Nightwater opens up a diverse world beyond resource gathering and machine building, inviting players to explore unique minigames embedded in various biomes. These minigames aren’t just distractions—they’re crucial spots to uncover Boons, rare upgrades that enhance your gameplay with permanent perks.
Across the game, there are a total of 10 Boons tucked away in both the minigames and environmental areas. While some hide behind scenic elements like waterfalls or concealed walls, others demand specific triggers to appear. Pay close attention to interactions requiring you to hold E for a few seconds rather than just tapping it—missing this can make Boons elusive on your first tries.
Hold E When Something Looks Suspicious
Mastering the mechanic of holding E instead of tapping is essential in your hunt for Boons.
Whenever you encounter a purple glow, an out-of-place object, or anything strange, make a point to walk right up and hold E. It’s common for players to miss this longer interaction, so don’t rush away after a quick press.
Many Boons depend on this sustained interaction, and the game often leaves this subtlety unspoken, so patience reveals powerful rewards.
Nightwater All Boons
Boon of Curiosity
Location: Dark Thicket
Minigame: Forest
Benefit: Boosts Heart of the Elder drop rate by 50%.
You don’t require special tools unlocked beforehand to find the Boon of Curiosity.
Head into the Dark Thicket, then move toward the right end of the area. Behind the waterfall lies the secret spot for this Boon.
The Boon is concealed just behind the waterfall, making it easy to overlook without exploring thoroughly.
Boon of Tenacity
Location: Dark Thicket Ruins
Minigame: Forest
Benefit: Doubles resources gained while the Berserker ability is active.
This Boon won’t appear until you fulfill a hidden condition at the ruins.
Your task is to open the chest at least 10 times. Afterward, wait a few seconds then revisit the ruins; the Boon will spawn in the middle.
You can unlock this chest early during your venture, then continue your exploration of Dark Thicket before returning to claim the Boon near the run’s end.
Boon of Growth
Location: Oasis
Minigame: Desert
Benefit: Accelerates Oasis plant growth by 25%.
Enter the Oasis and navigate to the second shop section. Behind where the autoplanter sits, check the ground carefully.
Look for a subtle small purple glowing arrow. Approach it and hold E for several seconds, triggering the hidden Boon interaction.
This interaction unlocks the Boon of Growth, rewarding patient explorers.
Boon of Rage
Location: The Mine
Minigame: Mine
Benefit: Enhances mine minigame tools’ power by 20%.
Look for it hidden in the mine walls.
Upon entering The Mine, focus on the wall nearest the entry rope. About one-third down, a purple glowing icon marks where the Boon awaits.
Approach the icon and hold E until the item is fully collected.
Boon of Reflection
Location: The Mine
Minigame: Mine
Benefit: Begin the mine minigame with 25% more energy.
This Boon is in the same minigame zone as Boon of Rage.
Check the left wall from the spawn point. Look about two-thirds down the wall for a purple glowing icon.
Get close and hold E to acquire the Boon.
Boon of Accuracy
Location: Fuel Shortage
Minigame: Snow
Benefit: Spawns power-ups granting free credits during the minigame.
This Boon demands a specific weapon loadout; don’t attempt it without the right gear.
Start the Fuel Shortage minigame selecting the hand cannon.
Three distinctive yellow spheres lie outside the playable area. Your goal is to shoot them all down.
The spheres stay destroyed across attempts, so you don’t need to shoot all three in one run. If hitting them precisely is challenging, try a few rounds to earn a range upgrade.
After destroying all three spheres, you can collect the Boon.
Boon of Speed
Location: Data Rush
Minigame: Speedrun
Benefit: Boosts idle data generation speed by 25%.
This Boon hides on the 4th speedrun track inside Data Rush.
Reach the 4th track and during a moving platform segment, scrutinize the outer wall.
Spot a rock ledge protruding above lava; use a dash or jump to access it, then move through the wall itself.
You’ll enter a secret space where the Boon rests.
Boon of Strength
Location: Grass area behind spawn
Requirement: Change the music
Benefit: Doubles tool damage.
The Boon of Strength involves solving a small music puzzle.
Travel first to the desert biome. Behind a single-story house lies a stack of boxes with a gramophone.
Approach the gramophone and hold E for several seconds until the music shifts to a different track.
Hurry to the grass area altar behind the spawn and press E.
This triggers a brief parkour challenge. Successfully complete it and claim the “memory” at the end, which grants the Boon of Strength.
Boon of Luck
Location: Desert area, inside a house
Requirement: Change the music
Benefit: Increases critical hit chance with tools by 30%.
The Boon of Luck is unlocked via the same gramophone puzzle as Boon of Strength.
Head back to the desert biome and find the gramophone sitting on boxes behind one of the houses.
Hold E until the music changes, then proceed to the altar inside a different desert house and activate it.
This sends you into another parkour segment. Reach the end to collect the memory that grants the Boon of Luck.
Note that changing the music with the gramophone is necessary before the altar will respond.
You need to do the gramophone interaction first. The altar will not be ready until the music has changed.
Boon of Determination
Location: Industrial area, behind five stacked shipping containers
Requirement: Change the music
Benefit: Doubles resources gained from manually destroying materials.
The last music-based Boon, Boon of Determination, also begins with the gramophone in the desert biome.
Hold E on the gramophone to change the music track, then travel to the industrial area.
Behind the five stacked shipping containers is an altar. Interact with it (press E) to initiate the parkour course.
Complete the parkour and collect the memory at the end to unlock this Boon.
Press E at the altar to enter the small parkour section. Reach the end and collect the “memory” to obtain the Boon of Determination.
