- Starsand Island gacha machine progress may require opening the items you purchase.
- Arcade tokens come from the arcade’s token exchange rather than directly from regular gold spending.
- Quest workaround: Buy 10 gachapons, then open all 10 together from your inventory.
- Daily limit: Token availability can require multiple in-game days of preparation.
- Troubleshooting: If items will not open, check your inventory controls and try the arcade counter machines.
Starsand Island gacha machine location and purpose
Starsand Island gacha machine activities are connected to the arcade area and its token economy. The arcade includes a token exchange where players can trade gold for arcade tokens before using machines. The machine itself is also tied to an Island Life app objective that asks players to use a gacha machine 10 times.
The important distinction is between using the machine, buying a gachapon, and opening the gachapon. Quest tracking appears to be more reliable when the purchased items are opened, not simply when the machine interaction is repeated.
Video Highlights:
- Find the arcade area and open the token exchange menu.
- Exchange gold for a supply of arcade tokens.
- Use tokens on the gacha machine or other arcade attractions.
- Understand the basic arcade flow before attempting the quest objective.
| Activity | Required resource | Main purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Token exchange | Gold | Obtain arcade tokens |
| Gacha machine | Arcade tokens | Purchase gachapons |
| Inventory opening | Purchased gachapons | Trigger the useful quest progress |
| Arcade games | Arcade tokens | Spend tokens on entertainment activities |
The arcade gacha machine is not the same as opening a gachapon. For the 10-use objective, treat the purchase and opening steps as separate parts of the process.
The available guidance places the relevant machines near the arcade counter. If a machine inside another shop does not register, return to the arcade and use the machines positioned by the counter. This location distinction matters because players may initially search the pet shop after seeing the objective mention pets and outfits.
For an overview of the issue and player-tested workarounds, consult the Starsand Island Steam discussion about the gacha objective.
How to get arcade tokens efficiently
Arcade tokens are the entry cost for the gacha machine. The available arcade walkthrough describes a token exchange that offers 80 tokens for 800 gold. Token availability may be limited per day, so planning several purchases at once is useful when the objective requires 10 openings.
Do not assume that the full 10-use task can always be completed during a single visit. Community troubleshooting from February 2026 indicates that some players needed more than one in-game day because the token supply was restricted.
| Preparation point | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Gold supply | Carry enough gold for the token exchange | Each reported exchange uses gold |
| Arcade access | Travel to the arcade area | The gacha machine is associated with this location |
| Token stock | Check the daily exchange availability | Tokens may not be unlimited in one day |
| Purchase plan | Save tokens for a grouped purchase | Buying 10 together can improve quest tracking |
| Inventory space | Leave room for gachapons | The items must be stored before opening |
Gold
Use gold at the arcade’s token exchange. The reported exchange is 800 gold for 80 tokens.
Tokens
Arcade tokens are the spending currency for the gacha machine and other arcade activities.
Gachapons
These are the items purchased from the machine and stored in your inventory.
Inventory
Open the purchased gachapons here when working toward the 10-use objective.
If the token exchange does not provide enough tokens for 10 purchases, continue on the next in-game day instead of repeatedly searching for another machine.
A practical farming rhythm is to visit the arcade, exchange the available gold for tokens, and purchase gachapons only after confirming that you can store them. If the objective is your priority, avoid spending the entire token supply on unrelated arcade games until the gacha requirement is complete.
The token exchange rate should be treated as a reported gameplay value rather than a guarantee for every future version. If a patch changes the arcade economy, verify the current in-game menu before committing your gold.
Step-by-step method for the 10 gacha objective
Use the following sequence when completing the Island Life app objective. The central strategy is to buy the required gachapons as a group and then open them together. Multiple players reported that this workaround helped the objective register when individual openings did not.
Travel to the arcade
Enter the arcade area and locate the token exchange and gacha machines near the counter. If you first searched the pet shop, return to the arcade before testing the objective again.
Exchange gold for tokens
Open the token exchange and purchase the available arcade tokens. The reported exchange is 80 tokens for 800 gold, although the amount available may be limited during one in-game day.
Buy 10 gachapons
Use the gacha machine to purchase 10 gachapons. If you cannot buy all 10 during one visit, collect tokens over additional in-game days.
Open all 10 together
Go to your inventory and open the 10 purchased gachapons as a group. This is the most consistently reported workaround for the quest not counting individual uses.
Check the Island Life app
Reopen the objective screen and confirm whether the 10-use requirement has updated. If it has not, review the troubleshooting steps below before spending more tokens.
| Step | Action | Expected checkpoint |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enter the arcade | Counter machines are visible |
| 2 | Exchange gold | Arcade tokens appear in your inventory or currency total |
| 3 | Purchase 10 gachapons | Ten unopened items are available |
| 4 | Open the group | The inventory no longer shows the unopened set |
| 5 | Review the objective | The Island Life app checks the requirement |
Buy 10 gachapons at once and open 10 together. This grouped approach helped several players complete the objective after individual openings failed to register.
The order is more important than simply interacting with a machine 10 times. A player may spend tokens repeatedly and still see no progress if the game is checking the opening event instead of the purchase event. Grouping the items gives the objective a clearer set of actions to record.
If you need to spread the process across multiple days, keep track of how many gachapons are unopened. The token exchange limit means that a two-day or longer plan may be necessary, depending on the amount available in your current save.
Troubleshooting gacha machine progress
The most common problem is that the Island Life app does not count gacha activity. Players have reported using the arcade machines many times without seeing progress, while others completed the requirement after opening 10 items together. This suggests that the quest may be sensitive to the exact interaction or may have an inconsistent tracking state.
| Problem | Likely cause | Recommended response |
|---|---|---|
| Machine uses do not count | Purchases were not opened | Open the gachapons from inventory |
| Pet shop search fails | Wrong location | Use the arcade machines near the counter |
| Ten openings are unavailable | Daily token supply is limited | Gather tokens over multiple in-game days |
| Individual openings fail | Tracking workaround needed | Buy 10 and open them together |
| Items will not open | Input or inventory issue | Check controls, free inventory space, and retry |
Try these fixes in order:
- Confirm that you purchased the items from the arcade gacha machine.
- Count the unopened gachapons in your inventory.
- Purchase a full group of 10 when the token supply allows it.
- Open the complete group from the inventory interface.
- Recheck the Island Life app after closing and reopening its objective screen.
- If you are playing with a controller or handheld layout, verify the item interaction button.
A separate player report from April 2026 mentions that gachapons would not open in the bag on Steam Deck. The available discussion does not establish one universal fix for that input problem, so avoid spending additional tokens until the inventory interaction is working correctly.
Before You Spend More Tokens:
- Confirm the machine is located in the arcade near the counter
- Check that the token exchange supplied enough arcade tokens
- Verify that 10 gachapons are stored in the inventory
- Open the items together instead of testing only single openings
- Review the Island Life app after the inventory actions finish
If the objective still shows zero progress, stop spending tokens one at a time. Confirm the inventory opening step and test the grouped workaround first.
Because the issue may depend on the current game version, also consider checking the latest Steam community discussion for newer player reports. Use the discussion as a troubleshooting reference, not as a replacement for checking the current in-game objective.
Best practice for arcade progression
The gacha objective is easiest when treated as a short resource project rather than a repeated arcade interaction. First secure the token supply, then reserve enough tokens for the 10 gachapons, and finally complete the inventory openings in one grouped session.
| Priority | Best practice | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| High | Save gold for the token exchange | Prevents a stalled purchase plan |
| High | Reserve tokens for 10 gachapons | Keeps the objective focused |
| High | Open the group together | Matches the reported workaround |
| Medium | Track daily token availability | Helps estimate completion time |
| Medium | Check inventory controls first | Avoids wasting purchased items |
A clean completion plan looks like this:
- Visit the arcade and inspect the exchange.
- Convert available gold into tokens.
- Wait for another in-game day if the supply is insufficient.
- Purchase 10 gachapons when possible.
- Open every gachapon from the inventory.
- Confirm the Island Life app objective.
This method also reduces confusion between the arcade’s different activities. The same token currency can be used for gacha and arcade games, but only the relevant gacha purchase and opening sequence should be counted toward this objective.
Treat the objective as complete only after the Island Life app updates. The machine animation alone is not a reliable progress check.
Q: Where is the Starsand Island gacha machine?
The relevant machine is in the arcade area, with player reports pointing to the machines near the counter. If a pet shop search fails, return to the arcade.
Q: Why is my gacha machine use not counting?
The objective may track opening purchased gachapons rather than only interacting with the machine. Buy 10 gachapons and open them together from your inventory.
Q: Can I complete the 10-use objective in one day?
Possibly, if the token exchange provides enough tokens. Reports from February 2026 indicate that daily token availability can require players to collect tokens over multiple in-game days.
Q: What should I do if gachapons will not open?
Check that the items are in your inventory, confirm there is free space, and verify your current controller or handheld input. A Steam Deck report from April 2026 did not identify one universal workaround.