Rusty's Retirement is an idle farming sim from solo developer Mister Morris Games, released on 26 April 2024. Its trick is the layout: the farm docks to the bottom of your screen as a thin strip so it runs beside a browser, a code editor or a stream, and a vertical side-screen mode and a slower Focus Mode exist for people who want it even less distracting. You play a robot named Rusty who plants crops, converts them into biofuel, turns biofuel into spare parts and spends those parts on more land, more bots and more robot neighbours. There are 71 achievements and a Twitch integration that lets chat run the farm, and the game sits at 97 percent positive on Steam.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Rusty's House
Key resources: Unlimited crop storage, the base of the build grid Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Harvest Bot upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Biofuel Converter
Key resources: Biofuel income, spare parts through the convert button Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Harvest Bot upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Echo's Workshop
Key resources: Capacity and speed upgrades for every non-unique bot Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Harvest Bot upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Slate's Barn
Key resources: Cows, pigs and chickens, fossil digging, the waste and fertilizer chain Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Water Bot max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Bulb Hives
Key resources: Honey production, an extra biofuel input, the beekeeping achievements Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Water Bot max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Rusty's House to Biofuel Converter)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Harvest Bot once accessible
Mid Game (Echo's Workshop)
- Push Harvest Bot to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Water Bot
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Slate's Barn to Bulb Hives)
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Echo's Workshop farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Buy Water Bots before any other bot, because unwatered tiles stop growing entirely and every other job depends on crops finishing.
- Farm Echo's Workshop during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Rusty's Retirement Guides
- Rusty's Retirement Rusty's Retirement Overview
- Rusty's Retirement Best Builds
- Rusty's Retirement Tier List
- Rusty's Retirement Walkthrough
- Rusty's Retirement Beginner's Guide
- Rusty's Retirement Tips & Tricks
- Rusty's Retirement Weapons Guide
- Rusty's Retirement Combat Guide
- Rusty's Retirement Boss Guide
- Rusty's Retirement Maps & Locations
- Rusty's Retirement Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Rusty's Retirement, check out these related guides:
- Stardew Valley Crafting Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
- Satisfactory Crafting Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
- The Sims 4 Crafting Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
