Hi-Value Mines

Hi-Value Mines takes $1,500 off the price of Spiked Mines, the fourth top-path upgrade of the Spike Factory. The discount is applied after the difficulty multiplier, so it is a flat $1,500 on every difficulty. It is a fifth-row Support knowledge: you need 8 points in Support and Very Shreddy, plus a one-time fee of 500 Monkey Money.

The upgrade itself drops from $8,075 to $6,575 on Easy, $9,500 to $8,000 on Medium, $10,260 to $8,760 on Hard and $11,400 to $9,900 on Impoppable. A full 4-0-0 Spike Factory on Medium costs $12,700 instead of $14,200.

How it changes the game

Spiked Mines turns each pile into a mine that explodes when its spikes run out, which makes the Spike Factory much better against dense groups of bloons and ceramics. It is a strong but expensive upgrade, and $1,500 is roughly 16% of its Medium price. That brings it online a round or two earlier in a typical game.

The discount is biggest in relative terms on Easy and in Deflation. Deflation gives you a fixed pile of cash and no income, so every dollar saved goes directly into more defence. A Spiked Mines factory plus the money saved for another upgrade is a common Deflation setup, and this knowledge makes it easier to afford.

In normal games, Spiked Mines is mostly a mid-game purchase, around the ceramic-heavy rounds of the 60s and 70s. In late game, $1,500 no longer matters much.

The discount only applies to Spiked Mines itself. It does not reduce the price of Super Mines (5-x-x) or any other Spike Factory upgrade.

Is it worth it?

Priority: situational. If Spike Factories are a regular part of your defence, or you play Deflation, it is a good saving. Otherwise it does nothing. It is also the end of its branch, so there is no knowledge behind it to justify the cost.

In the fifth row, Better Sell Deals, Healthy Bananas, Veteran Monkey Training and Global Ability Cooldowns all help more strategies. Take Hi-Value Mines after them unless you are a Spike Factory specialist.

Where it works

Hi-Value Mines is active wherever Monkey Knowledge is enabled, including Deflation and Impoppable. It is off in CHIMPS, so Spiked Mines costs full price there. Challenges with MK disabled and Rogue Legends also ignore the discount.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Spiked Mines cost with Hi-Value Mines?

$8,000 on Medium instead of $9,500. The discount is always $1,500, on every difficulty.

Does Hi-Value Mines make Super Mines cheaper?

No. It only discounts the Spiked Mines upgrade.

Is Hi-Value Mines good for Deflation?

Yes. With no income in Deflation, the $1,500 saving goes straight into more defence.

What do I need for Hi-Value Mines?

Very Shreddy, 8 points in Support and a one-time 500 Monkey Money fee.