Here’s How to Play Tabi Kaeru, the Calming Frog Game From the Creator of Neko Atsume

Games like Neko Atsume and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp have been great escapes for me—what’s not to like about setting gifts and furniture to host happy animals in an adorable setting? It’s why I was excited to download Tabi Kaeru or “Travel Frog”, a new game from Neko Atsume creator Yutaka Takazaki where you aid a frog on his journeys by packing his backpack and picking clovers. He’s a fantastical fairytale creature who just wants to see historical sites and you get to help him!

It’s much slower and you’ll only play for maybe a few minutes at a time, but I found it to be a really gorgeous, quiet game. Much like Neko Atsume, this game isn’t really about keeping a pet or doing anything fantastical. Instead, you just wait for long stretches of time for your little frog son and wonder what he’s doing. Is he eating well? Has he made it safely? More often than not, you’ll check the dwelling and find the frog hasn’t returned yet, at which point you might even feel a little ache in your heart. I’ve tried very hard to explain why this is so appealing to some of my friends, and have come to the conclusion that this is either something you get or are completely baffled by. Something about the waiting and rewarded patience is incredibly satisfying, not to mention peaceful. There’s no rush, just careful preparation.

Here’s how to play:

After you download the game tap on “スタート”, agree to terms by clicking “同意します”, and then tap on your frog to name him (Jim Hopper). There are two locations: the garden and the house. You can navigate them simply by pressing the image in the far right corner. As your frog packs, go outside and pick the clovers in the garden by tapping them.

Clovers are the game’s currency (except for four-leaf clovers, which you give your frog for good luck). Tap the shopping bag image to buy him some food, and the go into the house. There, tap on the lower left icon, and tap the boxes to give him food, gear, and clovers. When you’re done, press “かんりょう” and send him on his journey.

After you pack the box, the frog visits famous sites in Japan, sends you pictures of himself there while he’s gone, and brings back souvenirs for you. Different combinations of food (more expensive ones, preferably) will get him to different places. Visitors will also come by the house, including a snail, bee, and turtle whom you can treat to food by tapping on them. As you play, you’ll also get lottery tickets which you can play by clicking the top right corner once you collect 5.

Tabi Kaeru is out on Android and iOS though it’s only available in Japanese at the moment. However, it’s a pretty easy to figure out and there are plenty of guides online that’ll help you understand everything. I haven’t gotten too far yet, but this Reddit guide is especially helpful for the later aspects of the game.

(via Kotaku, image: Hit-Point)

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Charline Jao

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