About Cowboy Safari
Saddle up and dive into the wild! Cowboy Safari lets you lasso, ride, and tame exotic animals as you build your own thriving safari zoo packed with adventure and fun.
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.
Gameplay Features
Cowboy Safari offers a unique blend of action, adventure, and zoo management that creates an engaging and rewarding gaming experience.
Fast-Paced Animal Taming Adventure
Play as a cowboy racing against the wilderness with a lasso in your hand. The game is fast-paced and allows you to hunt, ride, and befriend animals across various environments including open grasslands, mountain trails, and more.
Running Game Combined with Management
The gameplay combines the running game with loot and management. When you run, you are able to jump to other animals, and each has a personality and behavior. There are those who run fast, and those who fly off; therefore time and delicacy are all.
Build and Manage Your Safari Zoo
Animals are tamed and then put into your zoo where you can make upgrades to your habitats, earn coins, and unlock zones. You're not just riding alone in the distance—you're also creating an animal kingdom, accomplishing missions, and finding exotic species such as zebras, buffalo, and elephants.
Multiple Missions and Challenges
Complete missions to earn gold rewards. You can hold up to three missions at once, and completing them gives you gold depending on your current zone and difficulty level. Special Boss Missions unlock after enough normal missions, featuring tougher terrain or unique animal behavior.
Dozens of Animals Across Different Biomes
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.
How to Play Cowboy Safari
The goal is simple: use your lasso to catch animals, ride them, and tame them to build your safari zoo. Complete missions, collect gold, and upgrade your zoo to unlock new zones and animals.
Lasso and Ride Animals
Press the spacebar to throw your lasso and catch an animal. Hold the spacebar to keep your lasso ready while aiming. Release the spacebar to jump onto the animal once you're close enough. Use arrow keys to steer your cowboy while riding to dodge obstacles and aim for your next target.
Each animal has its own personality and behavior. Some run fast, others fly off—timing and delicacy are everything. You need to jump to another animal before your current one gets angry and bucks you off. Every animal has its own "anger timer," so learn their timing and switch right before they buck you off.
Complete Missions for Gold
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. 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.
Collect 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 crates give 6 coins, Jungle crates give 15 coins, and Mountain crates give 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.
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 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 Payout Breakdown
Here's the breakdown of mission payouts:
- 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.
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. If you want a quicker climb, it's there, though many players find the grind more satisfying than paying for shortcuts.
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 Benefits
- 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.
Pro Tips for Long Runs
- Learn Animal Timing: Every animal has its own "anger timer." Switch right before they buck you off to maximize your ride time.
- Don't Panic-Jump: Jumping too early makes you miss the next target animal. Wait until you're within lasso range before making your move.
- Always Go for New Animals: Taming a fresh species gives a permanent boost to zoo income. Prioritize new animals whenever possible.
- Upgrade Strategically: Focus on revenue-boosting upgrades first (especially upgrade level 4), then distance. This provides the best return on investment.
- Complete Multiple Missions Per Run: Stack them efficiently to multiply gold gain. It's entirely possible to earn 4,000+ gold in a single perfect ride.
- Target Crates with Multipliers: Always go for crates when your current animal has a multiplier bonus active. A 3× upgrade can turn a 6-coin crate into 20 coins or more.
- Prepare for Boss Missions: Upgrade your animals to at least level 4 or 5 before attempting Boss Missions. A higher stamina bar and better control make all the difference.
- Don't Replace 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 is one of those games that's hard to stop playing once you get the hang of it. It balances simple mechanics with rewarding progression, and there's always something new to chase—literally. Whether you're aiming for 10,000 meters in a single ride or trying to collect every rare variant, there's endless charm in this blocky, wild world.
Cowboy Safari FAQs
- How do I control the game? Press Spacebar to throw your lasso and catch an animal. Hold Spacebar to keep your lasso ready while aiming. Release Spacebar to jump onto the animal. Use Arrow Keys to steer while riding. Press Spacebar again to leap to another animal before your current one gets angry.
- What is the goal of Cowboy Safari? Your goal is to lasso, ride, and tame exotic animals to build your own thriving safari zoo. Complete missions to earn gold, upgrade your habitats, and unlock new zones and animals.
- 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, stacking rewards for maximum gold gain.
- What are Boss Missions? After enough normal missions, special Boss Missions unlock for certain animals. These are one-of-a-kind challenges with tougher terrain or unique animal behavior. Upgrade your animals to at least level 4 or 5 before attempting them.
- What should I prioritize when upgrading? Focus on upgrade level 4 across all animals first—it increases your zoo's passive income by 50%, providing the best return on investment.
- What are crates and how do they work? Bouncing wooden crates scattered around give you bonus coins. Savannah crates give 6 coins, Jungle crates give 15 coins, and Mountain crates give 30 coins. Certain animals gain crate multiplier bonuses as you upgrade them.
- How many animals can I tame? You can tame up to six of each species. Rare "shiny" versions appear later in the game, and upgrade level 8 doubles your chances of finding rare variants.
- What happens if my screen turns white in fullscreen mode? This is a minor bug. Just click anywhere on the screen once to bring the game back. The developers are aware of this issue and will fix it soon.
- What makes this game unique? Cowboy Safari combines fast-paced running gameplay with zoo management, creating a unique blend of action and strategy. You're not just riding animals—you're also building and managing your own animal kingdom.
