Space Sucks is a single-player trash recycling game about keeping the cosmos a tidy place. You play as an intergalactic trash collector living aboard a retro futuristic spaceship. Every day the ship collects new types of litter and you are tasked with sorting, cleaning and recycling it with your wearable vacuum, alongside with REN, your Relentlessly Enthusiastic Navigator. Your goal is to recycle as much space trash as possible on a 12-day journey back to Earth, while navigating the ups and downs of interstellar companionship.

Each day has a set number of time-limited recycling shifts to complete, in which different types of litter spawn inside the ship and need to be processed and recycled as quickly and efficiently as possible. For every piece of recycled trash the player earns the coveted Space Coins, required for all types of upgrades and perks. Earnings can be spent at the end of each day to upgrade the ship's machinery and get ready to face the next challenges.

Each day begins with a morning phase, designed as a quiet phase with no time limit, in which the player can chit-chat with REN while setting up for the shifts: harvesting fruits from the greenhouse and watering plants to get more the next day; processing fruits into the smoothie machine and having a power-up drink to gain daily boosters depending on the ingredients; using the route planner in the cockpit to search for nearby planets, scanning the different types of waste that can be recycled and choosing one among the available options; spraying water to recharge the machines in the recycling room... and when the player feels ready, they can press the shift button to start the daily shifts!

After the fun and frantic time spent during the recycling shifts, the player can chill in the ship’s lounge, exploring the collection of rare trinkets found among trash and learning more about REN and the game lore.