The Cactus Family Reunion is one of Far Far West's better-hidden side quests, tucked into the Desert map with zero hand-holding. Six small cactus kids need reuniting with six larger parent cacti scattered across the sand, and the kid-to-parent pairings shuffle every run. Finish all six reunions in one run and you unlock the Cactus Day Joker, a reward that gives a small chance to spawn a cactus-themed Minino near enemy death locations for the rest of that run.
What is the Cactus Family Reunion quest?
The Cactus Family Reunion is a secret side quest that appears on the Desert map. According to the source documentation from Dot Esports, you must pick up each small cactus kid and carry it back to its matching parent cactus. The catch: pairings are randomized per run, so the kid that belongs to the northern parent one run might belong to the southwest parent the next. The only consistent clue is the hint text each kid displays, which references nearby landmarks like "near the rocks" or "by the cliffs."
Because you cannot ride your mount while holding a baby cactus, route planning matters more than raw speed. Picking up kids before you've mapped all six parents means a lot of aimless walking.
Screenshot each parent cactus location as you find it, then note a rough landmark name. When you start matching kids to parents, you'll have a reference instead of trying to remember six spots across a wide desert.
Picking up a cactus kid
Where are all the cactus locations?
All six parent cacti follow a consistent geographic spread across the Desert map, even though the specific pairings change. Here's the full sweep route based on Dot Esports' documented locations.
Northern rocky ridge
Drop into the Desert and head slightly north of the central basin toward the rocky ridge and small hill clusters. One parent cactus typically spawns inside a small ring of rocks mixed with tall cacti. A kid cactus often appears near a lone boulder or small rocky outcrop in the same area. Hint text pointing to "near the lone stone" or "by the rocks" means this is your zone.
Don't stop to complete the reunion here yet. Your first pass through the map should be pure scouting.
Central cactus field
From the northern rocks, head southeast toward the central road, then cut into the large cactus field running along or near the main track. Two or three parent cacti typically sit here, spaced apart rather than clustered. If any kid you're carrying references "road," "track," or "flat sand," start checking the cacti closest to the road first, then fan outward.
Your goal during this sweep phase is to mentally map all six parents before you start any reunions. Completing one pairing early and then backtracking to find the rest wastes more time than it saves.
Southwest rocky slope
Push toward the southwest edge of the map, where the desert slopes into the map border. One parent cactus usually sits on a short rocky ridge jutting into the sand from the southwest. Kid cacti here tend to appear near small boulders or tight cactus clusters. Hint text referencing "hill," "rise," or "southwest corner" points here.
If you've already picked up a kid with a matching hint, this is a reasonable spot to complete your first reunion since you're already in the area.
Southeast cactus cluster
Finish the initial sweep at the southeast corner of the desert, near the map's edge and the micro-hills. A small cluster of cacti near the bottom-right edge almost always contains one parent and sometimes both a kid and parent in close proximity. Hint text saying "near the southeast corner," "far east," or "close to the edge" confirms you're in the right area.
Approaching from the central road and angling down to the corner lets you clear two or three pairings in one pass if the hints line up.
How do you match kids to parents efficiently?
Once you've touched all six parents and noted their positions, shift into matching mode. The process according to Dot Esports' documented strategy:
- Pull up your screenshots or notes.
- Read each kid's hint text and match it to the parent location it describes.
- Plan your delivery route in a single direction: North > Central fields > Southwest ridge > Southeast corner.
- Walk only the shortest leg from kid to parent. Any trip longer than 10 to 15 seconds is worth a vehicle run once that reunion is done.
The no-mount restriction while carrying a kid is the biggest time sink in this quest. Planning your route so each kid-to-parent walk is short is the difference between finishing comfortably and running out of time.
Don't pick up a kid cactus until you've already located its parent. Wandering the desert with a kid in hand while searching for the right parent burns stamina and clock time fast.
What gear and movement help with this quest?
According to Dot Esports, your movement options and camera control directly affect how fast you clear this quest.
Use a fast mount or vehicle for the scouting phase. The Desert map is wide, and running on foot burns stamina while covering ground slowly. Once you've mapped all six parents, use the vehicle for any reunion leg longer than 10 to 15 seconds.
Bind your minimap and camera keys somewhere comfortable so you can scan for cactus clusters while moving. Terrain-based hints are easy to miss if you're only looking straight ahead at ground level.
Take screenshots of each parent cactus the moment you find it. Write a rough location name next to each one. This small prep step eliminates the mental overhead of trying to match six hints from memory mid-run.
What do you unlock by completing the quest?
Finishing all six reunions in a single run unlocks the Cactus Day Joker. Based on Dot Esports' reporting, this Joker gives a small chance to spawn a cactus-themed Minino near locations where enemies die later in the run. It's a fun bonus that adds some cactus-flavored chaos to the rest of your session.
The reward is run-specific, so you need to complete all six pairings every time you want the Joker active.
The Cactus Day Joker's Minino spawn is described as having a "small chance" to trigger, so don't expect a cactus buddy after every kill. It's a bonus, not a consistent mechanic.
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