Approximately up builds guide

Build basics

Build, crash, rebuild! That short loop is the heart of every Approximately Up run. Your ship is fully modular, so every flight is a test of what you bolted together in the hangar. There is no single "best" ship, but there is a reliable way to think about every build:mass versus thrust. Every plate, thruster, cable, and cargo pod adds weight, and anything you mount has to hold together long enough to actually fly.

Build, crash, rebuild! Explore new planets in co-op multiplayer with your fully modular spaceship made from whatever bolts together long enough to fly.

Start every build with a clear objective in mind. Cargo runs need secure holds, long-distance trips need fuel capacity and cooling, and deep-dive routes need reinforced frames. Match the loadout to the mission instead of bolting on everything you have unlocked.

• Thrusters are your primary mass investment. More thrust helps you escape gravity and hit speed milestones, but over-mounting makes the ship unstable.
• Cables connect systems, and while they are easy to ignore, a torn cable mid-flight can disable a thruster or a life-support module at the worst moment.
• Structural parts are cheap insurance. A few extra beams keep cargo attached during rough landings and solar storms.
• Time Rewind is effectively a free test run. Use it to try a build, crash, rewind, and adjust before committing to a long flight.

Early-game builds

Your first real objective after the tutorial is getting the tutorial sheep back to Headquarters. That mission teaches the most important early-game rule:survivable beats fast. A simple frame with a small cargo clamp, two modest thrusters, and enough steering to stay level is all you need.

Keep the early build list short. You want enough parts to complete First Milestone and the first batch of objectives without overextending your resource supply.

• Light frame: one central beam, one small cockpit, and a single cargo mount.
• Two balanced thrusters: one per side, positioned near the center of mass to avoid spinning.
• Minimal cabling: run short, direct lines between the cockpit, thrusters, and cargo systems.
• No decorative extras: every extra plate is weight you have to push off the ground.

Once you are comfortable with that base, start testing No Rewinds! runs by flying clean routes without Time Rewind. That achievement requires completing an objective without rewinding, and it is easiest to earn while your build is still simple and predictable.

Mid-game options

After you discover new planets, the mission profile changes. You are no longer shuttling sheep between nearby points. Mid-game builds need to handle interplanetary distance, harsher landings, and hazards like solar storms and the pressure of deep trenches. This is where specialization starts to matter.

The Ice Age objective, transporting a mastodon from the Moon to Earth alive, is the classic mid-game build test. It needs a reinforced cargo bay big enough to hold a large animal, enough thrust to escape the Moon, and enough control to land softly on Earth. A dedicated transport build with extra structural beams and a wider thruster spread works best here.

For exploration and speed objectives, consider a separate scout loadout:

• High-thrust core: several large thrusters mounted symmetrically to reach high velocities.
• Shielded wiring: route cables behind structural plates so solar storms do not sever them.
• Reinforced nose: a sturdy front section for crash landings and unplanned planetary contacts.
• Storage reserve: keep at least one empty cargo mount for salvage found on new planets.

If you plan to reach 1000m below sea level for the submarine achievement, or explore Green Trench, build for pressure and buoyancy instead of speed. A heavier, slower hull with reinforced panels handles those depths far better than a racing frame.

Tips

After several rebuilds, a few patterns hold across nearly every successful loadout. Keep these in mind when designing your next ship.

• Test with Time Rewind first. Fly the route, note what breaks, rewind, and fix exactly that part. This saves resources and teaches you where your build is weak.
• Always add one spare thruster. When a thruster gets sheared off during a crash, that spare is the difference between limping home and stranding the crew.
• Secure cables before cargo. A loose cable can disable your entire control system, while cargo can usually survive a rough landing if it is strapped down.
• Build for the crew, not just the ship. In co-op multiplayer, assign one player to piloting, one to engineering, and one to watching the cargo. Clear roles make mid-flight repairs much faster.
• Check the Workshop for proven designs. Community-built ships can show you what layouts handle specific planets or objectives, and you can learn a lot by taking one apart.

Finally, remember that no build is permanent. Approximately Up is designed around the loop of crashing and rebuilding, and the best players treat every loss as data. The more you fly, the faster you learn which loadouts hold together long enough to complete the objective.