Stellar Race in Gardenscapes: How the New Competitive Event Works

Stellar Race event interface in Gardenscapes showing a space-themed reward path with telescopes, gift boxes, and progression milestones.

Stellar Race is a competitive Gardenscapes event built around collecting Telescopes through normal level progression. Unlike events that use exploration energy, temporary maps, or a separate game mode, Stellar Race is directly connected to what players already do every day: beat levels.

The event rewards both progress and efficiency. Winning a level grants Telescopes, while finishing with moves left over provides additional progress. Difficulty multipliers and temporary reward multipliers can then increase that amount dramatically, which means two players completing the same number of levels can finish with very different Telescope totals.

Because every unused move adds to the starting total, many of the habits associated with how experienced players approach Gardenscapes levels become especially useful during Stellar Race.

How Stellar Race Works

The event follows three basic rules:

Beat levels and collect Telescopes.
Earn the required number of Telescopes before the other players.
Finish in the top three to receive placement rewards and advance.

Stellar Race consists of 12 stages, identified as Stellar Race I through Stellar Race XII. Each stage has its own Telescope target. Players compete for first, second, and third place, with the rewards depending on the final position.

If a player does not finish in the top three, the stage is not completed and must be played again. Completing every stage is also required to reach the Main Reward, which is separate from the rewards earned during the individual races.

Stellar Race Starts Automatically

One important feature of Stellar Race is that the first race does not necessarily wait for the player to choose a convenient starting time. When the event becomes active, opening the game can start the race automatically.

This matters because Stellar Race is a timed competition against other players. A player may open Gardenscapes only to collect something, check the team, or play later, but the race timer can already be running. In practice, this means players should not assume that they can leave the event icon untouched and choose exactly when their first competitive round begins.

The later sections are different. After reaching a checkpoint reward, the game presents a Start button before continuing into the next part of the event.

How Telescopes Are Collected

The basic Telescope calculation starts with the result of the level:

Every level you beat gives 10 Telescopes.
Every unused move gives 1 additional Telescope.

For example, if a level is completed with five moves remaining, the starting reward is:

10 + 5 = 15 Telescopes

However, this is only the base amount. Level difficulty and active reward multipliers can increase the final number of Telescopes considerably.

Hard, Super Hard and One Shot Multipliers

Stellar Race progress is affected by the reward multiplier attached to the level being played.

Normal level: x1
Hard level: x3
Super Hard level: x5
One Shot level: x5

The multiplier applies to the complete Telescope reward, including the Telescopes earned from unused moves.

If a Hard level is completed with five moves remaining, the calculation is:

(10 + 5) × 3 = 45 Telescopes

With a Super Hard or One Shot level under the same conditions:

(10 + 5) × 5 = 75 Telescopes

How the Blackberry Treasure x2 Changes Stellar Race

Blackberry Treasure can provide a temporary x2 Prize Multiplier. While it is active, the multiplier also applies to the Telescopes earned through Stellar Race.

The x2 does not replace the multiplier attached to a Hard or Super Hard level. The multipliers work together.

Normal x1 combined with x2 becomes x2.
Hard x3 combined with x2 becomes x6.
Super Hard x5 combined with x2 becomes x10.
One Shot x5 combined with x2 becomes x10.

This can create very large differences in progress from a single successful level. A Super Hard level completed while the x2 multiplier is active can generate ten times the base Telescope reward.

Stellar Race Telescope Calculation Table

The following examples all assume that the player finishes the level with five moves remaining. The base amount is therefore 15 Telescopes before multipliers are applied.

Level Situation	Final Multiplier	Calculation	Telescopes
Normal	x1	(10 + 5) × 1	15
Hard	x3	(10 + 5) × 3	45
Super Hard	x5	(10 + 5) × 5	75
One Shot	x5	(10 + 5) × 5	75
Normal + Blackberry x2	x2	(10 + 5) × 2	30
Hard + Blackberry x2	x6	(10 + 5) × 3 × 2	90
Super Hard + Blackberry x2	x10	(10 + 5) × 5 × 2	150
One Shot + Blackberry x2	x10	(10 + 5) × 5 × 2	150

The easiest way to remember the system is:

10 Telescopes + unused moves, then apply the level multiplier and any active Prize Multiplier.

Why the Multipliers Matter

Unused moves remain valuable, but the multiplier attached to a level can make an even larger difference. A Normal level completed with five moves remaining gives 15 Telescopes, while a Super Hard level with the same five unused moves gives 75.

If Blackberry Treasure x2 is active, those same examples become 30 Telescopes from the Normal level and 150 from the Super Hard level.

This changes how difficult levels should be viewed during Stellar Race. A Hard or Super Hard level can slow progress if repeated attempts are needed, because losing produces no increased Telescope reward. But successfully completing that level can create a much larger jump than a Normal level.

Placement Rewards in Each Stage

Every stage displays three rewards. The player's finishing position determines how many of them are collected:

First place: receives all three rewards shown.
Second place: receives the first and third rewards shown.
Third place: receives only the third reward shown.

The rewards across the event include Coins, Energy, Card Packs, Unlimited Lives, Unlimited Rainbow Blast time, boosters, and right-side tools such as the Shovel, Desk Fan, Kettlebell, and Dart.

Stellar Race I

Stellar Race I requires 230 Telescopes.

First Place: 25 Energy, 20 Energy, and 1 Bomb Booster.
Second Place: 25 Energy and 1 Bomb Booster.
Third Place: 1 Bomb Booster.

Stellar Race II

Stellar Race II requires 280 Telescopes.

First Place: 30 Coins, 25 Coins, and 20 Coins.
Second Place: 30 Coins and 25 Coins.
Third Place: 30 Coins.

Stellar Race III

Stellar Race III requires 370 Telescopes.

First Place: 2 Card Packs, 10 minutes of Unlimited Lives, and 5 minutes of Unlimited Lives.
Second Place: 2 Card Packs and 10 minutes of Unlimited Lives.
Third Place: 2 Card Packs.

Stellar Race IV

Stellar Race IV requires 465 Telescopes.

First Place: 30 Energy, 25 Energy, and 1 Shovel.
Second Place: 30 Energy and 1 Shovel.
Third Place: 1 Shovel.

Stellar Race V

Stellar Race V also requires 465 Telescopes.

First Place: 40 Coins, 30 Coins, and 1 Rainbow Blast.
Second Place: 40 Coins and 1 Rainbow Blast.
Third Place: 1 Rainbow Blast.

The First Checkpoint Reward

After the first section of Stellar Race, a checkpoint appears before the next part of the event begins.

The reward contains:

1 Card Pack.
200 Coins.

After collecting the reward, the player can press Start and continue into the next section.

Stellar Race VI

Stellar Race VI requires 465 Telescopes.

First Place: 40 Energy, 35 Energy, and 1 Desk Fan.
Second Place: 40 Energy and 1 Desk Fan.
Third Place: 1 Desk Fan.

Stellar Race VII

Stellar Race VII requires 605 Telescopes.

First Place: 10 minutes of Unlimited Lives, 5 minutes of Unlimited Lives, and 50 Coins.
Second Place: 10 minutes of Unlimited Lives and 50 Coins.
Third Place: 50 Coins.

Stellar Race VIII

Stellar Race VIII requires 605 Telescopes.

First Place: 50 Energy, 30 Coins, and 25 Coins.
Second Place: 50 Energy and 30 Coins.
Third Place: 50 Energy.

The Second Checkpoint Reward

A second checkpoint appears before the final group of stages.

The reward contains:

1 Card Pack.
1 Shovel.
1 Desk Fan.

The remaining stages then continue with higher Telescope requirements.

Stellar Race IX

Stellar Race IX requires 605 Telescopes.

First Place: 45 Energy, 40 Energy, and 1 Kettlebell.
Second Place: 45 Energy and 1 Kettlebell.
Third Place: 1 Kettlebell.

Stellar Race X

Stellar Race X requires 745 Telescopes.

First Place: 10 minutes of Unlimited Lives, 5 minutes of Unlimited Lives, and 1 Dart.
Second Place: 10 minutes of Unlimited Lives and 1 Dart.
Third Place: 1 Dart.

Stellar Race XI

Stellar Race XI also requires 745 Telescopes.

First Place: 50 Coins, 40 Coins, and 5 minutes of Unlimited Rainbow Blast.
Second Place: 50 Coins and 5 minutes of Unlimited Rainbow Blast.
Third Place: 5 minutes of Unlimited Rainbow Blast.

Stellar Race XII

Stellar Race XII requires 930 Telescopes, making it the largest individual stage.

First Place: 50 Energy, 40 Energy, and 1 Dynamite.
Second Place: 50 Energy and 1 Dynamite.
Third Place: 1 Dynamite.

Complete Telescope Requirements

The 12 Stellar Race stages require a combined total of 6,510 Telescopes if each stage is completed without having to repeat it.

Stage	Telescopes Required
Stellar Race I	230
Stellar Race II	280
Stellar Race III	370
Stellar Race IV	465
Stellar Race V	465
Stellar Race VI	465
Stellar Race VII	605
Stellar Race VIII	605
Stellar Race IX	605
Stellar Race X	745
Stellar Race XI	745
Stellar Race XII	930

The requirements increase substantially in the later stages. Stellar Race X, XI, and XII alone require a combined total of 2,420 Telescopes.

How Many Level Wins Are Needed?

If no multipliers were ever active and a player earned only the basic 10 Telescopes from every victory, reaching 6,510 Telescopes would require 651 successful levels.

Without multipliers, leftover moves reduce that number:

Average 10 Telescopes per win: approximately 651 wins.
Average 15 Telescopes per win: approximately 434 wins.
Average 20 Telescopes per win: approximately 326 wins.
Average 25 Telescopes per win: approximately 261 wins.

These figures should not be treated as the actual number of levels every player must complete. Hard x3, Super Hard x5, One Shot x5, and temporary x2 Prize Multipliers can reduce the number of successful levels needed considerably.

A single Super Hard win with a strong unused-move bonus can be worth several Normal-level victories. With an active x2 multiplier, the difference becomes even larger.

Why Leftover Moves Still Matter

Multipliers make difficult levels more valuable, but unused moves remain part of the calculation before the multiplier is applied.

A Normal level completed with five unused moves starts at 15 Telescopes. A Hard x3 turns that same base amount into 45, while a Super Hard x5 turns it into 75.

Large cascades and power-up combinations can help complete objectives before every available move has been used. This is why chain reactions that preserve moves can directly increase Stellar Race progress.

However, preserving moves should never become more important than winning the level. Multipliers are applied only to successful completions. Losing the level does not produce the increased Stellar Race reward.

The Stellar Race Main Reward

Players must complete all rounds to reach the Main Reward.

The Main Reward contains:

1 Card Pack.
500 Coins.
1 Rainbow Blast.
1 Dart.
1 Kettlebell.

This package is separate from the placement prizes earned during the individual stages and from the rewards collected at the checkpoints.

What the Final Results Screen Shows

When Stellar Race ends, the game displays a summary of the player's finishing position across the stages.

Each small chest represents the result from one stage:

A gold chest marked with 1 represents first place.
A silver chest marked with 2 represents second place.
A bronze chest marked with 3 represents third place.

This makes it possible to review performance across the event rather than seeing only the result of the final stage.

Who Has the Biggest Advantage?

Stellar Race favors players who can continue winning levels consistently, but the multiplier system makes the situation more complex than simply counting victories.

A player moving through Normal levels may collect Telescopes steadily, while another player who successfully clears Hard, Super Hard, or One Shot levels can gain much larger amounts in individual jumps.

The risk is failure. A difficult level can stop progress if several attempts are required. The reward comes only after the level is won. Once it is completed, however, Hard x3 and Super Hard or One Shot x5 can compensate for part of the time spent on the harder board.

The biggest short-term gains occur when a level multiplier overlaps with an active x2 Prize Multiplier. A Hard level then becomes x6, while Super Hard and One Shot levels become x10.

Should You Spend Coins and Boosters?

The competitive structure can create pressure to keep playing, especially when another player is close to the Telescope target. However, winning a placement reward does not automatically make heavy spending worthwhile.

Before purchasing extra moves or using several valuable tools, compare the cost with the reward offered for the current position. Spending hundreds or thousands of Coins to win a relatively small amount of Energy, Coins, or a single tool can leave the player with fewer resources than before entering the race.

Timed multipliers change this calculation. If a valuable x2 Prize Multiplier is already active, completing a Hard, Super Hard, or One Shot level during that period can produce much more Stellar Race progress than the same level would normally give.

The same judgment applies when deciding when to keep pushing and when to conserve resources during Stellar Race.

Is Stellar Race Easy or Difficult?

The basic rules are simple, but completing the full event can require substantial level progression. The total target across the 12 stages is 6,510 Telescopes if no stage has to be repeated.

That total initially looks extremely demanding when calculated only from the standard 10-Telescope reward. In practice, leftover moves, Hard x3, Super Hard x5, One Shot x5, and temporary x2 multipliers can accelerate progress significantly.

This also makes individual player experiences very different. One player may spend a long period collecting mostly x1 rewards, while another may encounter several x3 or x5 levels during an active x2 period and advance much faster.

Stellar Race Strategy Tips

Remember that every successful level starts with 10 Telescopes plus unused moves.
Hard levels give x3 rewards.
Super Hard and One Shot levels give x5 rewards.
Use an active Blackberry Treasure x2 period efficiently when possible.
Hard x3 combined with x2 becomes x6.
Super Hard or One Shot x5 combined with x2 becomes x10.
Preserve moves when possible, but do not risk an otherwise secure victory.
Use large power-up combinations when they can finish objectives earlier.
Check the Telescope target and placement rewards before spending Coins.
Take advantage of useful timed boosters that are already active.
Collect checkpoint rewards before starting the next section.

Conclusion

Stellar Race is not simply a competition based on how many Gardenscapes levels a player completes. Every successful level starts with 10 Telescopes, every unused move adds another Telescope, and the complete amount can then be multiplied by the difficulty of the level and any active Prize Multiplier.

Normal levels use x1, Hard levels x3, and Super Hard and One Shot levels x5. When Blackberry Treasure provides an active x2 Prize Multiplier, these become x2, x6, and x10 respectively.

This makes efficient wins especially valuable. Finishing with moves remaining helps on every level, while completing a Hard, Super Hard, or One Shot level during an active x2 period can create a very large jump in Stellar Race progress.

The event also requires attention from the moment it appears because the first race can begin automatically rather than waiting for the player to choose an ideal starting time. From that point onward, understanding exactly how Telescopes and multipliers work becomes one of the most important parts of competing efficiently.