About the Cowboy Safari Game
Cowboy Safari is an animal-taming adventure game, which is fast-paced and allows you to play as a cowboy in a race against the wilderness with a lasso in your hand. You are aiming to hunt, ride and befriend animals in various places, open grasslands, mountain trails, and construct and run your own zoo with exotic animals.
The gameplay combines the running game with loot and management. When you run, you are able to jump to the other animals and each has a personality and a behavior. There are those who run fast, and those who fly off; therefore time and delicacy are all. Animals are tamed and then put into your zoo where you can make upgrades to your habitats, earn coins and unlock zones. Cowboy Safari is unique in the sense that it has an element of action and strategy. You are not riding alone in the distance, you are also creating an animal kingdom, accomplishing missions and finding some exotic species such as zebras, buffalo, and elephants.
Cowboy Safari makes it easy for new players to learn by showing on-screen instructions during gameplay. Helpful hints like "Press Spacebar," "Press & Hold," or "Press to Steer" appear as you play, guiding you step by step through the basics of riding, steering, and jumping between animals. These tutorials gradually disappear once you've mastered the controls, allowing you to enjoy a smooth and natural learning curve without interrupting the fun.
What's Inside Cowboy Safari Gameplay?
Cowboy Safari combines fast-paced running action with strategic zoo management. As a cowboy, you'll lasso and ride various exotic animals across different biomes - open grasslands, mountain trails, and jungle paths. Each animal has unique movement patterns and behaviors, requiring different strategies to tame and ride successfully.
The core gameplay loop involves running through wild environments, switching between animals before they get angry and buck you off, collecting crates for bonus coins, and completing missions to earn gold. Tamed animals are added to your zoo, where you can upgrade their habitats to improve their performance and increase your passive income.
The game features dozens of animals across different biomes, each with unique movement and behavior. You can tame up to six of each species, with rare "shiny" versions appearing later in the game. The combination of action-packed running sequences and strategic zoo management creates a unique and engaging gameplay experience.
How to Play Cowboy Safari
Cowboy Safari offers simple, intuitive controls that let you focus on the thrill of the ride. The game features on-screen instructions that guide you through the basics, making it easy for new players to learn.
Basic Controls
- Press Spacebar: Throw your lasso to catch an animal.
- Hold Spacebar: Keep your lasso ready while aiming.
- Release Spacebar: Jump onto the animal once you're close enough.
- Arrow Keys: Steer your cowboy while riding to dodge obstacles and aim for your next target.
- Press Spacebar Again: Leap to another animal before your current one gets angry and bucks you off.
Understanding Animal Behavior
Every animal has its own "anger timer" - a countdown before they buck you off. Some animals run fast, while others fly off or have jittery movements. Learning each animal's timing is crucial for long runs. Switch right before they get angry to maintain your momentum.
Collecting Crates
While running, you'll notice bouncing wooden crates scattered around. Smashing them gives you bonus coins - small at first, but surprisingly valuable later. Approximate coin values by area: Savannah (6 coins), Jungle (15 coins), Mountain (30 coins). Certain animals, like ostriches and elephants, gain crate multiplier bonuses as you upgrade them.
Note on Fullscreen Mode
If you switch to fullscreen mode and your screen turns white, don't worry! Just click anywhere on the screen once to bring the game back. This is a known minor bug that will be fixed soon.
Understanding Missions & Gold Rewards
Missions are the backbone of progression in Cowboy Safari. You can hold up to three at once, and completing them gives you gold depending on your current zone and difficulty level.
Mission Payouts by Zone
- 1-Star Savannah: 50 gold
- 2-Star Savannah: 100 gold
- 3-Star Savannah + 1-Star Jungle: 150 gold
- 2-Star Jungle: 300 gold
- 3-Star Jungle + 1-Star Mountains: 450 gold
- 2-Star Mountain: 900 gold
- 3-Star Mountain: 1350 gold
Pro tip: You can complete multiple missions in one run, so the rewards stack. It's entirely possible to earn 4,000+ gold in a single perfect ride if you line things up well.
Boss Missions
After enough normal missions, special Boss Missions unlock for certain animals. These are one-of-a-kind challenges that usually feature tougher terrain or unique animal behavior. They're difficult but worth it. Before attempting one, upgrade your animals first to at least level 4 or 5. A higher stamina bar and better control can make all the difference between a failed run and a new legendary animal in your zoo.
If you're stuck on a mission that requires a specific animal or a higher upgrade level, don't waste time replacing it. Missions refresh often enough that you'll always have something achievable to chase.
The Animal Features in Cowboy Safari
Cowboy Safari features dozens of animals across different biomes - each with unique movement and behavior. You can tame up to six of each species, with rare "shiny" versions appearing later in the game.
Notable Animal Examples
- Buffalo: The all-rounder. Easy to control and strong early on.
- Zebra: Fast but jittery - perfect for long distance if you can manage the handling.
- Ostrich: One of the best crate-smashers when upgraded.
- Elephant: High durability, slower turning speed.
- Lion: Aggressive but fast, great for advanced players.
There's also a special Cash Cow, a premium animal that doubles your zoo's income. While the grind can be more satisfying than paying for shortcuts, the Cash Cow is available if you want a quicker climb.
Each animal species unlocks its own habitat in your zoo when tamed. Focus on taming new species early on, as each new species gives a permanent boost to your zoo's income.
Animal Habitat Upgrades
Every animal you tame unlocks its own habitat in your zoo. You can upgrade these enclosures up to eight times, using the gold you've earned.
Upgrade Levels Explained
- Upgrades 1–3: Extend how long you can ride before the animal gets angry.
- Upgrade 4: Increases your zoo's passive income by 50%. Prioritize this upgrade early on for every new animal.
- Upgrades 5–6: Add special abilities (like faster acceleration or crate bonuses).
- Upgrade 7: Earns coins for specific in-game actions (e.g., lions earn gold for eating, ostriches for running angry).
- Upgrade 8: Doubles your chances of finding rare variants of that species.
Strategic Tip: Focus your spending on upgrade level 4 across all animals first - it provides the best return on investment. This upgrade significantly boosts your passive income, making it easier to afford other upgrades later.
Pro Tips for Long Runs
- Learn Animal Timing: Every animal has its own "anger timer." Switch right before they buck you off to maintain momentum and avoid falls.
- Don't Panic-Jump: Jumping too early makes you miss the next target animal. Wait until you're within lasso range before jumping.
- Always Go for New Animals: Taming a fresh species gives a permanent boost to zoo income. Prioritize discovering new animals over repeating the same ones.
- Upgrade Strategically: Focus on revenue-boosting upgrades first (level 4), then distance upgrades. Don't spread your gold too thin across many animals - focus on a few key species first.
- Complete Multiple Missions Per Run: Stack missions efficiently to multiply gold gain. With good planning, you can earn 4,000+ gold in a single perfect ride.
- Target Crates with Multipliers: When your current animal has a crate multiplier bonus active (like upgraded ostriches or elephants), always target crates - it's free money lying on the path.
- Prepare for Boss Missions: Before attempting Boss Missions, upgrade your animals to at least level 4 or 5. Higher stamina and better control are essential for success.
Cowboy Safari FAQs
- How do I control the game? Press Spacebar to throw your lasso and catch animals. Hold Spacebar to aim, release to jump onto animals. Use Arrow Keys to steer while riding. Press Spacebar again to leap to another animal.
- What happens if an animal gets angry? Each animal has an "anger timer" before they buck you off. Switch to another animal right before they get angry to maintain your run.
- How do I earn gold? Complete missions, smash crates, and upgrade animal habitats. Mission rewards vary by zone and difficulty level, ranging from 50 gold (1-Star Savannah) to 1350 gold (3-Star Mountain).
- What are Boss Missions? Special one-of-a-kind challenges that unlock after completing enough normal missions. They feature tougher terrain or unique animal behavior and require upgraded animals (level 4-5) to complete successfully.
- How do habitat upgrades work? Each animal unlocks its own habitat that can be upgraded up to 8 times. Upgrade 4 is particularly important as it increases zoo passive income by 50%. Focus on this upgrade first across all animals.
- What are rare "shiny" animals? Rare variants of animal species that appear later in the game. Upgrade 8 doubles your chances of finding these rare variants.
- How do crate multipliers work? Certain animals, like ostriches and elephants, gain crate multiplier bonuses as you upgrade them. A 3× upgrade can turn a 6-coin crate into 20 coins or more.
- What should I do if the screen turns white in fullscreen mode? Just click anywhere on the screen once to bring the game back. This is a known minor bug that will be fixed soon.
- Can I complete multiple missions in one run? Yes! You can complete multiple missions in one run, and the rewards stack. With good planning, you can earn 4,000+ gold in a single perfect ride.
