When you start a new game of Cassette Beasts your navigational options are fairly limited: Walk, run, and jump. Beyond that your character is helpless. This changes quickly, however, as Recording specific monsters will grant you special abilities that can be used for getting around the world more efficiently. Attaining five of them is essential to completing the game. (The last one is more of a nice bonus.)
This guide will cover the ins and outs of field abilities in Cassette Beasts, including where to get each one, and how they work. You can procure these abilities pretty early in the game, if you're careful, and all of them will give you a distinct leg-up as you explore New Wirral.
Stamina
The first thing to note about field abilities is that they all use up Stamina. Stamina appears over your character's head as a green wheel that depletes and changes colour as you use a field ability. When the wheel disappears fully you'll be out of Stamina, and you'll need to wait for it to recover before you can use any field abilities. Typically it is wise to use Stamina in short bursts, so you don't need to worry about a cooldown period.
At first you have a fairly limited amount of Stamina. Each time you defeat an Archangel your Stamina pool will increase, allowing you to use field abilities for longer periods of time.
Mothwing Glide
PC Key: Space
The first field ability you'll receive is Mothwing Glide, which allows you to jump off of ledges and glide short distances. Mothwing Glide is automatically picked up while traveling with Kayleigh through the Harbourtown Outskirts, when you encounter and Record your first Dominoth.
Mothwing Glide activates when you jump and continue to hold down the jump button. It only remains active so long as you have Stamina. Run out and your character will drop to the ground.
Bulletino Dash
PC Key: Shift
Potentially the second field ability you'll acquire is Bulletino Dash, which allows you to jet forward at great speeds for short periods of time. You'll receive Bulletino Dive by Recording a Bulletino, which can be found on the east side of Autumn Hill. Head east of New Wirral Park's southern entrance to enter Autumn Hill, then make a clockwise trip around the edges of Autumn Hill until you start running into Bulletinos.
Bulletino Dash can be used to smash the large, cracked, square rocks that occasionally bar your path. If you purchase a Bulletino Cartridge Shard from Wilma in Harbourtown's Town Hall you can use Bulletino Dash to slam into opponent on the map and inflict damage at the beginning of the fight that follows.
Diveal Swim
Another potential second field ability, Diveal Swim allows you to travel through the water. You'll need to Record a Diveal to attain this ability, and while they appear in a few different places the quickest way to find a Diveal is on Diveal Island, in the northwest of Thirstaton Lake. Head north through New Wirral Park, west to the end of Lakeside, and then south to Thirstaton Lake.
Diveal Swim will only remain active so long as you have Stamina. Once you run out of Stamina your character will immediately be relocated to the last shoreline they touched.
Electromagnetism
PC Key: R
Yet another potential second field ability is Electromagnetism, which allows you to manipulate magnetic objects. To learn Electromagnetism you'll need to travel to Eastham Woods, the entrance of which is located north of New Wirral Park's northeastern bonfire. You'll have to Record a Boltam to acquire Electromagnetism, and they're all over the place in this area.
Electromagnetism allows you to zip up towards blue blocks that are dangling from posts. You can also use Electromagnetism to hover above blue blocks that are implanted in the ground, and if you come across a loose blue block you can drag it over to yourself with this ability.
Pumpkin Vine Ball
PC Key: Ctrl
One of the final abilities you'll acquire is Pumpkin Vine Ball, which allows you to curl up into a ball of vines and travel along walls. To acquire Pumpkin Vine Ball you'll need to travel to Piper Farm, a settlement to the west of Harbourtown - but which requires you to travel through New Wirral Park, Lakeside, Cherry Meadow, and The Marshes to reach. Once at Piper Farm you can clear a Rogue Fusion away from the bridge to lower it, receiving Skelly Jelly in the process. Use the Skelly Jelly on the pumpkins in the yard to fight a Jumpkin, which you can Record to receive the ability.
When activated Pumpkin Vine Ball allows you to travel vertically and diagonally along a flat surface. Although Pumpkin Vine Ball only uses up a small amount of Stamina compared to other field abilities, you can only travel a short distance along a wall before the ball dislodges and falls to the ground. (In other words, you can't scale cliffs forever.) Pumpkin Vine Ball cannot travel around corners.
Averevoir Flight
PC Key: Space
Likely the last field ability you'll acquire is Averevoir Flight, and it is a bit more optional than the rest. To learn Averevoir Flight you'll need to learn Pumpkin Vine Ball and begin the quest Come Back And Stay. This is accomplished by speaking to Barkley, the pup waiting by a cliff in the northeast of Cherry Meadow. He'll lead you to an Averevoir, and if you manage to Record the monster you'll learn the ability.
Averevoir Flight gives you an extra boost of height when you jump and glide. This essentially allows you to glide anywhere you like, rather than just over ledges. Tap the jump key judiciously while gliding and you'll gain a bit more height, allowing you to extend your glide for as long as Stamina permits.