Getting Started
Archipelago is a pocket farming kingdom spread across a chain of islands. You till soil, plant crops, harvest them, run them through processing stations, and ride the market for the best price. This page gets a brand-new player from a bare patch of grass to a working farm — then points you at the rest of the guide.
The core loop
Every island runs on one simple loop. Learn it once and the whole game opens up.
Selling fills your purse with Sigils — which buys more seeds, upgrades and land, so every lap of the loop is bigger than the last.
Your first session
Five steps take you from empty grass to your first Sigils. It only takes a minute or two.
Tap the hoe button at the bottom of the screen, then tap a patch of grass. That turns it into farmland you can plant on.
Plant Wheat ripens on its own in about 30 seconds — no watering needed yet. Watch the tile change as the crop matures.
Tap a ripe crop to collect it into your inventory. Once you have a few tiles going, drag across a whole row to harvest them all at once.
Open your inventory and sell the wheat. Sigils are the fuel for everything else — new seeds, upgrades and bigger fields. Then start the loop again.
The four currencies
Tables across this guide list rewards in these. Worth knowing what each one is for.
Sigils — earned by selling crops and crafted goods. Spent on seeds, upgrades and land. Your main day-to-day currency.
Tilling Points (TP) — spent to till new tiles. Earned from level-ups and achievements.
Water Points (WP) — spent to water tiles for faster growth. Refilled from wet clouds and rewards.
Skill Points (SP) — a rare currency handed out only by the highest-tier achievements. Save them for something special.
Systems you'll unlock
The first ten levels come quickly and steadily open up the game. Here's what's coming — tap any card for the full details.
Your first week
The opening levels come fast. Here's what to aim for in your first few sessions.
| Level | What to aim for |
|---|---|
| L4 | Watering unlocks — wet clouds appear; water tiles to grow crops faster |
| L5 |  Carrot unlocks · the Market opens with Hourly & Daily contracts |
| L8 |  Furnace unlocks — bake your first Bread |
| L10 | Main island grows to 7×7 — more room to plant |
Islands & Land
The main island starts at 5×5. It grows by a full ring — both sides at once, +2 rows and +2 columns, kept square and centred — at L10, L100, then every 20 levels, reaching 89×89 by L910 with no size cap. You also expand it via the Plot Extension upgrade chain, and Land Deeds keep it growing past 89×89 forever. The second island is claimed with a paid Deed (30,000✦) once you reach L230; the third and fourth arrive at L660 and L900.
Island timeline
| Level | Island event |
|---|---|
| L10 | Main island → 7×7 |
| L100 | Main island → 9×9 |
| L230 | 🏝️ Second island — claim with the Second Island Deed (30,000✦) |
| L260 | Main island → 25×25 |
| L400 | Main island → 39×39 |
| L460 | Second island → 5×6 |
| L600 | Main island → 59×59 |
| L660 | 🏝️ Third island appears (4×5) |
| L800 | All islands grow a ring · Main island → 79×79 |
| L900 | 🏝️ Fourth island appears (4×5) |
| L910 | Main island → 89×89 · Land Deed unlocked (unlimited growth) |