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.
Fast-Paced Animal Taming Adventure
Cowboy Safari combines running game mechanics with loot collection and zoo management. As you run through various biomes—open grasslands, mountain trails, and more—you'll encounter different animals, each with unique movement patterns and behaviors. Some run fast, others fly off; timing and precision are everything.
The game features an element of action and strategy. 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. Every animal you tame unlocks its own habitat in your zoo, where you can make upgrades, earn coins, and unlock new zones.
The gameplay is fast-paced and engaging, with on-screen instructions that guide new players through the basics. These helpful hints appear during gameplay and gradually disappear once you've mastered the controls, ensuring a smooth learning curve without interrupting the fun.
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.
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.
Basic Gameplay
Start by throwing your lasso to catch an animal. Once you're close enough, release the spacebar to jump onto it. Use arrow keys to steer and dodge obstacles. Each animal has its own "anger timer"—switch to another animal before your current one gets angry and bucks you off. Tame animals to add them to your zoo, where you can upgrade habitats, earn coins, and unlock new zones.
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
- 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.
Animal Features & Habitat Upgrades
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. The grind is more satisfying than paying for shortcuts, but if you want a quicker climb, it's there.
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. Here's why it matters:
- 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.
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 momentum.
- Don't panic-jump: Jumping too early makes you miss the next target animal. Wait until you're within lasso range for the best results.
- Always go for new animals: Taming a fresh species gives a permanent boost to zoo income, so prioritize new species when 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 possible to earn 4,000+ gold in a single perfect ride.
- Target crates with multiplier bonuses: When your current animal has a crate multiplier bonus active, always go for crates—it's free money on the path.
- Upgrade before Boss Missions: Before attempting Boss Missions, upgrade your animals to at least level 4 or 5 for better stamina and control.
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, hold Spacebar to aim, release to jump onto animals, use Arrow Keys to steer, and press Spacebar again to leap to another animal.
- What happens if my screen turns white in fullscreen? This is a minor bug. Just click anywhere on the screen once to bring the game back. It will be fixed soon.
- How do I earn gold? Complete missions, smash crates, and upgrade animal habitats. Missions give gold based on your current zone and difficulty level.
- How many missions can I have at once? You can hold up to three missions at once. You can complete multiple missions in one run to stack rewards.
- What are Boss Missions? Special one-of-a-kind challenges that unlock after enough normal missions. They feature tougher terrain or unique animal behavior and are worth attempting with upgraded animals (level 4 or 5).
- How do habitat upgrades work? Every animal unlocks its own habitat. You can upgrade up to eight times. Upgrade level 4 is the most important—it increases zoo passive income by 50%.
- What are rare variants? Rare "shiny" versions of animals appear later in the game. Upgrade level 8 doubles your chances of finding them.
- What is the Cash Cow? A premium animal that doubles your zoo's income. It's optional and can help speed up progression.
- How do crate multipliers work? Certain animals, like ostriches and elephants, gain crate multiplier bonuses when upgraded. A 3× upgrade can turn a 6-coin crate into 20 coins or more.
- Is the game suitable for all ages? Yes, Cowboy Safari is a family-friendly adventure game suitable for players of all ages. The on-screen instructions make it easy for new players to learn.
