Rodeo Stampede: Beginner's guide to the jungle

If you've already conquered the Savannahand are running a profitable zooin Rodeo Stampede, then congrats. You're already one of the most impressive cowboys or cowgirls flying the friendly skies (trust us, that will make a lot more sense if you've been playing the game for a while).

But your job is only half done. Once you've corralled all of the Savannah animals, you're ready to step up to test your skills against the Jungle. You do remember what Guns N' Roses warned us about the jungle, right?

Just kidding, as you probably won't die in this Jungle. Actually, scratch that, as there are some animals there who will eat you. That's why we've put together this Rodeo Stampede beginner's guide to the Jungle, as it's simply a less hospitable place than the Savannah. You're not going to let that stop you, though, right? Right?

Hey, where are you going?

Unlocking the Jungle

You can gain access to the Jungle only after you've uncovered all five zones of the Savannah. In addition, Rodeo Stampede tracks the cumulative progress of your zoo, requiring you to have the following:

• 20 animals tamed
• 40 total habitat upgrades

On top of that, you'll need 2,500 coins to explore the first part of the Jungle. That's a hefty amount, and more than you'll probably have had on hand at any time up to that point. But your zoo should also be able to produce the coins you need over the course of one day, especially if you follow our tricks for getting coins quickly.

The lay of the land

When you make runs in the Jungle, you'll notice that much is relatively the same. There are still rocks to avoid, as well as shrubs and trees of various sizes.

The big difference is that there's more water. In the Savannah, water only popped up in the form of the occasional stream you needed to cross. Not so in the Jungle, where you'll encounter small ponds and rivers on a constant basis.

Water slows you down when you hit it, though that's not always a bad thing. For example, an angry ostrich (provided you rode one into the Jungle to start, as you won't find any living there), slows momentarily to a manageable speed when it hits water. Just know that it's going to put the brakes on you for a second, and that there are things in it that you don't want to cross, which leads us to ...

George of the Jungle, and other animals

While we don't completely want to remove the joy of discovery, a quick overview of the first four Jungle animals you'll encounter seems like it would be helpful.

• Boar

The boar is like the Buffalo of the Jungle in the sense that there's nothing all that special about him. When angered, the boar bucks like a buffalo and speeds up like an ostrich, which makes him a handful to ride. Expect to see missions asking to find out how long you can ride one without jumping off.

• Gorilla

This is a cool animal, because it travels quickly and has a new ability you haven't seen before: The gorilla can hop over trees and rocks instead of smashing into them. An angry gorilla stops and throws you automatically just like an elephant.

• Alligator

Meet the first animal that actively tries to kill you as you ride! Alligators hide out in the water and pop out, trying to upend the animal you are riding. They're fairly quick, so you might have to swing pretty wide to avoid one. On the plus side, riding an alligator allows you to eat other animals in your path. Then it eats you when angry. So there's that.

• Hippo

Not many animals are as tricky to master as the hippo. It can charge through other animals and obstacles, but only after taking a dip in the water. Hippos slow when getting angry, then toss you up on the air and sit on you. Game over.

Other animals await, naturally, but you should now have enough info to survive your first few trips into the Rodeo Stampede Jungle. Good luck!