What to do first
Start with one trash pile, read the current order, and inspect the cards and unusual finds before treating anything as disposable. The sequence below is a set of recommended priorities based on confirmed mechanics, not a required tutorial order or a speedrun route.
- Learn one working cycle. Search, collect ordinary rubbish and recycle it. Use the Gameplay Guide if you need the underlying loop rather than an order of actions.
- Check the active order. The official game description confirms work for the dump owner. Read the requirement shown in your game before deciding whether a find is useful for that task; this guide does not assume every order has the same reward.
- Compare cards before selling. Check whether the card fills a collection gap or improves a copy you already have. The Cards Hub separates the documented sets from condition, foil status and repair.
- Keep useful fragments. Five pieces can be assembled into a card. Set a repair task aside until you have the pieces rather than assuming one fragment is a complete card.
- Review spending after the first cycle. Identify what is slowing you down and read the available upgrade descriptions before buying. There is no verified universal purchase order here.
What to keep, inspect or sell
A first copy, a better-condition copy and an unwanted duplicate are different decisions. Condition affects value, but collection progress may matter more to you than immediate cash. Inspect unfamiliar finds before disposing of them: the store also confirms paid hidden treasures alongside cards.
Do not automatically sell every duplicate. The August 27 official explanation confirms an exchange of three duplicate cards of the same quality for a higher-quality copy, including foil cards. Check the eligible-card indicator before deciding that an extra copy has no collection use. This is a card exchange, not a character upgrade.
If cash is your immediate goal, the Money Guide explains the trade-off between selling, exchanging and keeping. It does not assume that every collectible is sellable or that every sale is worthwhile.
When to repair and when to exchange
Use the Card Repair Guide when you have a fragmented card to assemble at the glue table. Use the duplicate-exchange explanation in the Cards Hub when you have eligible matching copies. These are separate mechanics; neither establishes a fixed profit per repair or exchange.
A practical first-session priority is to learn one repair when the required fragments are available, then compare the result with your collection. There is no need to invent a repair deadline or buy an unverified automatic-assembly upgrade.
Collect more than ordinary cards
Cereal boxes matter because the official store says they can contain foil cards. The Cereal Boxes Guide explains the documented routes, while the Foil Cards Guide covers that separate collection goal. A box is not a guaranteed foil result.
Keep an eye on figurines and audiotapes as you search. Their guides cover confirmed collection milestones without promising fixed spawn positions. Leave optional secret-location exploration until you have read the route's evidence caveats.
Spending and progress checks
Treat early upgrades as a response to the work you are actually doing. Compare the displayed effect and current price, buy only when it fits your goal, then assess the difference before another purchase. These are practical considerations, not tested rankings. The Upgrades Guide explains character growth and the confirmed late-game milestone.
Check the achievement list when choosing a collection goal. If a load removes progress or resets upgrades unexpectedly, pause progression and use Save Not Working instead of spending more to reproduce the problem.
Common beginner mistakes
- Selling duplicates before checking whether they can improve a card.
- Confusing damaged-card assembly, card quality exchange and character upgrades.
- Following old prices without checking the patch date.
- Assuming every cereal box contains a foil or every collectible has a fixed location.
- Overwriting the only good save while investigating missing progress.
Beginner questions
Is there a required best starting build?
The reviewed sources confirm character upgrades but do not establish an optimal sequence. Start with the current shop descriptions and your own bottleneck, not an invented stat ranking.
Does this replace the Gameplay Guide?
No. This page answers what to do first; Gameplay explains how the systems connect. Return to the Guides Hub when you need a focused answer for your next task.