so it is worth planning your playtime around it.

When do Collection Events happen?

Each variant runs once a year around its holiday, usually for about two weeks. The Totem event is the exception: it is not tied to a date, usually lasts one week and can appear several times a year.

• Eggs: Easter.
• Cake: the BTD6 anniversary in mid-June.
• Fireworks: early to mid July.
• Candy: Halloween.
• Presents: Christmas.
• Totems: varies.

The differences are purely visual. The rules and chests work the same way in every variant.

How to earn collection items

You earn items for winning regular games and for taking part in other events that run at the same time.

Regular games

The amount depends on the map difficulty and the game mode you beat. These are the base values, with the bonus map value in brackets:

• Beginner maps: Easy 1 (6), Medium 2 (9), Hard 4 (16), Impoppable or CHIMPS 6 (27).
• Intermediate maps: Easy 2 (8), Medium 4 (12), Hard 6 (22), Impoppable or CHIMPS 8 (36).
• Advanced maps: Easy 3 (10), Medium 5 (15), Hard 7 (27), Impoppable or CHIMPS 10 (45).
• Expert maps: Easy 4 (12), Medium 6 (18), Hard 9 (33), Impoppable or CHIMPS 14 (54).

Primary Only counts as Easy. Military Only, Reverse and Apopalypse count as Medium. Magic Monkeys Only, Double HP MOABs, Half Cash and Alternate Bloons Rounds count as Hard. Deflation gives only 1 item (3 on an Expert bonus map), so skip it during the event.

Bonus maps

During the event, one map in each map difficulty is marked with a BONUS REWARDS icon. It pays far more than normal, as the numbers in brackets show. The bonus moves to another map of the same difficulty every time you finish a game on it, and also every 8 hours. Always check which maps carry the bonus before you start a game.

Other events

Race Events, Odyssey Events and Boss Events also give collection items while a Collection Event is active. Race placements pay between 15 items (top 75%) and 100 items (1st). Beating tier 5 of a Boss Event gives 35 items on Normal and 70 on Elite, replacing the Power you would normally get.

Collection chests

Your collected total decides which chest you are working toward, and each chest type takes a set number of items to earn:

• Wooden (0 to 99 collected): takes 20 items, 2 Instas, 80% Tier 1 and 20% Tier 2.
• Bronze (100 to 249): takes 30 items, 2 Instas, 20% Tier 1, 70% Tier 2 and 10% Tier 3.
• Silver (250 to 449): takes 40 items, 2 Instas, 40% Tier 2, 55% Tier 3 and 5% Tier 4.
• Gold (450 to 999): takes 50 items, usually 2 Instas (10% chance of 3), 60% Tier 3 and 40% Tier 4.
• Diamond (1,000 and more): takes 70 items, 2 or 3 Instas (40% chance of 3), 35% Tier 3, 60% Tier 4 and 5% Tier 5.

The key point: chest quality is based on everything you have collected during the event, not on what you are holding. Early chests are weak, but every item you earn pushes you toward Gold and Diamond, where the Tier 4 and Tier 5 Instas live. If you are serious about Tier 5 Instas, aim to cross 1,000 items.

How to farm collection items efficiently

1. Play bonus maps. A bonus map is worth roughly three to six times a normal map of the same difficulty.
2. Pick the mode by time, not by items per game. CHIMPS on an Expert bonus map gives 54 items but takes a long time and can fail. A fast Easy or Medium game on a bonus map can give more items per hour. Find the mode you can win quickly and reliably.
3. Use the moving bonus. Since the bonus moves after every win, finishing a bonus map rolls a new bonus map in the same category. Check the map list again after each game.
4. Do your weekly events. Race, Odyssey and Boss Events pay items on top of their normal rewards, and a decent race placement alone can be worth more than several regular games.
5. Use Double Cash or strong Monkey Knowledge if you have them. Faster wins mean more games per hour. Monkey Knowledge makes easy modes almost instant.

Common mistakes

• Playing non-bonus maps out of habit.
• Grinding Deflation, which barely pays anything during the event.
• Quitting before Diamond chests. The last few hundred items are where the best rewards are.
• Spending all your time on long CHIMPS games that you are not confident you can win.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get Tier 5 Insta Monkeys in BTD6?

Collection Events are one of the main ways. Once you have collected 1,000 items in an event, each Insta from a Diamond chest has a 5% chance to be Tier 5.

What is the fastest way to farm collection items?

Play the bonus maps on the quickest mode you can reliably win, and finish your weekly Race, Odyssey and Boss Events while the Collection Event is active.

How often does the bonus map change?

The bonus moves to another map of the same difficulty every time you finish a game on it, and every 8 hours.

Does CHIMPS give the most collection items?

Per game, yes: up to 54 items on an Expert bonus map. Per hour of play, a faster mode on a bonus map can be better.

Which modes count as Hard for collection items?

Magic Monkeys Only, Double HP MOABs, Half Cash and Alternate Bloons Rounds all pay the same as Hard. Impoppable and CHIMPS pay the most.

Do I get collection items from Boss Events?

Yes. During a Collection Event, beating tier 5 of a Boss Event gives 35 items on Normal and 70 on Elite.