Essential Stardew Valley 1.6 Guides
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Stardew Valley 1.6 is finally out on console and mobile devices following the PC release back in March with the Stardew Valley 1.6.9 update. This adds all previous 1.6 content to PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android, alongside some new stuff.
If you’ve been holding out for the 1.6 release on console and mobile, we’ve got plenty of Stardew Valley 1.6 guides to help you through the new content, such as an explainer on the new Mastery Points system and new crops like Carrots and Broccoli.
Essential Stardew Valley 1.6 Guides
Below, you’ll find IGN guides that we recommend checking out to aid you in your farming adventure.
Mastery Points
The Mastery Points system is a new feature that rewards those who have leveled all five Stardew Valley skills (Fishing, Farming, Combat, Foraging, and Mining) to level 10. Now, when you use a maxed-out skill, you’ll gain EXP in the new Mastery Gauge. Once the Mastery Gauge is full, you’ll get a Mastery Point that can be spent at Mastery Cave in Cindersap Forest.
For more information on Mastery Points and the rewards you can spend them on, head to our Mastery Points guide.
Raccoon Family Quests
In Stardew Valley 1.6, you’ll receive an announcement randomly telling you that a strong windstorm occurred overnight and if you head to Cindersap Forest, you’ll find that there’s now a giant treestump where a tree was. Once you repair the stump, a raccoon will be standing by it the next day, and he’ll have a quest for you. This is actually a chain of quests known as the Raccoon Family Quests.
As you complete the quests, the raccoon’s family will grow. You can accept a new quest from him every seven in-game days, and you’ll get rewards for doing so, as well as new Shop.
Check out our Raccoon Family Quests guide for walkthroughs on all the quests, as well as checkmarks to track your exact progress!
Golden Joja Parrot
Struggling to track down all 130 Golden Walnuts on Ginger Island? The Golden Joja Parrot is here to help—for a price. In the Stardew Valley 1.6 update, you can now pay the Golden Joja Parrot 10,000g to tell you the location of a Golden Walnut. It’s a pricy service, but if you can afford it, it’s very useful.
Of course, we would recommend NOT spending 10,000g (sorry, birdy!) and instead using our All Golden Walnuts guide to track down the 130 Golden Walnuts scattered around Ginger Island. We’ve also got checkmarks so you can check off the ones you’ve found.
New Fish and Resources
A fish, the Goby, has been added in Stardew Valley 1.6, which you can learn more about, including location, season, and selling price, in our Fish guide. Additionally, there are new fishable resources to find, which can be used to craft the Fish Smoker, which is also new. You’ll need the Fish Smoker for a Raccoon Family Quest!
Head to the following guides to learn more about obtaining the new fishable resources:
New Crops
Alongside a fish, there are also four additional crops for you to grow. You can find out more about how to find the seeds for the new crops and how to grow them in the following guides:
New Festivals
The Stardew Valley 1.6 update adds the following new festivals to the game:
Click on a link above to visit the guides page for that festival. You’ll find out information such as when each festival takes place, attractions, and what you can buy.
Starting a New Game?
If you’re starting a new game for the Stardew Valley 1.6 update on console and mobile, you may need a refresher on the basics, especially if it’s been a long time since you’ve played early-game content or you’re new to Stardew Valley. We recommend the following guides for new playthroughs:
Beginner’s Guide and Tips – Begin here if you’re starting a new playthrough. Our Beginner’s Guide and Tips page lists key things to know, including the best type of farm to choose, what to do in your first week to set yourself up for success, information on the Community Center, and more!
Skills – There are five skills to learn, each with 10 levels to unlock. As you level a skill up, you’ll unlock new rewards, such as crafting recipes and proficiency, and you can even choose between professions. Our Skills page teaches you everything you need to know.
How to Fish – Fishing is one of the five skills in Stardew Valley. Our How to Fish page teaches you how to unlock fishing, how to fish (including mini-game tips), and how to use Bait.
Cooking Recipes – Once you’ve upgraded your house, you unlock a kitchen with a stove and a fridge, which in turn, unlocks cooking. Our Cooking Recipes page lists every recipe in Stardew Valley and how to get them, plus required ingredients, stats, and sell price.
Crafting Recipes – There are a plethora of crafting recipes that you can use to make items to help you out with farming, decorating, combat, and more. Our Crafting Recipes page lists every crafting recipe in Stardew Valley, how to unlock them, and the materials you’ll need.
How to Make Money – Money is an incredibly valuable resource in Stardew Valley. In fact, you can’t do much without it! Our How to Make Money guide lists essential tips for making cash so you can fill up your coinpurse in no time.
Marriage Guide – Every farmer needs a partner, and our Marriage Guide teaches you everything you need to know about marriage in the game, including all 12 eligible bachelors and bachelorettes, how to actually get married, and how to have a baby. If you fall out of love with your partner, we even tell you how to get divorced. You’ll need to increase your villager hearts to get married, which we also have an explainer for.
