All About Cowboy Safari
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.
On-Screen Tutorials
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.
Action & Strategy
The game combines fast-paced action with strategic management. You're not just riding animals; you're also building and managing your own safari zoo, completing missions, and unlocking new zones and exotic species.
Animal Personalities
Each animal has its own personality and behavior. Some run fast, while others fly off. Understanding each animal's unique characteristics is crucial for successful taming and riding.
Progressive Learning
Tutorials gradually disappear once you've mastered the controls, allowing you to enjoy a smooth and natural learning curve without interrupting the fun. The game adapts to your skill level.
Cowboy Safari Gameplay Overview
Cowboy Safari offers a unique blend of running game mechanics with loot collection and zoo management. The core gameplay revolves around riding animals, taming them, and building your safari zoo.
When you run, you are able to jump to 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.
The game features various biomes including open grasslands, mountain trails, and more. As you progress, you'll encounter different exotic species such as zebras, buffalo, elephants, and more. Each animal you tame unlocks its own habitat in your zoo, which you can upgrade to improve your passive income and unlock special abilities.
How to Play Cowboy Safari
Cowboy Safari offers simple, intuitive controls that let you focus on the thrill of the ride. The game provides on-screen instructions during gameplay to help new players learn the basics.
Throw Your Lasso
Press Spacebar to throw your lasso to catch an animal. Hold Spacebar to keep your lasso ready while aiming. Release Spacebar to jump onto the animal once you're close enough.
Steer Your Cowboy
Use Arrow Keys to steer your cowboy while riding to dodge obstacles and aim for your next target. Precise steering is crucial for maintaining your run and reaching new animals.
Jump Between Animals
Press Spacebar again to leap to another animal before your current one gets angry and bucks you off. Every animal has its own "anger timer," so timing your jumps is essential for long runs.
Game 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
Note: 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.
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.
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 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.
Crates and Bonus Gold
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. A 3× upgrade can turn a 6-coin crate into 20 coins or more. Always target crates when your current animal has a multiplier bonus active — it's free money lying on the path.
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.
Standout 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. Personally, I find the grind more satisfying than paying for shortcuts — but if you want a quicker climb, it's there.
Each animal has its own personality and behavior. Some run fast, while others fly off. Understanding each animal's unique characteristics is crucial for successful taming and riding. Time and delicacy are all when it comes to switching between animals.
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.
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 future upgrades and unlock new zones.
Pro Tips for Long Runs
- Learn animal timing: Every animal has its own "anger timer." Switch right before they buck you off to maintain your run and maximize distance.
- Don't panic-jump: Jumping too early makes you miss the next target animal. Wait until you're within lasso range before attempting to jump.
- Always go for new animals: Taming a fresh species gives a permanent boost to zoo income. Prioritize taming new animals over repeating the same ones.
- Upgrade strategically: Focus on revenue-boosting upgrades first (especially upgrade level 4), then distance upgrades. This provides the best return on investment.
- Complete multiple missions per run: Stack them efficiently to multiply gold gain. It's possible to earn 4,000+ gold in a single perfect ride if you line things up well.
- Target crates with multiplier bonuses: When your current animal has a crate multiplier bonus active, always target crates. A 3× upgrade can turn a 6-coin crate into 20 coins or more.
- Prepare for Boss Missions: Before attempting a Boss Mission, upgrade your animals first at least level 4 or 5. A higher stamina bar and better control can make all the difference.
- Don't waste time on stuck missions: If you're stuck on a mission that requires a specific animal or higher upgrade level, don't waste time replacing it. Missions refresh often enough that you'll always have something achievable to chase.
Cowboy Safari FAQs
- What is Cowboy Safari? Cowboy Safari is an animal-taming adventure game where you play as a cowboy racing through the wilderness with a lasso. You hunt, ride, and befriend exotic animals, then build and manage your own safari zoo.
- How do I control the cowboy? Press Spacebar to throw your lasso, hold it to aim, and release to jump onto animals. Use Arrow Keys to steer while riding. Press Spacebar again to jump to another animal.
- What happens when an animal gets angry? Every animal has its own "anger timer." If you don't switch to another animal before the timer runs out, the animal will buck you off and your run will end.
- How do missions work? You can hold up to three missions at once. Completing them gives you gold depending on your current zone and difficulty level. You can complete multiple missions in one run for stacked rewards.
- What are Boss Missions? After enough normal missions, special Boss Missions unlock for certain animals. These feature tougher terrain or unique animal behavior and are more difficult but rewarding.
- How do habitat upgrades work? Every animal you tame unlocks its own habitat. You can upgrade these up to eight times. Upgrade level 4 is especially important as it increases your zoo's passive income by 50%.
- What are rare variants? You can tame up to six of each species, with rare "shiny" versions appearing later in the game. Upgrade level 8 doubles your chances of finding rare variants.
- What should I do if my screen turns white in fullscreen? If you switch to fullscreen mode and your screen turns white, just click anywhere on the screen once to bring the game back. This is a known minor bug that will be fixed soon.
- How do I earn more gold? Complete missions, smash crates (especially with animals that have crate multiplier bonuses), and upgrade your habitats to level 4 for passive income. Stack multiple missions in one run for maximum gold gain.
