This is not a full game guide. However, it is currently tied to one being made by @Llamakazi, which you can check out here.
https://cs2bus.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3348941442
(Both guides are a work in progress, please contribute what you know in the comments!)

This guide aims to provide cohesive information about the powerups found in Mini and Max. Despite it's gimmick of shrinking, the world of Mini and Max is incredibly vast, and will take extensive exploration to complete 100% (something not even the cherry demands). At the very least, you will want to know which powerups there are to help you navigate it, especially considering how potent they are.



The first thing you should know is that while some powerups are found in the open, they're usually contained within diamond blocks. They look like this.



Diamond blocks have a similar appearance to heart blocks, which drop full recovery hearts. To get the powerup, you need to throw the diamond block and cause it to break, then the powerup will appear in its place. Touch the powerup to pick it up. If you break a diamond block and leave without collecting the powerup, it will spawn back in the same location. If you already have the powerup for the block, then one of three things will happen: a) the powerup will be the level 2 variant if you have the level 1 version (not all powerups have this). b) the block will be replaced with a medium or small shiny. c) the block will be replaced with nothing.

I have split this guide into a few categories: Early Quest Powerups, Stat Boosts, Common Powerups, and Quest Powerups.

The structure for every powerup in the guide is as follows:

-name of the powerup
-image depicting the powerup (as seen in the full-size inventory)
-a hint on how to find the powerup
-the exact function of the powerup (marked as spoiler)
-the exact location and method of obtaining the powerup (marked as spoiler)

An important thing to note is that all of the Common and Stat Powerups can be found in multiple locations, more than you need to find. If you max out a powerup type and find it somewhere else, the game will replace it with a shiny, meaning you wouldn't be able to know. I intend to eventually cover every location that items can be found, but for now I will have to settle for most of them. But please, don't be afraid to share what you know in the comments!

With that out of the way, I hope this guide will be useful for you.


Hey, put me down! HEY! AAAAAA

Generic stat boosts can be found scattered around the micro world. They are permanent and stack up much further than the unique upgrades listed later in this guide. Two stats can be buffed by boosts: Health and Power. Health starts at 6 and can go up to 20. Power starts at 0 (or 1) and can go up to 8 (or 9).



Unofficially named here, Heart pieces are the most common upgrade, as you are able to collect up to 14. Believe it or not, Heart pieces actually come in two varieties: "half" Heart pieces which can be found everywhere, and "Full" Heart pieces which can only be found in micro caves. Commonly, they can be given as a reward for certain sidequests, sometimes alongside shinies or other items.



Energy eggs, though less common than Heart pieces, are still relatively common in the micro world and can be found everywhere. The tooltip says they increase "throwing power", but it's actually better than that - they also increase the power of certain skills granted by powerups! As you collect more eggs, thrown/attacked objects and enemies will gain trails that follow behind them as they are launched, which then change colour as your attacks grow more powerful (from white, to blue, to pink, to purple, to red). The colour seems to be affected by chance as well though - at max power, you will only get a red trail sometimes, and otherwise it will be purple. Early on, I remember unexpectedly getting a blue trail and thinking it had something to do with the item, but it's actually power that affects it, so you may want to keep that in mind.

This section contains all of the early game powerups that only have one location. It's recommended that you find these as soon as possible, since they open the way up to the rest of the game.


One of the first powerups. Look for a house on the ground.
The glove allows you to pick up enemies as well as objects. The size limit for enemies is very loose.
Go to the little house on the carpet and talk to the woman inside. Her name is Eleanor. She will tell you a bit of exposition and ask you to collect 20 shinies for her. Give her the shinies and she will give you the glove and tell you how to leave the room.


one of the first powerups. Incredibly important. Climb up the leftmost flowerpot from the ground to find the man who will tell you about it.
The Magic Potion allows you to shrink down even further and access the world on a microscopic level. Incredibly, it can be done anywhere on the ground, with one tile corresponding to one microscopic room. Any enemy/npc can be stood on and explored microscopically as well. Needed to get most of the shinies.
Go to the little house on the leftmost flowerpot by climbing up to it from the ground. Inside, you will find a man called William who explains the power of shrinking and its effects, and mentions craving Eleanor's tea. Go to Eleanor's house and grab the kettle (You can bring items with you when you change size). Talk to William with kettle in hand and he will thank you before giving you the first magic potion and explaining how to use it.

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Max can be spoken to as though he were an NPC. Once you obtain the glove, you can pick him up and use him like an object. This function of Max is very important; it starts off weak, but can be improved throughout the game with powerups dedicated to making it even better. All of the powerups for max except for the Whistle are documented in the quest powerup section at the end of the guide.
By default, max can walk around and carry Mini as though he were a platform. He can be commanded to stop and go by pressing Up, and he can be thrown into enemies as well. Both of these functions are extremely limited, though: Max moves very slowly on the ground, and will take damage if he gets hit by or thrown into an enemy, which will cause him to return to his original size. Max will not return until you grow back as well, at which point you will get a not-so-quick cutscene of him reprimanding you for causing him to get hurt. The best thing Max can do at the start is talk to Mini, which will lead to more powerups.

Location

At the start of the game, Max can be seen shrinking down in front of Eleanor's house. Follow him, and you will find him on top of the house.

These powerups can be found in multiple locations throughout the world, which may include shops. The hints for each powerup will point to the general area they can be found in. Generally, you need the magic potion to get these, although some shops in the overworld do stock them.


This can be found early, with it or the information leading to it's shop near where you can obtain the Magic Potion.
Allows you to jump one tile higher. Hold up + jump to use.
Can be purchased from the shop in Protis for 25*. Can also be found on the carpet and on the flower pots.


Can't be bought from anywhere that I know of. This item is affected by Power (energy eggs).
Allows you to kick blocks and enemies (enemies don't take damage). Press up + grab while on the ground.



A useful item which makes quests easier (or in some cases, doable). One can be bought in a location accessed from the carpet. Another one can be found underneath one of the spiders.
Allows you to store one held object for later. Press down + jump to store.
Purchasable in Dust Bunny Warren for 25*. look for the area shaped like clouds!
Can also be found out in the open under the body of the gourmand spider Fang - Use a wall climing enemy to reach the web in the top left corner, it should be under the middle of it's body.


Can't be bought from anywhere, but it can be given as a reward for a certain quest! An item which allows for much better utilisation of bugs. Notably it allows for easy access to the doorknob as well as the ability to cheese one of the bosses required to get another item.
Allows you to give commands to insects while standing on them, which function differently depending on the insect. Press up while standing on one to use.
Found scattered around. If you really need it and don't have it already, you can complete the Hexan quest to get one, although doing so prevents you from using the quest to get Hexan book II. Shrink near Eleanor's house to learn more.


Can't be bought. A useful item when dealing with certain enemies. If you obtain this, you can actually one-tap the red ants, which is really useful for the termite quest.
Automatically deflect projectiles and jumping enemies while in the air.
Found scattered around, although I was able to find one on one of the termite corpses in the ant hive. One can also be found above the second S on the Grasshopper board game.

All of the following can be obtained by getting the level 1 variant, which will cause all the other locations the powerup can be obtained (except shops) to upgrade to the level 2 variant. Magic potion 2 is the only exception to this, as in every case you need magic potion 1 to be able to reach it.


Allows you to shrink further to fit through one block gaps while in the microscopic world.
Can be purchased from the shop in Yarn for 25*.


Protein jump now sends you 1 tile higher.
No special locations.


Kicks now damage enemies, based on power.
No special locations.


Allows for storage of an additional item. down + jump will alternate between items if two are stored.
No special locations.


Deflected enemies now take damage, based on power.
No special locations.


This was one of the last powerups I personally got after getting the cherry. It's not exactly common, and the other powerups do a good enough job without it, but it's completely busted. Good luck finding it.
Allows you to pick up objects instantaneously. Notably, you can time it so you grab and jump at the same time, allowing you to get infinite height with certain objects with ease.
I've heard this can be found in micro caves, but I also found it in the overworld while exploring.


This powerup is more of a convenience than a necessity, but it's still worth obtaining for the few situations where it matters. Can be purchased if you complete one of the quests. Start by looking on the right power outlet.
Provides immunity to fall damage.
Can be purchased from one of the termites behind the outlet for 25*after getting the termite egg.


Can't be purchased. A fun and useful mobility item. I found it in a pretty late game location, but it might be in other places as well. It's somewhere near the top that you aren't able to stand on at full size...
Allows you to sprint until you let go of the direction. Double tap left or right to use.
I found one somewhere on the microscopic level of the "Father" (overhead light), either on the left or right side of the pole. Have max search for its exact location. To get to the father, you can use max, or head to the flyport on top of the lamp where Lamptopia resides.


This is the only powerup for Max that's found in multiple locations. Just like the others, it's incredibly helpful! I found it on one of the shelves, near where some quest information was located. Another one can be found directly in front of a tile containing one of Max's quests...
Allows you to summon Max in front of you whenever he's off screen, even after he takes damage. You can use this to summon an item whenever you like without having to take up inventory. Double tap up to summon.
One of the first tiles from the left on the moldy part of the photo shelf. Can also be found on the roof of Eleanor's house, on the third tile from the left... Right in front of where max can be found at the start.

This section is dedicated to powerups that only have one location, or which are locked behind the completion of a specific quest. For now the explanations are very simple, but I will go through and make them more detailed soon.



This item allows for easy access to the doorknob as well as better utilility for enemies. You can find its quest on the carpet near Eleanor's house. As the name implies, it is related to the Hexans, which are a species of microscopic creatures present in the game that have their own town. You can also complete this quest early to get Hexan book 1 instead.
Allows for commands to be given to microscopic creatures as well. Notably allows the green virus to lift you upwards by command, allowing you to reach the doorknob easily. Some late game enemies cannot be commanded, however.
Complete the Hexan village side quest by retrieving their stolen artifact. Helping max with his fleas and letting him run off will make him point out the house at the village outskirts, where you can learn how to get there.


This item is more of a convenience. It can be purchased, but I haven't found it in any other location, so I guess it goes here. I could be wrong about that, though. Go to the west flowerpot's "flyport" to start on the path leading to the corresponding town shop.
Allows you to drop through one-way platforms. Double tap down to use.
As far as I know, you can only obtain this from the shop in Beldor for 25*, in the east flower pot.


Judging by the name and location, I would assume this can only be found in one spot, but I wouldn't be surprise if I was wrong. You can use this to have a much easier time dealing with one of the bosses, which is great because said boss is required to be beat in order to obtain a very powerful item (more details on that below). Surprisingly, it can be found during the quest that leads up to that very boss! Look for a stray pixel on the east outlet to learn more. The event that occurs there will open a door for you, which leads to the area where you can start the quest.
Provides immunity to contact damage from insects.
Found in the ant's room in the termite egg quest, which is littered with termite corpses. Shrink down on the first corpse you see and you should be able to find the block containing it. Note that the corpse area is two tiles.


Alongside Glove II, this is one of the only items I got after getting the cherry for this game. Go west of the lead pencil on the top shelf to find the NPC that will tell you more. You should note that this game's definition of bronze seems to be very gold coloured.
Immunity to poison, acid and slime.
One of the Mol Doks in Mol Dok Town will tell you he knows a good cook living on a bronze coin. If you're like me, and think there is a brown coin hidden somewhere in the game world, you're wrong. It's actually gold coloured and right in front of the piggy bank. Anyway, once you find the cook, he will ask you for pink slime. You need to obtain a container (it can be found in Dust Bunny Warren's shop) and use it to collect the slime from a pink stalactite (these are common throughout the world). Bring it to him, and he will give you the food.


Strong powerup, Very hard to obtain. Requires you to go through a gauntlet with very damaging enemies, then fight a boss with extremely high health. To cheese the boss, obtain Pheromone or Hexan book.
Halves all damage taken.
Return the termite queen's egg, then use her favour to go through the door leading to the cockroach, next to the east power outlet. Kill it and it will drop the item.

Most of Max's powerups are listed here. The only exception is the Whistle, which is documented in the Common Powerups section. To learn more about Max, check the Early Quest Powerups section.

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This is the only powerup in the game which does not show up on the HUD or inventory screen. Very useful for finding the others, you just need the magic potion in order to obtain it. Max himself is the quest giver for this one...
While running, Max can now stop and point out notable microscopic locations with his nose. Allowing him to run off once you unlock it will start you down the path of finding Hexan Book II. Very useful for finding items and small houses.
On the roof of Eleanor's house, talk to Max, and he will eventually mention being bothered by his fleas. Stand on his head and use the magic potion to get rid of the fleas (you can throw them off the side of the screen as well as kill them). After growing back, Max will feel much better and tell you that his sense of smell has improved. If you miss any of the fleas before growing back, he will let you know.


Upgrades Max's offensive utility by a lot. Also allows you to go through the falling dirt cave to get the shinies at the end. Head to Beldor to learn more.
Max is now invincible and won't take damage. His invincibility functions identically to the Blue Beetle on the right flower pot's invincibility.
on the east flower pot, go to Beldor and give a chitin block to the blacksmith. You can get a chitin block from the shop in Yarn, or pick it up from the blue beetle's micro room.


A big offensive and utility buff for Max that allows you to easily reach the doorknob. Look for an NPC on the mold shelf, who will tell you what needs to be done.
Grants Max the power of flight, which does 3 things: 1: Allows max to walk off ledges and continue moving on the same horizontal plane in the air 2: Allows Mini to stand on max if she drops him while in midair, at which point he will begin to use number 1. 3: When thrown, max will now act as a boomerang that can pierce enemies (functionally the smile block/throwing axe but better)
Speak to the Lampian at the edge of the mold shelf, before the spores. She will tell you that the angel will wake when the ground quakes. Grab a quake block, then head to the angel on the ground shelf. Throw the quake block while she is on screen and she will wake up and create clouds that allow you to speak to her. She will ask to speak to max. Bring her max, and she will give you the wings.

- Need to obtain additional images for quest items and sense of smell
- Need to write more specific descriptions for quest items and item locations
- Need to pool more information from the comments for multi-location powerups
...That's it so far.

Thanks to Risu on discord for giving me high quality images of every powerup.
Thanks to Llamakazi for making a full game guide, and agreeing to tie our guides together.
Location contributors:
Pyrocreep.itch.io (Spin bauble)
Wulve (Backpack, Whistle)