The creators of Neko Atsume are back with a traveling frog game

The soothing and stress-reducing cat collecting game Neko Atsume has captivated users around the world since 2014. Now the company behind Neko Atsume has another cute and addictive game on its hands.

Hit-Point Co., Ltd.’s latest game Tabikaeru, available for iOS and Android, has you play with a frog that you name and send off on adventures. Using clovers that you can grow or collect as currency, you purchase food and items to equip your frog for its journey. You can also equip four-leaf clovers to give your frog good luck.

Tabikaeru has been available since November, and on the surface, it shares some similarities to its predecessor. It features similar animation, in-game currency you use to purchase food and items, and different foods and items will yield different results—but only after you exit the game and wait. It’s a low-stakes game that can scratch that “fun distraction” itch without too much commitment or punishment if you neglect it. But this game isn’t a carbon copy of Neko Atsume. Instead of leaving out treats and toys to attract independent-minded cats, in Tabikaeru, players send their frogs out on adventures to collect new items. 

While your frog is home, you can take a peek inside its house. 

After a frog leaves on an adventure, it will take some time to return. It’ll sometimes send you postcards from while you wait, and when it returns, it may come back with new items. 

When you get further into the game, the frog will be joined by travel companions and can receive tickets for a chance to play the game’s lottery once you collect five tickets.

Tabikaeru is only available in Japanese at the moment—Neko Atsume started the same way—so it takes some time for users to get used to the mechanics. However, a redditor on r/nekoatsume has provided an in-depth playing guide for English speakers that explains the different buttons and functions as well as the meaning behind some of the game’s items.

As more people discover the game, they’re helping others with tips and realizing just how relaxing it can be.

https://twitter.com/Shikaboom/status/947395283020931072

https://twitter.com/woodlandbirb/status/950243166728331265

Now where to next?

H/T Waypoint