Expanding an island is a game that requires gathering resources, hiring help, and expanding your island. Despite its simple premise, there are many strategies that can help you from the start. This guide will help you prioritize and maximize your gameplay.

How to Gather Resources Efficiently

Upon starting the game, you’ll complete a tutorial on resource gathering. Initially, you gather resources manually, but expanding north unlocks a workers’ cabin. This cabin allows hiring three employees:

• Craftsmen
• Miners
• Lumberjacks

Hiring a lumberjack and two miners is optimal. Once iron ore is discovered, reconfigure a miner to mine ore. Expanding left or right reveals bamboo or cactus, prompting another lumberjack hire for these resources. Bamboo is preferable early on due to its utility in planks.

How to Acquire Gold

Gold is essential for purchasing merchant stock and expanding. Early on, hit gold-colored trees and stones for small amounts. A garden allows selling harvested crops; strawberries are ideal for multiple harvests. Bees can be purchased to produce honey, which sells well. Using coal in gold mines yields quick profits. Tools like axes and pickaxes can be upgraded for better efficiency.

Upgrade tools by finding specific stations. North expansion unlocks workers; left expansion finds the axe upgrade. North also leads to quarries for pickaxe upgrades, requiring varied resources.

How to Expand Your Island

Expanding requires resources and strategic decisions. Optimal directions include:

• Expand past iron and stone to unlock magma crystals and magmite.
• Aim to unlock magma resources after cactus.
• Expand left to access bamboo.
• Expand right to reach upgradesman for multipliers.
• Expand north to unlock workers promptly.

Merchant Purchases

The merchant offers seeds, honeybees, and tools. Strawberries and tomatoes are cost-effective crops. Honeybees increase honey production, sold for profit. Upgrades are preferred over automated tools for better use of gold.

Upgradesman Enhancements

Upgrade crafting and regrowth speeds early. Offline earnings upgrades enhance resource gain. Configure workers for needed materials before logging out.