How to Make an Atomic Bomb in Your Garden Endings Guide

Overview of All Endings

How to Make an Atomic Bomb in Your Garden features a branching narrative with five distinct endings, each determined by your choices during the campaign. Your success depends on how well you manage resources, avoid suspicion, and complete your atomic project. This guide covers every ending, the conditions required to unlock them, and the consequences of your actions.

The game tracks several hidden variables: Suspicion Level, Funding, Part Completion, and Neighbor Relations. These metrics shift based on your decisions, ultimately locking you into one of the available endings. Understanding these mechanics is crucial for achieving your desired finale.

Ending 1: Successful Detonation

The primary ending and the most satisfying conclusion. You successfully assemble and detonate an atomic bomb in your backyard.

Unlock conditions:

• Complete all 5 bomb parts (plutonium core, detonator, reflector, casing, trigger mechanism)
• Keep Suspicion Level below 70% throughout the game
• Have at least $50,000 in funding at the final assembly phase
• Avoid federal investigation triggers

What happens: Your character watches the mushroom cloud rise from a safe distance. The ending cutscene shows the shockwave flattening nearby structures while your character celebrates. The credits roll over a news report describing an "unexplained seismic event."

This ending requires careful planning and resource management. Focus on stealthy part acquisition and maintain good relations with neighbors to keep suspicion low.

Ending 2: Federal Arrest

The failure ending for getting caught. Federal agents raid your home before you can complete the bomb.

Unlock conditions:

• Suspicion Level reaches 100%
• Trigger federal investigation by leaving evidence
• Fail to bribe or eliminate key witnesses

What happens: SWAT teams surround your house. The game ends with your character being handcuffed and led away. A newspaper headline appears: "Local Man Arrested in Nuclear Plot."

To avoid this ending:

• Always lock your garage
• Never order suspicious chemicals to your home address
• Use dead drops for part exchanges
• Maintain a normal routine during daylight hours

Ending 3: Neighbor Intervention

A unique social failure where your neighbors take matters into their own hands.

Unlock conditions:

• Neighbor Relations drop below 20%
• Suspicion Level above 50% but below 70%
• At least one neighbor has witnessed suspicious activity
• You have not completed the bomb casing

What happens: A mob of concerned neighbors surrounds your property. They've documented your activities and called the local news. The game ends with your character being confronted publicly, unable to continue the project.

How to prevent it:

• Host neighborhood barbecues to improve relations
• Help neighbors with their problems
• Keep your yard looking normal
• Plant tall hedges for privacy

Ending 4: Financial Ruin

A resource failure ending where you run out of money and cannot continue.

Unlock conditions:

• Funding drops to $0
• No available income sources remain
• At least 3 bomb parts are incomplete
• Loan sharks refuse further credit

What happens: Your character sits in an empty garage, surrounded by half-finished equipment. The game ends with a shot of the unfinished bomb and the sound of debt collectors knocking at the door.

Financial survival tips:

• Start with the most expensive parts first
• Invest in the stock market mini-game
• Take on side jobs from the classified ads
• Sell unnecessary household items
• Never buy parts from premium vendors

Ending 5: The Abandoned Project

A neutral ending where you give up on the bomb and destroy all evidence.

Unlock conditions:

• Choose the "Abandon Project" option in the final week
• Have not completed more than 2 bomb parts
• Suspicion Level below 30%
• All parts can be safely disposed of

What happens: Your character dismantles everything and returns to normal life. The ending shows you years later, watching the news about real nuclear threats, wondering what could have been. A bittersweet conclusion.

This ending is often chosen by players who realize they cannot complete the bomb in time. It's the safest option if you've made too many mistakes.

How to Unlock All Endings Efficiently

If you want to see every ending, follow this order:

1. First playthrough: Aim for Successful Detonation (use our beginner guide for help)
2. Second playthrough: Trigger Federal Arrest by maximizing suspicion
3. Third playthrough: Get Neighbor Intervention by ignoring social mechanics
4. Fourth playthrough: Run out of money for Financial Ruin
5. Fifth playthrough: Abandon the project early

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get multiple endings in one playthrough? No. Each playthrough locks you into one ending based on your cumulative choices. Use manual saves to branch off before the final week.

Which ending is considered the "canon" ending? The Successful Detonation ending is treated as the primary narrative conclusion. The developer has confirmed this is the intended finale.

Do my choices in the early game affect the ending? Yes. Every major decision affects the hidden variables that determine your ending. Even seemingly minor choices, like how you respond to a neighbor's question, can have long-term consequences.

Is there a secret ending? No secret ending has been discovered as of the current version. The five endings listed above are all that exist in the game's code.

For more detailed walkthroughs, check our full walkthrough guide and achievements guide.