Stardew Valley is, and possibly always will be, the most beloved indie farming game ever. The game has sold over twenty million copies, an impressive feat for a game that started with a single developer. Among those players are the completionists, a type of gamer who yearns for perfection in every aspect of every game, even as relaxing as Stardew Valley.
Stardew Valley: Guide to Ginger Island Farming
The Ginger Island farm brought by Stardew Valley's 1.5 update has special conditions that may make it better than the original farm.
Unfortunately for these players, achieving perfection in Stardew Valley isn't as straightforward as it may seem. Players may overlook many aspects of 'completing' the game altogether. Here are some tried and true tips for completionists looking to perfect their Stardew Valley game.
Updated January 20, 2024 by Usama Ali: Completionists who strive to achieve every single goal and objective within Stardew Valley often get overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks and the meticulous planning required. With the Stardew Valley Update 1.6, the challenge of achieving completionist goals has only increased. The update introduces a new farm type, exciting new festivals, a variety of fresh crops, and a ton of new items players can find as they explore the Valley. Considering this, we’ve updated this guide with some more tips for completionists, so that they can adapt their playing strategies and truly master Stardew Valley.
18 What Is Perfection In Stardew Valley?
Before diving into some tips, what constitutes 'complete' in Stardew Valley should be established. Because it's such a personal and open-ended game, many Stardew Valley players will be unaware there's a way to complete it. To achieve 'Perfection' in Stardew Valley, players must:
- Have max friendship points with all villagers
-
Collect every
Stardrop
- Complete all monster eradication goals
- Max all skills to Level 10
- Catch all fish
- Ship all crops and foraged goods
- Cook all recipes
- Craft all items
- Build all four obelisks
- Build the Golden Clock
Perfection in Stardew Valley is an incredibly lofty goal, but it's not impossible. With these tips, completionists should find achieving perfection just a little easier.
17 Keep A Checklist
This Makes The Overall Goal Much More Manageable
Potentially the most obvious point, but the player should keep it in mind. Keeping a checklist in or out of the game can be incredibly helpful, especially since the Perfection Tracker doesn't unlock until very late. There are many ways to do this, including mods, the Wiki, fan-made spreadsheets, or plain old pen and paper.
Not only does keeping a checklist ensure the player doesn't miss anything, but it also adds structure to the game and keeps the player on track.
16 Plan For A Money Method That Suits You
The Gold Clock Alone Will Cost 10,000,000g
Regardless of how a player decides to run their farm, gold is always a key component, completionist or not. Recipes, ingredients, upgrades, and expensive buildings will all cost a lot to get, and finding a strong and sustainable method for getting it is very important.
From a pig farm to a winery, there are many tried and tested methods to accumulate mountains of gold coins. Players should consider which one suits their playstyle best, and pick one according to their preference, or even utilize a method of their own.
15 Start Giving Gifts Early
Befriending Everyone Is A Long-Term Goal, And It's Never Too Early To Start
Not only is maxing out friendship one of the perfection goals, but villagers will also send recipes (required for perfection) in the mail and other valuable items. Giving gifts early in the game will prevent the late-game gift-giving rush when the player suddenly realizes that they've spent all of their time min-maxing and none of their time talking to the residents of Pelican Town.
Stardew Valley: 8 Best Non-Romanceable Characters
Though these Stardew Valley characters can't be romanced, they still remain some of the best in ConcernedApe's indie title.
The only villagers to whom players can't give gifts early in the game are 
Krobus, the 
Dwarf, and 
Kent. Krobus lives in the sewers, the Dwarf hides behind a wall in the mines, and Kent will appear in Spring 1 of the second year.
14 Forage Seasonally
Set Aside Some Time Each Day To Go Foraging
Even though it’s often overlooked, foraging is the most important skill for completionists. Many unique and valuable items for the museum can only be obtained through foraging. Besides this, several Community Center bundles and recipes specifically require seasonal foraged items. Some villagers appreciate specific seasonal foraged items as gifts, which can boost friendship levels with them.
Since the seasonal forageables are only available for a limited time, players should set aside some time each day to explore the Valley and collect what they can. This is also a great way to level up the Foraging Skill.
Players can store their foraged items in Big Chests in Stardew Valley, which have more space than the regular ones.
13 Organize Storage Chests
Organize And Color-Code Chests To Find Things Easily
When they open a storage chest, players will find a color bar above its inventory. Clicking on this bar will reveal a color picker with 20 different options, and the default brown color. Using this bar, players can change the chest’s color at any time without any extra cost. This makes it easier to organize chests and identify the contents within each chest.
This simple habit of color-coding storage chests can significantly improve the farmer’s efficiency and reduce frustration in Stardew Valley. Additionally, players can tap on the Organize button next to the inventory. This convenient feature automatically sorts the chest's contents, grouping together similar items (such as different qualities of the same crop) and combining stacks where possible.
The most effective way to organize chests is to group items based on their function or purpose. This way, players can quickly put away their harvests, tools, or crafting materials in a single, efficient stop.
12 Stay Updated
While Nerfs Are Rare, There Might Be New Useful Information
ConcernedApe is an incredible developer who has rolled out numerous updates throughout the years, despite simultaneously working on a different game entirely. As such, veterans of the game might find that their old strategy might be less effective due to changes or that there are newer and better tactics to achieve their goals.
Going through the patch notes takes little time, and something in there might be very relevant to certain players. Overall, it can be fun and beneficial to keep up with the community and see what everyone has been up to.
11 Keep an Eye on the Calendar
Don’t Miss Any Birthdays And Important Events
Stardew Valley thrives on a consistent rhythm of daily life. To get the most out of their playtime, players should keep a close eye on the in-game calendar. While they can always purchase a calendar for their farmhouse from 
Robin, players can also have a quick look at the free one outside Pierre’s Store.
The calendar marks the birthdays of villagers and highlights upcoming festivals. By regularly checking the calendar, players can plan their activities, prepare for festivals, and build strong relationships with the villagers. All of this makes a completionist’s Stardew Valley experience more rewarding and enjoyable.
10 Restore the Community Center
Someone has to save the Junimos
The game already nudges the player in this direction, but players that start a fresh save with Completionist in mind might be tempted to immediately start putting all of their effort into grinding for materials and money.
Stardew Valley: Things You Have To Do Your First Year
Stardew Valley is an awesome game that runs in a seasonal format - here's what players should do in their first year.
While not the worst strategy, it can be quite beneficial to complete the Community Center as quickly as possible. Aside from new locations and perks, there are also tons of seeds and helpful items that can make the entire playthrough just a bit easier. There is, ofcourse, the Joja route, but players definitevely
9 Grow Various Crops
Helpful For Many Reasons
It can be very tempting to only focus on the most optimal seeds when shopping at the start of the season, but growing at least a little of everything available can save quite a lot of headaches down the road.
Finding out that a player needs just one specific crop in the middle of winter can be somewhat unpleasant. It is helpful in quite a few areas, from finishing the Community Center to gifts, missions, and especially cooking. Cooking all the recipes is no small task, and it helps to have as many ingredients as possible before one even gets to the kitchen.