Getting lost in Big Walk is part of the experience, but the game does give you tools to stay oriented. The compass is one of them, and while it takes a bit of work to unlock, it functions exactly like a real compass: it points north and helps you coordinate movement across the island. Here's where to find it and what you actually get out of carrying it.
Where is the compass in Big Walk?
The compass isn't sitting out in the open waiting for you to stumble across it. It's locked behind a full puzzle sequence at the red tower, which means you'll need to make meaningful progress through that location before you can get your hands on it.
Here's the full sequence to reach it:
- Complete all the puzzles at the red tower and collect every puzzle reward.
- Place those rewards into the open slots at the top of the tower.
- Receive the key that drops after filling all the slots.
- Head to the key cutter just outside the bottom of the tower and interact with it.
- Follow the marker that appears on the pillar above to the next key cutter, then repeat until the key is fully cut.
- Find the blue tunnel nearby and insert the finished key into the slot.
- The door opens, revealing the Map Room.
Inside the Map Room, you'll find the compass alongside three laser pointers. These are all navigation tools, so this room is essentially Big Walk's wayfinding hub.
Big Walk Guide: How to Find the Compass
How does the compass work in Big Walk?
The compass behaves exactly as you'd expect from a real one: it points north. From there, you can orient yourself toward any cardinal direction and use that to navigate across the island or direct teammates to specific spots.
This is most useful when you're covering large distances and need to stay in sync with other players. Calling out a direction by compass bearing is a lot cleaner than trying to describe landmarks when you're spread across the map.
For a full breakdown of how group play works, check out our guide on how many players can play Big Walk and what group size actually makes sense.
Is the compass actually worth carrying?
Honest answer: probably not as a permanent inventory fixture. After testing it across longer stretches of the island, the compass is most valuable in the early stages of navigation when you're getting your bearings, but it doesn't unlock anything or solve any puzzles on its own.
There are no sections of the game that specifically require a compass to complete. Its value is purely practical: it helps you not get turned around, and it helps groups stay coordinated. If you're playing with a full squad spread across a wide area, it earns its slot. Solo or in a tight group, you'll likely find something more useful to carry.
Before you go
If you're still figuring out where to play or what Big Walk costs, we've got that covered too. Check the platform availability guide to confirm where you can play, and the pricing guide if you want to know whether PS Plus changes the math for you.
For everything else, the full Big Walk guides collection has you covered from puzzles to achievements to multiplayer setup.