There is a lot to find in Coral Island, as the farming and life sim is a huge game that is still in development. Unlike some of the more popular farming sims, Coral Island has a large roster or villagers, several activities and content to accomplish, and so much more to find in the future with updates. With over 50 characters to meet and befriend, 25 of them are available to romance if players choose. And not only do players have several caverns to mine resources and kill enemies, but they also have a chance to clean up the ocean floor and find even more helpful resources.
The game is packed with content, so it can be easy to miss out or ignore some great features in the game. With so much to do in a day, some players might bee-line to a specific area and ignore what's around them, or forget what they might have learned from the day before. Between working on the farm and exploring, there are bound to be things that players have missed. But for those starting out in Coral Island, be sure to avoid making these common mistakes.
6 Not Checking The Small Vendors
There are several shops around Scarlet Town. From White Flamingo's clothing store, home furniture, Socket and Pan's store for cooking utensils, and Sam's General Store for seeds, there is a little bit of everything for any need that may come up. But there are some hidden vendors outside of town that players might not know about, and thus might end up missing some key items.
Ratih's Float Market
This shop is owned by Ratih and available Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings at the docks by Raja's Coffee Corner. This shop is available for players to purchase seeds and artisan goods likes Juices, Mayonnaise or Oils.
The seeds that are available for players is determined by town rank, so once players reach D or C, they will have several seeds to choose from. Please note that as of right now, these seeds can be purchased, but should not be planted. They will disappear if planted, as the action is not yet implemented.
Caravan
There are three vendors that are not that obvious to players if they don't know where to look. The first is Ben's Caravan, which is open on Saturday's and Sunday's from 8:00 to 21:00. Depending on players relationship with Ben, players could get a chance at a discount on his items.
Every week, Ben has random selections of items from accessories, outfits, indoor or outdoor decorations, and a potential Signature item such as Green Tea or Kombucha. There are several great items that are on rotate, so be sure to check it out on the weekends.
Black Market
Just like the Traveling Cart in Stardew Valley, Coral Island has their own magic store known as the Black Market. This shop is also owned by Ratih but open on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights. If players don't end up finding this store on their own, they will eventually get a letter in the mail, but it can still be hard to find it.
If players go near the lighthouse and wait until 20:00, a boat will come by the docks near there with some random goods players can shop from. Items here are sold at 6 times the original price, but not all the items she sells is available for purchase elsewhere, as she sells artifacts, fossils, geodes and coffers, along with some other valuable resources.
Concerned Monkey
And the last secret store is near the Caverns. If players are standing at the entrance of the Caverns, and turn left, they will come across an empty cabin. If players walk closer, they will see a monkey pop out of the window and sit on a barrel in front of that cabin.
Players can walk up to the monkey and interact with it, showing a selection of goods up for sale. The Concerned Monkey shop will sell players seeds and clothing options for players to purchase. Note that some items are still in development as the game is still in Early Access, so be patient when purchasing some of the goods, as some can not be placed yet.
5 Not Working On Alter Offerings
The Lake Temple is at the northeast portion of the island. Once players complete the Mythical Dream quest, they can start working on the Offerings here. These offerings are a must if players want to properly progress through the game.
Players can begin fast travel once they finish the first offering, but completely the first altar will allow players to use the Greenhouse on the farm, which for veterans of farming sims know that is a necessity for Winter. Players should not waste time completing these offerings as quickly as they can. Players should note that the second alter can not be completed due to certain items not being available for players yet.
4 Ignoring Town Rank
Another key item in the game that is often overlooked by players is the Town Rank system. When players first start their journey in Coral Island, they will eventually come across a cutscene with the mayor explaining to players what Town Rank is and that Coral Island is currently sitting at rank F. However, if players work on improving the island by donating insects and fish to the museum, completing offerings and altars or cleaning the ocean, the Town Rank will slowly move up.
There are several reasons why improving Town Rank is crucial for game play. Each time the ranking goes up, more stores open up in Scarlet Town, as well as more items in these stores, such as seeds in Sam's General Store. This is crucial for completing the first alter and unlocking the Greenhouse, as there is a certain seed that is needed for one of the Offerings that is only available at Town Rank C.
3 Skipping Out On Caverns Or Ocean
This may be an obvious entry, but skipping out on both the Ocean and Caverns can put players behind in the future. There is only so many upgrades players can do to the farm, as well as tools, if players don't progress through these areas and finish the areas.
Both areas hold valuable resources that are needed to access buildings, tools, structures, and farming aids like sprinklers. This not only optimizes the farm, but helps players work efficiently, thus allowing more time for other enjoyable activities, like fishing or chatting with friends.
2 Not Talking To Villagers
This may be another obvious entry, but players should work on befriending villagers as best as they can. With such a large roster, it can be intimidating at first. But once players start to figure out what gift is the best for each villager, or has a helpful guide on the side to gift quick answers, it will be easy to bump up the hearts with each person.
Not only will this give players more information on each person through special events, but this can also be rewarding as they offer players items in the mail such as items or recipes.
1 Not Utilizing The Laboratory
The Laboratory is located within Scarlet Town and is run by Ling, the marine biologist. Players can purchase kelp from here to make Kelp Essence. But the main advantage to this building is that players can upgrade their seeds, which will help the chance of the seeds becoming high-quality crops.
While this is not available for players at the early stage of the game, those who have started clearing the Ocean floor and have helped Ling with her research should utilize the laboratory as often as they can to produce higher-quality seeds.
Coral Island is in Early Access on PC