🌍 The Pioneer Program
Explore All Four Planets
Complete guides for every alien world — collectibles, Kindex creatures, boss strategies, sector-by-sector secrets, and the upgrades you need before arriving.
🌋
Planet 01
Stellaris Prime
Your crash site. Volcanic vents, lava bridges, crystal caves — and the highest Goo density in the game.
Starting PlanetVolcanicBeginner-Friendly
🌿
Planet 02
Xephyr
Dense jungle canopy stretching kilometres high. Nearly all secrets are in the treetops — look up, always.
JungleVerticalGrapple Required
❄️
Planet 03
Cryo Station
Ancient cryogenic facility swallowed by ice. Goo is frozen into ceilings and submerged chambers.
Ice CavernsCeilingsHard
☠️
Planet 04
Noxious Ridge
Quarantined toxic wasteland. Every deposit needs full mobility upgrades. Every creature is aggressive.
ToxicFinal ZoneVery Hard
Recommended Planet Order
The game unlocks planets in sequence, but you can revisit earlier planets freely. Fully completing each planet before advancing maximises upgrades for every new challenge.
Planet Comparison
| Category | 🌋 Stellaris Prime | 🌿 Xephyr | ❄️ Cryo Station | ☠️ Noxious Ridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biome | Volcanic / Caves | Jungle Canopy | Ice Caverns | Toxic Wasteland |
| Difficulty | Moderate | Challenging | Hard | Very Hard |
| Goo Deposits | 16 deposits | 14 deposits | 12 deposits | 10 deposits |
| Boss | Canoptrix Queen | Verdant Colossus | Glacial Warden | Apex Predator |
| Key Upgrade | Jump Boost | Grapple + Dbl Jump | Armour Plating | Full set required |
| Exploration Style | Horizontal + vertical | Heavily vertical | Underground / ceilings | Open + hazardous |
| Biggest Secret | Stomped cache, 25 Goo | Bird Nest Hollow, 18 Goo | Post-boss Sector C | Stomp room, 25 Goo |
| Kindex Species | ~16 species | ~18 species | ~11 species | ~13 species |
Universal Planet Tips
Always Look Up
Every planet hides Goo at ceiling level and on high ledges. Scan upward in every new area before moving on.
Stomp Every Unusual Floor
Discoloured or cracked floor panels can be Stomped to reveal secret rooms. Every planet has at least two.
Swim Every Body of Water
Every lake and underwater passage has something at the bottom — Goo, a Kindex entry, or a secret room.
Scan Before You Shoot
The scanner has zero cooldown. Dead creatures cannot be scanned — always scan before engaging.
Revisit with New Upgrades
Many areas are gated by Grapple, Double Jump, or Stomp. Revisit every planet after unlocking major mobility upgrades.
Walk Into Waterfalls
Every waterfall in every planet hides something behind it — walk directly through, never around.
Goo Detector Changes Everything
The Goo Detector upgrade pulses when uncollected Goo is nearby. On later planets where dense environments hide deposits, this upgrade saves hours of searching. Get it before Planet 2.
Individual Planet Guides