Insta Monkeys

Insta Monkeys (Instas) are towers that come already upgraded, such as a 2-0-3 Dart Monkey or a 0-0-5 Monkey Village, and cost no in-game cash to place. You collect them outside of games and drop them in from the Powers menu, which makes them perfect for a strong start on a hard map or for rescuing a run that is about to leak.

How Insta Monkeys work

• Open the Powers menu in a game and pick an Insta from your collection. It is placed instantly with its upgrades already bought.
• Each Insta is consumed when you place it. Your collection screen still remembers that you owned it, so used Instas count toward collection borders and achievements.
• You can keep upgrading a placed Insta with cash, as long as its paths allow it. A 3-0-2 Super Monkey can be taken to 4-0-2 if you can afford it.
• An Insta with no upgrades bought on it after placement sells for nothing, so think twice before selling one to free up cash.
• You can place Instas of towers or upgrades you have not unlocked yet, but not ones that a challenge's rules disallow.
• Instas count as Powers, so they follow the same restrictions.

Where Insta Monkeys are banned

Instas cannot be used in CHIMPS, Races, ranked events such as Ranked Boss Events, or any challenge that disables Powers. In Contested Territory and Odyssey you can only use what you equip before starting. Every other mode, including Impoppable, allows them.

How to get Insta Monkeys

Round 100 and freeplay

You earn one Insta Monkey for every 100th round you complete, in almost any mode. The tier you can get on round 100 depends on the map's difficulty:

• Beginner maps: the highest upgrade tier is 0 or 1 (50% each).
• Intermediate maps: highest tier 1 or 2 (50% each).
• Advanced maps: highest tier 2 (30%), 3 (50%) or 4 (20%).
• Expert maps: highest tier 3 (70%) or 4 (30%).
• Round 200, 300 and beyond: highest tier 3 (75%) or 4 (25%) on any map.

Round 100 is only reached on Impoppable, CHIMPS or in freeplay after a win, so the best Insta farm is an Expert map you can comfortably take to round 100. In Primary Only, Military Only and Magic Monkeys Only, the reward is always a tower from that category. This reward is not given in Contested Territory, Rogue Legends or challenges with the "No Round 100 Reward" rule.

Insta Store and Freeplay Challenge

• The Insta Store shows nine specific Insta offers plus one bundle. Each offer unlocks for Monkey Money after you complete a gameplay goal, or can be bought with real money for three copies. The store resets every two weeks.
• The Freeplay Challenge asks you to reach a certain round. When you do, you choose one of three Insta rewards, two of them picked to help your collection. It also resets every two weeks.

Events

• Collection Events: crates contain two or three Instas each. Before opening a crate you can pick one of four tower types so the crate only contains that tower. Each type can be chosen up to five times per cycle.
• Races: placing well pays Instas. First place gets a tier 5, second and third a tier 4, top 50 and top 1% a tier 3, top 10% a tier 2, and the top 25%, 50% and 75% brackets a tier 1.
• Odysseys and Daily Challenges often reward Instas on completion.
• Daily rewards sometimes include Instas.

Achievements, codes and the Shop

Many achievements pay specific Instas, for example a 0-4-0 Dart Monkey for linking a Ninja Kiwi account (Monkey Fan Club) or a 0-4-0 Wizard Monkey for 2TC. Promo codes regularly give Instas, and the Shop and official web store sell Insta packs, some with bonus tier 4 or tier 5 Instas.

Collection borders

The Insta Monkey collection screen adds a border around each tower once you have collected enough of its Instas:

• Bronze: every Insta up to tier 2
• Silver: up to tier 3
• Gold: up to tier 4
• Black: all tier 5 Instas as well

Collection Events and the Freeplay Challenge both lean toward Instas you are missing, so they are the best tools for finishing borders.

Special Instas worth knowing

• Sun Temple and True Sun God Instas do not sacrifice your towers. They arrive with the maximum sacrifice value in every category and can even be placed on water.
• A Monkeyopolis Insta does not absorb your farms and still produces ten $120 crates per round.
• Beast Handler Instas with beast upgrades can be placed where the beast's terrain is missing, but those beasts cannot act or be upgraded until the right terrain is in range.

How to use Insta Monkeys well

• Open strong on hard maps. A tier 3 or 4 Insta in round 1 can hold the early rounds of an Expert map on its own, so you can put more of your cash into economy.
• Patch weaknesses. A camo-detecting or lead-popping Insta is a quick fix when a defence has a hole you did not plan for.
• Save tier 5s for walls. Keep rare tier 5 Instas for medals you have failed repeatedly, Boss Events and long Odysseys, not for maps you can already beat.
• Use the cheap ones freely. Tier 0 to 2 Instas pile up quickly. Spending them on easy medals and quests costs nothing and helps achievements like Insta Century.
• Plan Odysseys around them. Odysseys only let you use the Instas you bring, so pick ones that cover each other's weaknesses.

Achievements tied to Insta Monkeys

• Instant Gratification: use a tier 5 Insta (reward: a random tier 5 Insta and 100 Monkey Money).
• Insta Century: use 100 Instas (1,000 Monkey Money and Monkey Boosts).
• Tower Keeper: hold 200 Instas in your inventory at once (200 Monkey Money).
• Insta-defense: use 5 Instas in co-op.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get Insta Monkeys in BTD6?

The main sources are reaching round 100, the Insta Store, the Freeplay Challenge, Collection Events, Races, Odysseys, Daily Challenges, achievements and promo codes.

Can you use Insta Monkeys in CHIMPS?

No. Instas count as Powers, which are disabled in CHIMPS, Races and ranked events.

What map gives the best round 100 Insta?

Expert maps give the best odds: the highest tier is always 3 or 4. Rounds 200 and above give the same 3 or 4 on any map.

Do Insta Monkeys sell for money?

Only for the upgrades you buy after placing them. An Insta with no added upgrades sells for nothing.

Can I upgrade an Insta Monkey after placing it?

Yes, with in-game cash, as long as the next upgrade is allowed by its current paths.

Do used Insta Monkeys still count for my collection?

Yes. Instas you have used still count toward borders and achievements.