Runaway Toad

Free · One-button jumping · Distance run

Runaway Toad: hop across the swamp before the princess catches up

Runaway Toad is a 2D jumping game by Niv Fisher, Alon Shama and Nina Limarev in which a small crowned toad escapes a princess who has been kissing captured toads in the hope of finding a prince. Jumping is the only way to move. A quick click makes a little hop; holding the button charges a bigger jump, and you release to leap. The swamp ahead is a line of rocks of different shapes, sizes and distances apart, and each gap needs the right amount of power. Fall short and the toad drops to a lower level, where a hawk swoops in and carries him back to the princess. Every attempt is measured in metres from the castle, and going further and eating more flies unlocks other toads.

Quick facts

Developers: Niv Fisher, Alon Shama, Nina Limarev
Genre: 2D jumping escape, measured by distance
Input: click to hop, hold to charge a jump
Unlockables: other toads, from distance and flies eaten
Other versions: iOS and Android, per GamePix
On GamePix since: 30 April 2020

How to play Runaway Toad

Each run is one escape attempt. You set the power of every jump; the toad always jumps forward.

1
Watch the escape begin
Press play on the castle screen. A short cut-scene shows the captured toads under glass domes; press Skip to go straight to the swamp.
2
Make a little hop
Click once and let go for a short hop. The on-screen hint reads "click for little hop".
3
Charge a big jump
Hold the button to build power, then release. The hint reads "hold for big jump", and GamePix says a circular meter and an arc line show where you will land.
4
Catch flies
When a bug buzzes nearby, swipe toward it, or click where it is flying, to eat it.
5
Go as far as you can
Keep hopping from rock to rock. The metre counter in the top-left corner records how far you have got before a fall ends the run.

Controls

Desktop

Click and release the left mouse button for a little hop
Hold the left mouse button to charge a big jump, release to leap
Swipe the mouse toward a fly, or click on it, to catch it

Phone & tablet

The tutorial is drawn as a hand on a phone: tap, hold and swipe
GamePix lists desktop and mobile browsers, plus separate iOS and Android versions
The swamp scrolls sideways, so play in landscape

What sets Runaway Toad apart

You control power, not direction

The toad always leaps forward. What you decide is how hard, and the gap between the next two rocks tells you how much.

A hawk, not a game-over screen

Miss a rock and the toad falls to the level below, where a hawk grabs him and flies him back to the princess.

A fairy tale turned around

The princess is the one chasing, kissing toad after toad in search of a prince, and you are helping one of them get away.

Toads to unlock

Going further and eating more flies opens other toads, reached through a large toad icon on the menu.

Tips for Runaway Toad

Trust the arc. GamePix notes that the arc line shown while you charge is accurate, so aim with it rather than by feel.
Use little hops for short gaps. A single click covers a small distance without the risk of overshooting.
Catch flies when they come close. In our run, catching one fly pushed the eye-icon counter from 5 to 10.
Watch the eye counter. In our test it dropped by one with each jump, so keep an eye on it as you go.
Take a few practice runs. Rocks vary in shape and height, and a couple of attempts teach you how far each charge carries.

Who is Runaway Toad for?

One-button game fans

All you ever do is click, hold or swipe, but every jump needs judging.

Distance chasers

The metre counter gives a clear number to beat on the next run.

Players who like a story with their arcade game

The princess-and-toad set-up and the castle cut-scene give the escape a reason.

Distance, flies and the eye counter

Runaway Toad scores each escape by distance: the counter in the top-left corner shows metres travelled, and GamePix confirms that each attempt is measured that way. Next to it is a number with an eye icon. We did not find it explained anywhere, but in our test it rose from 5 to 10 after we caught a fly and fell by one with each jump. Distance and flies eaten also count toward unlocking new toads.

Frequently asked questions

What is Runaway Toad?+

Runaway Toad is a 2D jumping game in which a toad escapes a princess who kisses toads looking for a prince. It was made by Niv Fisher, Alon Shama and Nina Limarev.

How do you jump in Runaway Toad?+

Click once for a little hop, or hold the button to charge a big jump and release to leap. A power meter and arc line help you judge the distance.

What happens when you fall in Runaway Toad?+

The toad drops to the level below the rocks, and a hawk flies in and carries him back to the princess. That ends the escape attempt.

Is Runaway Toad an endless runner?+

In a sense. There is no finish line mentioned; each attempt is measured by how far you get from the princess's tower.

How do you unlock new toads in Runaway Toad?+

Travel further and eat more flies. The unlockable toads are reached through a large toad icon on the menu screen.

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