Beginner's Guide
A comprehensive getting started guide for new inZOI players covering character creation, city selection (Dowon vs Bliss Bay), essential housing, Autonomy settings, the needs system, career basics, skill development, controls reference, common mistakes, and a first priorities checklist.
Welcome to inZOI. This guide covers everything a new player needs to know to get started, from creating a character to surviving the first few in-game days. inZOI is a life simulation game where you control Zois (characters) as they navigate daily life, build careers, develop skills, form relationships, and pursue personal ambitions.
Character Creation
The first step is creating your Zoi in the Character Creation screen. You can customize every aspect of your Zoi's physical appearance, including face shape, body proportions, skin tone, hair, and clothing. During creation, you also select:
1 Trait: Choose from 18 available Traits that define your Zoi's personality and behavior. Traits affect autonomous actions, social interactions, and emotional tendencies.
Desired Life: A long-term goal that guides your Zoi's ambitions. This can be changed later in-game.
Take your time with character creation. Your Zoi's Trait has a meaningful impact on gameplay, influencing how they react to situations and which activities they gravitate toward when acting autonomously.
Choosing Your City
After creating your Zoi, you choose which city to live in. Each city has a distinct personality and environment:
City | Inspiration | Seasons | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
Dowon | Seoul, South Korea | 4 seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter) | Urban environment, K-Pop culture, diverse neighborhoods, river parks, seasonal changes |
Bliss Bay | Santa Monica, California | Perpetual summer | Coastal beach town, surfing, Muscle Beach gym, boardwalk, relaxed atmosphere |
Dowon is the larger and more varied city with seasonal weather, while Bliss Bay offers a permanent summer vibe with beach activities. Your choice affects available activities (surfing is Bliss Bay only) but does not lock you out of any careers or skills.
Housing Essentials
Once you move into a home, you need to furnish it with essentials. Use Build Mode (press I) to purchase and place furniture. The following items should be your first priorities:
Item | Purpose |
|---|---|
Bed | Sleep. A Zoi without a bed will collapse from exhaustion. |
Shower or Bathtub | Hygiene. Essential for daily cleaning. |
Toilet | Bathroom need. A Zoi without a toilet will have accidents. |
Sink | Handwashing and basic cleaning. |
Washing Machine | Laundry. Dirty clothes accumulate and affect Hygiene. |
Refrigerator | Food storage. Required to store ingredients and leftovers. |
Oven, Stove, and Countertop | Cooking. All three are needed for meal preparation. |
Dining Table and Chairs | Eating. Zois eat faster and happier at a table. |
Wardrobe | Clothing storage. Allows outfit changes. |
Trash Bin | Waste disposal. Without one, trash piles up on the floor. |
Fire Alarm | Safety. Detects and alerts for kitchen fires. |
Television | Fun and Entertainment. Satisfies the Fun need. |
Do not skip the washing machine or trash bin. These are commonly overlooked by new players and lead to hygiene problems and cluttered homes.
Important Settings to Configure
Before you start playing, adjust these critical settings:
Enable Autonomy: This is the most important setting. Press T to toggle Autonomy on. With Autonomy enabled, your Zoi will independently take care of basic needs (eating, sleeping, using the bathroom) when you are not giving direct commands. Without Autonomy, your Zoi stands idle and their needs will deteriorate rapidly.
Remove the Auto-Generated Schedule: When you first start, the game creates a default daily schedule. This schedule often interferes with your plans. Open the schedule panel and clear it so your Zoi acts freely.
Set Preferences via Zoi Card: Press O to open the Zoi Card. Set your Zoi's food preferences, activity preferences, and interaction style. These preferences influence autonomous behavior.
Set Ambitions: Ambitions give your Zoi direction and purpose. Choose ambitions that align with the skills and career you want to pursue.
The Needs System
Every Zoi has 8 core needs that must be maintained. If any need drops too low, the Zoi's emotions and performance suffer:
Need | How to Fulfill |
|---|---|
Hunger | Eat meals. Cook at home (cheapest) or order through Pocket Market. |
Hygiene | Shower, bathe, wash hands, change clothes, use the washing machine. |
Sleep | Sleep in a bed. Naps on couches partially restore this need. |
Bathroom | Use a toilet. This need builds up over time and cannot be ignored. |
Energy | Rest, drink coffee, or sleep. Energy depletes faster during physical activities. |
Fun | Watch TV, play games, use the phone, socialize, exercise, or engage in hobbies. |
Social | Talk to other Zois, make phone calls, send texts, or visit neighbors. |
Recognition | Advance career, complete ambitions, create art, or receive compliments. |
With Autonomy enabled, your Zoi will handle most of these needs automatically. However, you should still monitor the needs panel and intervene when a need gets critically low.
Getting a Career
Open your smartphone (press P) and navigate to the Jobs app to browse available careers. Entry-level positions pay between 300 and 500 Meow per day. Careers require you to show up on time and fulfill daily tasks. Higher-level positions unlock as you gain experience and level up relevant skills.
Do not worry about choosing the perfect career right away. You can quit and switch careers at any time without penalty. The early income from any entry-level job is essential for furnishing your home and building your Zoi's life.
Skill Development
inZOI features over 10 skills that can be leveled from 1 to 10. Skills unlock new interactions, improve career performance, and open creative opportunities. The fastest ways to develop skills early on:
Read Books at the Library: The public library offers free skill books. Reading is a reliable way to gain early skill levels without buying equipment.
Practice Directly: Use skill-related objects (easel for Art, oven for Cooking, computer for Programming) to gain hands-on experience.
Take Classes: Some skills offer in-game classes or workshops that accelerate learning.
Controls Quick Reference
Essential keyboard controls for new players:
Action | Key |
|---|---|
Move Zoi | WASD + Shift (run) |
Toggle Camera Mode | TAB |
Open Smartphone | P |
Open Build Mode | I |
Open Zoi Card | O |
Open Relationships Panel | R |
Open Map | M |
Pause Game | 0 (zero) |
Toggle Autonomy | T |
Note: WASD controls move your Zoi, not the camera. Use the mouse to control the camera angle. This is a common point of confusion for new players coming from other simulation games.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The following mistakes are the most frequent issues reported by new players:
Not enabling Autonomy. Without Autonomy, your Zoi will not take care of themselves at all. Always keep it on (press T) unless you have a specific reason to micromanage every action.
Leaving the auto-generated schedule. The default schedule wastes your Zoi's time. Clear it immediately.
Neglecting cleanliness. Dirty dishes, full trash bins, and unwashed clothes all reduce Hygiene and can attract pests.
Forgetting the washing machine. Dirty laundry piles up quickly and affects your Zoi's Hygiene even after showering.
Using WASD for camera control. WASD moves the Zoi, not the camera. Use the mouse to rotate and zoom the camera.
Not setting Preferences. Without Preferences configured, your Zoi's autonomous behavior may not align with your goals.
Leaving the TV on. Zois with Autonomy will sit down and watch TV for hours instead of doing productive activities. Turn it off when not needed.
Not monitoring the interaction queue. Check the action queue regularly to ensure your Zoi is not stuck or repeating unproductive actions.
Overspending early. Furnish your home with essentials first. Decorative items and expensive equipment can wait until your income is stable.
Not cooking food. Ordering through the Pocket Market is 3 to 5 times more expensive than cooking at home. Learn to cook early.
First Priorities Checklist
Follow this checklist during your first few in-game days:
Create your Zoi and choose a city.
Move into a home and furnish it with all essential items (see Housing Essentials table above).
Enable Autonomy (press T) and clear the auto-generated schedule.
Set Preferences and Ambitions through the Zoi Card (press O).
Apply for an entry-level career through the Smartphone Jobs app.
Visit the public library and read a skill book related to your chosen career.
Cook your first meal at home to save Meow.
Introduce yourself to at least 2 neighbors to build your Social need.
Set a daily routine: wake up, eat, go to work, develop skills, socialize, sleep.
Save frequently. The game does not auto-save during gameplay.