The cool kids in China are obsessed with Tabikaeru: Travel Frog

There’s a new gaming craze topping China’s App Store charts. Tabikaeru: Travel Frog is a free mobile game that follows the adventures of a frog with a wicked case of wanderlust. Although the frog requires feeding and care, he regularly leaves to journey across Japan. Players can equip the tiny traveler for his expeditions and patiently wait for him to send postcards, souvenirs, and snapshots from abroad.

Travel Frog is brought to you by Japanese game developer Hit-Point. The company is best known for creating popular cat-collecting game Neko Atsume, thus kickstarting what is being hailed as the 'idle game' revolution as soothing interfaces begin to usurp high-energy games like Angry Birds.

Although Tabikaeru is only available in Japanese, the game has become extremely popular amongst China’s youths. The New York Times reported that the game’s viral success is partially due to players wishing to travel vicariously through their newfound pocket companion and partially due to the easygoing nature of the game. Already, copycat apps have started popping up as the frog parenting craze goes global.

Travel Frog at home

The game is fairly straightforward and reminiscent of Tamagotchis, but requiring less maintenance. Despite the language barrier, it's fairly intuitive thanks to convenient glowing arrows pointing you through the simple set-up process.

Start collecting clovers, the game’s currency, from the frog’s garden and swap them for supplies in the store. The strong, independent amphibian will leave your screen for hours, or sometimes days. Users have no control over the frog's actions, and there is no way to communicate or determine when it is coming home.

We recommend checking out one of the English translation guides from frog fans on Tumblr or Reddit to help you navigate this whole new world.

The app allows players to check in on their frogs without any pressure. The charming, low-key app is a relaxing alternative to the perpetual blitzkrieg of picture-perfect posts on social media platforms like Instagram.

Travel Frog on an adventure