...Redwall-esque fantasy world, where animals go off on grand adventures

January 11, 2018 6:41 AM

The World Needs This Frog Friendship Sim from the Makers of ‘Neko Atsume’ [Waypoint] “Tabikaeru is a new game from Hit-Point Co.,Ltd., the makers of 2014’s historic looking-at-cats simulator Neko Atsume. It’s cute like Neko Atsume was, and it’s that same sort of “check once every few hours for a couple minutes at a time” deal, but Tabikaeru is a really a whole different animal. It’s a frog instead of cats, to be a bit literal, and instead of convincing critters to hang around, like in Neko Atsume, Tabikaeru is about helping them leave. “Journey frog is sent out on a journey,” as Google Translate puts it. “It is an application to wait for a leisurely return.”” [Previously.]

• Here’s How to Play Tabi Kaeru, the Calming Frog Game From the Creator of Neko Atsume [The Mary Sue]

“After you download the game tap on “スタート”, agree to terms by clicking “同意します”, and then tap on your frog to name him (Jim Hopper). There are two locations: the garden and the house. You can navigate them simply by pressing the image in the far right corner. As your frog packs, go outside and pick the clovers in the garden by tapping them. Clovers are the game’s currency (except for four-leaf clovers, which you give your frog for good luck). Tap the shopping bag image to buy him some food, and the go into the house. There, tap on the lower left icon, and tap the boxes to give him food, gear, and clovers. When you’re done, press “かんりょう” and send him on his journey.”

• The creators of Neko Atsume are back with a game about an adventuring frog [The Verge]

“Because Tabikaeru is so simple, the language hasn’t proved to be a barrier for me. It’s actually lent the game a more mysterious charm. It feels like I’m figuring things out on my own instead of being told what to do, and thus far I’ve avoided looking up hints on how the game works (though I might cave if I don’t solve the mystery of the game’s lottery tickets soon). Neko Atsume was a similar experience, a game that became a huge global hit before it was even available in English. In fact, it was only because of that surprise success that is was localized in the first place. “When we made the game we weren’t thinking about foreign users — we were only thinking about the Japanese audience,” Neko Atsume project manager Yutaka Takazaki told The Verge back in 2015. Tabikaeru and Neko Atsume share a lot in common. They’re both about waiting and collecting, and they both star ridiculously cute animals. ”

• Neko Atsume Developer's New Game Is About A Traveling Frog [Kotaku]

“Tabi Kaeru is slower than I remember Neko Atsume being. I keep anxiously opening the app, hoping my frog has come home. Still, when I did see my frog last night and saw what he’d brought me it was so sweet that I couldn’t wait for him to go off again. I kinda feel like a mom making their kid a school lunch. I don’t want them to go, not really, but I know when I see them again they’ll show me something cool. I’m still waiting for my frog to come home, but I’d sent him out with a sizeable lunch and a clover for luck. I hope he went somewhere interesting, and brings me back something a little cooler than a cabbage.”

• Neko Atsume team’s traveling frog follow-up doesn’t recapture the magic [Polygon]

“Travel Frog stretches out that waiting game without offering the same return investment. I either stop by and see my friend or I don’t. I get the occasional postcard from the frog’s adventures abroad, but I definitely can’t participate in them — and there’s no kind of indirect validation of checking in on my bud in the meantime, anyway. Maybe Travel Frog is just reflecting life’s natural progression. I have to wean myself off of the gratification of caring for cats who show their appreciation in tiny, meaningful ways ways. Having passed the Neko Atsume test, it might now be time to become a frog traveler of my own and learn to be comfortable all on my own. That being said, I’m deleting this game from my phone right now. I got no time for a cute frog I don’t even get to see.”

posted by Fizz (24 comments total)

But does he go a-courtin'?
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 7:08 AM on January 11, 2018 [5 favorites]

Is this Frog Fractions Four?
posted by Strange Interlude at 7:10 AM on January 11, 2018 [7 favorites]

I have been playing this for a week. I love it so much. He makes FRIENDS. And sends you pictures!
posted by annathea at 7:11 AM on January 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

...then tap on your frog to name him (Jim Hopper)

No. We're not naming him anything Hopper. No no no.
posted by Capt. Renault at 7:14 AM on January 11, 2018 [7 favorites]

Redwallesque?

Cluny is coming.
posted by Nanukthedog at 7:31 AM on January 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

I just named my frog Jimmy and sent him off on an adventure.
posted by ilovewinter at 8:09 AM on January 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Frankly, I prefer Edward Hopper to Jim Hopper.
posted by holborne at 9:43 AM on January 11, 2018

I believe his name is Hopkin Lightnin' Frog
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:47 AM on January 11, 2018

A Redwall RPG would be fantastic if done right.
posted by Beholder at 9:59 AM on January 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

The resident teenager and I love this game. Every day after school we check in: any updates? No, still off adventuring, check back later. or, Look, Frog made a friend! or, We bought him a nicer tent and there it is in the next photo set! I am charmed by the fact that you can't speed it up or see where Frog is when he's away from home.
posted by Flannery Culp at 10:01 AM on January 11, 2018

A Redwall RPG would be fantastic if done right.

Not to derail too much but you might enjoy this Beholder.

Not quite an RPG but close enough, Tooth and Tail is a RTS game that is basically set in Redwall.
posted by Fizz at 10:15 AM on January 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

This is beautiful and content-wise is right up my alley. I'm not good at games where time passes on its own though. I've already dumped Animal Crossing.
posted by tofu_crouton at 10:25 AM on January 11, 2018

I loved Neko Atsume but didn't reinstall when I upgraded my smartphone. Tabikaeru may pull me back in. I've got the various links from above open in browser tabs, and am waiting for the end of the workday to spend some time with the tutorials and then send a lil' hopper on a journey.
posted by jazon at 11:19 AM on January 11, 2018

Can't name my frog George Washington, so G.W. will have to do. You'll do good, Mr. President. You'll do good.
posted by triage_lazarus at 11:38 AM on January 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

My little Ogdred already went on an adventure and sent me a postcard and now he's at home munching from a bowl and I lubs my little Ogdred.
posted by Capt. Renault at 12:17 PM on January 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

I named mine Grace Hopper, and just sent her out.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 12:28 PM on January 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

I read the first two sentences of this post and then went to Google's play store to download. After clicking around a little in it, I read the Mary Sue brief guide, asked my spouse which button had "yes" on it, and sent my frog off inadequately prepared. Hope to see it again soon.
posted by Margalo Epps at 12:43 PM on January 11, 2018

There's even a pun in the title: "kaeru" can mean 帰る (return) or 蛙 (frog).
posted by kurumi at 1:19 PM on January 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

Okay, read a few more articles, including the Reddit guide Mary Sue linked to and had my spouse translate a bit more Japanese. Turns out I couldn't actually have sent my frog off with more for the first journey anyhow -- the slots I left empty were for equipment that I can't afford yet. It definitely is slower than Neko Atsume, but that's not a bad thing. I'm getting fond of Okra (the name slot cut me off after five letters, so it's name isn't Lettuce or Lettu, as it were). I like the game and I'm glad I read up a bit more on it; there isn't a ton known yet so even the most detailed of guides just translate all the Japanese for you or tell you about how long it takes clover to grow back.
posted by Margalo Epps at 5:47 PM on January 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Because of the letter limit, I could not name my little guy Kermit, but instead Kermi.

Well played, game, well played.
posted by eyeofthetiger at 6:42 AM on January 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

A Redwall RPG would be fantastic if done right.

Mouseguard RPG is based on a different series of children's books, but have played; was fun.
posted by momus_window at 10:15 AM on January 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

I was going to name my frog George, but he ended up as Georg. I feel like I made an unwarranted assumption about his ethnic background...
posted by GenjiandProust at 10:17 AM on January 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Thanks for sharing this. I gave up on Neto Atsume when I somehow lost my data and couldn’t face the time it would take to catch back up to the same point. I almost installed it again last year when I heard about the live-action Neko Atsume movie, but this will fill the void nicely.

You could totally play Redwall with the Mouse Guard rules, with only minor cosmetic changes.
posted by robcorr at 1:31 AM on January 13, 2018

My frog has made a little friend!
posted by tavella at 7:59 PM on January 20, 2018 [4 favorites]