Beginner's Guide

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 and beyond. 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. Whether you are coming from other life simulation games or this is your first time with the genre, this guide will walk you through the essential systems and help you avoid the most common pitfalls.

Character Creation

The first step is creating your Zoi in the Create a Zoi screen. You can customize every aspect of your Zoi's physical appearance, including face shape, body proportions, skin tone, hair, and clothing. The character creator is one of the most detailed in the genre, supporting facial capture and fine-tuned sliders for nearly every feature. During creation, you also select:

Element	Description
1 Trait	Choose from 18 available Traits that define your Zoi's personality and behavior. Traits affect autonomous actions, social interactions, emotional tendencies, and which Urges your Zoi receives. For example, a Bubbly Zoi gravitates toward social activities and gains positive emotions from conversations, while a Scholar prefers reading and studying.
Desired Life	A long-term goal that guides your Zoi's ambitions. This can be changed later in-game. Desired Lives provide milestone objectives and bonus rewards when you complete activities aligned with them.
Clothing for Occasions	You can set different outfits for everyday wear, formal events, sleepwear, swimwear, and different weather conditions. Having appropriate outfits prepared saves time once you start playing.

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. If you are unsure, the Bubbly and Go-Getter Traits are solid choices for first-time players because they encourage social interaction and career advancement.

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, subway system
Bliss Bay	Santa Monica, California	Perpetual summer	Coastal beach town, surfing, Muscle Beach gym, boardwalk, relaxed atmosphere, amusement park

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. You can travel between cities later, so the decision is not permanent. Pick the city whose atmosphere appeals to you most.

Understanding the Interface

Before diving into gameplay, it helps to understand the core interface elements you will interact with constantly.

Element	Description
Needs Panel	Displayed at the bottom of the screen, this shows your Zoi's eight core needs as colored bars. Green means satisfied; red means critical. Keep an eye on this at all times.
Action Queue	The row of icons above your Zoi's portrait shows queued actions. Your Zoi performs these from left to right. You can cancel or reorder actions by clicking them. With Autonomy enabled, the Zoi adds its own actions to this queue automatically.
Smartphone	Press P to open your Zoi's Smartphone. This is your hub for job applications, the Pocket Market, the city map, scheduling, and more. You will use this frequently.
Zoi Card	Press O to open the Zoi Card. This shows your Zoi's Trait, skills, relationships, preferences, and ambitions. Set your preferences here early to guide autonomous behavior.
Minimap	The Minimap in the corner shows your Zoi's location and nearby points of interest. Press M to open the full city map.
Notifications	The notification panel in the upper right shows alerts for events, visitors, career tasks, and critical need warnings. Do not ignore red notifications.

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.
Broom, Mop, or Vacuum Cleaner	Cleaning tools. Your home accumulates dust daily. A vacuum cleaner is the most effective option.

Do not skip the washing machine, trash bin, or cleaning tools. These are commonly overlooked by new players and lead to hygiene problems, cluttered homes, and strained relationships. Also consider buying a bonsai or bookshelf for Fun if your budget allows.

Build Mode Basics

Press I to enter Build Mode, where you purchase and arrange furniture, walls, flooring, and decorations. Understanding the basics early saves time and money.

Placement Controls

Control	Description
Grid Placement	By default, furniture snaps to a grid. This keeps items neatly aligned with walls and other objects.
Free Placement	Hold Alt while moving an item to disable grid snapping. This lets you push furniture against each other, overlap items, and achieve more natural-looking arrangements.
Rotation	Right-click or press Z/C to rotate an object by 45 degrees. Hold Alt while rotating for finer angle control.
Undo	Press Ctrl+Z to undo your last placement action.

Customizing Furniture Appearance

After placing a piece of furniture, click on it to bring up the customization panel. You can change textures, colors, and materials on most items. This customization is free, so you can match your furniture to any color scheme without extra cost.

Budget Tips

Focus on essentials first. Decorative items and expensive upgrades can wait until your income is stable.
Cheaper furniture fulfills the same needs as expensive versions. The main difference is aesthetic. A basic bed restores sleep just as well as a luxury bed.
If you are planning for a larger family later, leave empty rooms for future bedrooms and bathrooms rather than overspending on a single Zoi's home.

Important Settings to Configure

Before you start playing, adjust these critical settings. Getting these right on day one makes an enormous difference.

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 and sends your Zoi to random activities. 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. For example, setting a yellow heart on cleaning and laundry means your Zoi will handle housework automatically when the house gets dirty.
Set Ambitions: Ambitions give your Zoi direction and purpose. Choose ambitions that align with the skills and career you want to pursue.
Configure Autosave: Go to Options and find the Save header. Autosave is enabled by default with a 15-minute interval. You can adjust this to 5, 10, 15, or 30 minutes. The game uses three rolling autosave slots, so you always have multiple recent backups.

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. A Zoi with multiple critical needs will become miserable, refuse to socialize, and may even collapse.

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. The Recognition need is the hardest to maintain passively. Pursuing career advancement and completing ambitions are the most reliable ways to keep it satisfied.

Emotions and Urges

Emotions reflect your Zoi's mental state and directly influence their behavior, skill development speed, and social interactions. inZOI features 17 core emotions, each with multiple intensity levels. For example, mild annoyance can escalate to anger and eventually rage if the underlying cause is not addressed.

How Emotions Work

Emotions are triggered by fulfilled and unfulfilled needs, social interactions, your Zoi's Trait, and environmental factors.
Positive emotions (Concentrated, Focused, Amused, Curious) accelerate skill learning and improve career performance.
Negative emotions (Bored, Uncomfortable, Sad, Angry) slow down skill development and hurt social interactions.
Zois can feel several emotions simultaneously. The dominant emotion (the one with the highest intensity) determines the Zoi's visible mood.

Urges

Urges are spontaneous, time-sensitive desires that appear based on your Zoi's Trait, preferences, and current emotional state. When you see an Urge icon appear, try to fulfill it quickly. Completing an Urge grants a specific positive emotion and a mood boost. Ignoring an Urge has no penalty; it simply fades. Think of Urges as bonus opportunities to keep your Zoi happy.

Cleaning and Home Maintenance

Your home accumulates dust and grime naturally over time. Neglecting cleanliness causes visible dirt buildup on surfaces and floors, reduces your Zoi's Hygiene need faster, and can strain family relationships. Cleaning is one of the most overlooked mechanics by new players.

Cleaning Tools

Tool	Effectiveness	Notes
Broom	Low	Cheapest option. Good enough for small homes early on.
Mop	Low	Similar to the broom but handles wet messes. The least efficient overall.
Vacuum Cleaner	Medium	Faster and more thorough than the broom or mop.
Premium Vacuum Cleaner	High	Unlocked at Housework Level 3. The most effective cleaning tool in the game.

Cleaning Methods

Method	Description
Room-by-Room	Click on the floor in any room, select Clean, and choose your tool. Your Zoi will clean that room's floor and furniture.
Whole House	Click on your Zoi, select Clean, and choose the "Clean X times" option (where X is the number of rooms). This is the most efficient approach.
Hiring a Cleaner	Open your Smartphone, go to Pocket Market, and navigate to the Home Services tab. Select Cleaning to hire a professional. This costs Meow but saves your Zoi's time.
Autonomous Cleaning	Set a cleaning preference on one adult Zoi in the Zoi Card (yellow heart on cleaning/laundry). With Autonomy enabled, that Zoi will clean dirty areas without your input.

Aim to clean at least two to three times per play session. Dirty dishes should be washed promptly, full trash bins should be emptied, and laundry should be run regularly through the washing machine.

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. There are no education or experience requirements for entry-level jobs; you are guaranteed to get whatever you apply for.

Active vs Rabbit Hole Careers

inZOI has two types of careers, and understanding the difference matters for how you spend your time:

Type	Description
Active Careers	Your Zoi physically goes to a workplace and you control them during their shift. You complete tasks, interact with coworkers, and manage the workday directly. Examples include Police Career, Firefighter Career, and Convenience Store Career.
Rabbit Hole Careers	Your Zoi disappears into a building for several hours and returns when the shift ends. You cannot control them during work. Performance depends on their needs being satisfied before they leave. Show up rested, fed, and in a good mood for the best results.

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. As you gain experience and level up relevant skills, higher-level positions unlock with better pay.

Earning and Saving Money

Meow is the in-game currency. New players often struggle financially in the first few days. Here are the best strategies for building a stable income early on.

Income Sources

Method	Earnings	Notes
Entry-Level Career	300-500 Meow/day	Most reliable early income. Apply through the Smartphone Jobs app.
Painting	Varies by quality	Sell paintings through Pocket Market. Higher Art skill produces more valuable works.
Bonsai	Varies	Craft and sell bonsai trees. A relaxing side income.
Writing	Royalties over time	Write and publish books. Income trickles in passively after publication.
Fishing	Varies by catch	Free activity. Sell your catches for extra income.
Money Cheat	100,000 Meow	Click the Psycat Guide button (question mark icon) and select "Use Money Cheat". No penalty for using it.

Saving Money

Item	Description
Cook at home.	Ordering food through Pocket Market costs 3 to 5 times more than buying ingredients and cooking yourself. Learn to cook early.
Buy cheap furniture first.	A basic bed serves the same purpose as an expensive one. Upgrade later when you can afford it.
Visit the library for free skill books.	Reading at the public library costs nothing and levels up skills that unlock better-paying careers.
Clean your own home.	Hiring a cleaner costs Meow. Use a broom or vacuum until your income stabilizes.

Skill Development

inZOI features over 20 skills that can be leveled from 1 to 10. Skills unlock new interactions, improve career performance, open creative opportunities, and unlock new furniture and recipes at specific milestones. For example, reaching Cooking Level 3 unlocks the ability to cook meals that serve multiple Zois, and reaching Housework Level 3 unlocks the Premium Vacuum Cleaner.

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.
Maintain a Positive Mood: Zois learn significantly faster when experiencing positive emotions like Concentrated, Focused, Amused, or Curious. Fulfill their needs and Urges before starting a skill session.
Practice Skills They Enjoy: Zois learn faster when practicing skills they naturally enjoy based on their Trait. A Scholar levels up academic skills more quickly than a Bubbly Zoi would.
Take Classes: Some skills offer in-game classes or workshops that accelerate learning. Check community lots for available options.

Useful Skills to Prioritize

Skill	Why It Helps Beginners
Cooking	Saves money by cooking at home instead of ordering food. Level 3 lets you cook shareable meals.
Housework	Keeps your home clean faster. Level 3 unlocks the best vacuum cleaner.
Rhetoric	Improves social interactions. Helps build relationships and perform well in people-facing careers.
Fitness	Increases Energy recovery speed and enables physical activities like swimming and surfing.
Charm	Boosts success rate of romantic and social interactions. Useful if you plan to pursue romance.

Building relationships is central to life in inZOI. There are four relationship types: Family, Friendship, Romance, and Business. Each develops through relevant social interactions.

Building Friendships

Introduce yourself to neighbors by clicking on them and selecting a greeting. First impressions matter.
Choose conversation topics and interactions that match the other Zoi's interests. Watch for positive or negative reaction icons during conversations.
Regular interaction builds friendship over time. Phone calls and text messages count toward the Social need and maintain relationships even when you cannot visit in person.
Some Traits have natural chemistry together and build relationships faster, while others create friction. A Bubbly Zoi pairs well with an Entertainer or Socialite.

Overview of activities available in the inZOI Island Getaway DLC on Cahaya

Romance

To start a romantic relationship, you first need a solid friendship foundation. Once the friendship meter is high enough, romantic interactions become available. Successful romantic interactions build the Love Level, which unlocks date invitations, marriage, and eventually the option to have children. Take it slow; pushing romantic interactions too early will result in rejections.

Transportation and Getting Around

Your Zoi has several ways to move around the city. Understanding transportation options early helps you plan your day efficiently.

Method	How to Use	Cost
Walking	Click a destination on the map. Your Zoi walks there automatically.	Free
Public Bus	Available in both cities. Select "Go Here" on the map and your Zoi takes the nearest bus.	Free
Subway	Dowon only. Fast travel across the city via subway stations.	Free
Taxi	Hail from the map screen. Convenient for distant locations.	Meow
Car	Purchase through the Dream Car app on your Smartphone. Two driving modes: automatic (Zoi drives itself) and manual (you steer).	High Meow purchase
Bicycle	A budget-friendly personal vehicle option.	Low Meow purchase

For new players, public transportation is perfectly adequate. A personal car is a luxury, not a necessity. Save your Meow for housing and essentials first.

Time Management

Understanding how time works in inZOI helps you plan your Zoi's days effectively.

Setting	Details
Day Length	By default, one in-game day equals 96 real-world minutes. You can change this in Options under the Simulation section. Options range from 48 minutes (fast) to 24 real-world hours (slow).
Seasons	In Dowon, seasons change every 7 in-game days, cycling through spring, summer, fall, and winter. Bliss Bay has perpetual summer. Seasons affect available seasonal activities and the weather.
Aging	A Zoi's total natural lifespan spans 100 in-game days across all life stages. You can slow this down by increasing the day length, or disable aging entirely in Options under the Simulation menu.
Time Speed	You can pause the game (press 0) to plan without time passing. During gameplay, time flows at its normal rate. Use pause freely when setting up complex action queues.

Saving Your Game

inZOI offers both manual and automatic saving. Understanding the save system prevents losing progress.

Save Type	Description
Manual Save	Open the Game Menu and select Save. By default, there is a single manual save slot that is overwritten each time. Use "Save As" to create named save slots for important moments like weddings or milestones.
Autosave	Enabled by default with a 15-minute interval. The game rotates across three autosave slots, so you always have three recent backups to choose from. Adjust the interval in Options (5, 10, 15, or 30 minutes).
Build Mode and Create a Zoi Saves	Autosaves also trigger while you are in Build Mode or the character creator, protecting your work.
Save Before Risky Actions	If you are about to try something risky (like committing a crime or making a major life decision), create a manual save first so you can reload if things go wrong.

Controls Quick Reference

Essential keyboard controls for new players:

Action	Key
Move Zoi	WASD + Shift (run)
Toggle Camera Mode	TAB
Third-Person View	TAB (press once to switch behind the Zoi's shoulders)
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
Undo (Build Mode)	Ctrl+Z

Important: WASD controls move your Zoi, not the camera. Use the mouse to control the camera angle and zoom. Pressing TAB switches to a third-person over-the-shoulder view, which many players find more immersive for exploration. This is one of the most common points 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. Review this list before your first play session to save yourself frustration.

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 by sending them to random activities. Clear it immediately after starting a new game.
Neglecting cleanliness. Dirty dishes, full trash bins, and unwashed clothes all reduce Hygiene and can attract pests. A dirty home also strains family relationships.
Forgetting the washing machine. Dirty laundry piles up quickly and affects your Zoi's Hygiene even after showering. Buy a washing machine on day one.
Not buying cleaning tools. Many new players forget to purchase a broom, mop, or vacuum cleaner. Without them, dust builds up and there is no way to clean floors.
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 in the Zoi Card, 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, or simply do not buy one until you understand your Zoi's behavior patterns.
Not monitoring the interaction queue. Check the action queue regularly to ensure your Zoi is not stuck, repeating unproductive actions, or queuing contradictory tasks.
Overspending early. Furnish your home with essentials first. Decorative items, expensive furniture, and cars 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. At Cooking Level 3, you can cook shareable meals that feed the whole household.
Ignoring emotions. A Zoi in a bad mood learns skills slower, performs worse at work, and fails social interactions more often. Fulfill their Urges and manage their needs proactively.

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), including cleaning tools.
Enable Autonomy (press T) and clear the auto-generated schedule.
Set Preferences and Ambitions through the Zoi Card (press O). Set a cleaning/laundry preference on your Zoi.
Configure autosave settings in Options if the default 15-minute interval does not suit you.
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.
Clean your home with a broom or vacuum to prevent dust buildup.
Set a daily routine: wake up, eat, go to work, develop skills, socialize, clean, sleep.
Save your game manually before ending your session.

What to Do After the First Week

Once you have settled into a routine and your Zoi has a stable job, home, and social circle, here are the next goals to pursue.

Goal	Description
Pursue Career Advancement	Focus on leveling the skills tied to your career. Show up to work well-rested and in a good mood for the best performance reviews. Promotions come with higher pay and new responsibilities.
Explore the City	Visit community lots like parks, gyms, museums, and entertainment venues. Each location offers unique activities and social opportunities.
Develop a Creative Skill	Pick up Art, Writing, Baking, or another creative skill for both income and Fun. Selling paintings and bonsai through Pocket Market is a solid supplemental income.
Build Deeper Relationships	Strengthen existing friendships and consider pursuing romance. Invite Zois on dates, attend social events, and grow your social network.
Upgrade Your Home	Now that you have income, replace budget furniture with higher-quality pieces, add hobby furniture, and decorate to make the space your own. Consider whether you need extra rooms for future household members.
Work Toward Your Desired Life	Check your Desired Life milestones and direct your Zoi's activities toward completing them. Desired Life completion provides significant recognition boosts.
Try New Activities	Experiment with fishing, gardening, surfing (Bliss Bay), swimming, or visit the gym. These activities build skills, fulfill needs, and keep gameplay fresh.

Growing Your Family

If you want to expand your household, inZOI offers two paths to parenthood.

Method	Description
Biological Children	Married Zois can try for a baby through a romantic interaction. Pregnancy lasts three in-game days. The pregnant Zoi experiences food cravings and special interactions. Birth happens automatically at the hospital, and the newborn spawns in a crib at home.
Adoption	Adoption is available to all households, including same-sex couples and single Zois. This provides a path to parenthood without the pregnancy process.

Before expanding your family, make sure your home has enough rooms. You will need an additional bedroom, extra bathroom access, and ideally a space for children's activities. Adding rooms after the fact disrupts your house layout, so plan ahead. Newborns are locked to their cribs for one in-game day before aging into toddlers, who require hands-on feeding, cleaning, and teaching.

Tips for Experienced Simulation Players

If you are coming from other life simulation games, here are some key differences to be aware of.

WASD controls the Zoi, not the camera. The camera is controlled entirely with the mouse (click and drag to rotate, scroll to zoom).
Furniture can only be customized (textures, colors) after it has been placed. You choose the model first, place it, and then click it to edit its appearance.
The TAB key toggles third-person view, placing the camera behind the Zoi's shoulders. This is a unique feature worth trying for exploration and immersion.
Dust and dirt accumulate visibly and must be cleaned with dedicated tools. This is not optional. Neglecting it has real gameplay consequences.
Emotions have intensity levels that can escalate. Mild annoyance becomes anger becomes rage if you do not address the cause.
The Pocket Market is not just a shopping app. It handles food delivery, home services (cleaning, repair, babysitting), and selling crafted goods.
There is no penalty for using the money cheat. The Psycat Guide button gives 100,000 Meow instantly. Use it or do not; the game does not judge.

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