The closest games to Crossy Road that star animals are Capybara Crossing (a capybara road-crosser with no in-app purchases), Hipster Whale’s own Crossy Road+ and Crossy Road Castle, Rodeo Stampede (ride and tame animals in the same blocky style), and the frog hoppers Froggle and Edward Hopper. If you’d rather run than hop, Dash Tag, Talking Tom Gold Run and Sonic Dash all put animals in charge.
They’re all free to start or included with Apple Arcade, but they differ a lot in how hard they push purchases, from none at all to a weekly subscription. We checked every pick against its current store listing in September 2026. Disney Crossy Road isn’t here because it shut down in March 2020.
Hoppers vs runners: which kind do you want? #
“Endless arcade” covers two styles, and most people strongly prefer one:
- Hoppers move one step per tap. Nothing happens until you act, so you can stop and think. Crossy Road made this style famous.
- Runners move forward on their own. You swipe between lanes, jump and slide while the game sets the speed. Temple Run and Subway Surfers are the famous examples.
Hoppers suit younger kids and anyone who finds constant speed stressful. Runners suit players who like reflex tests. The list starts with hoppers, since they’re closest to Crossy Road.
The nine picks at a glance #
| Game | Animal star | Style | App Store rating | App Store size | How it’s paid for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capybara Crossing | Capybaras | Endless road-crossing hopper | 9+ | 39.9 MB | Free, ads, no in-app purchases |
| Crossy Road+ | Chicken and friends | Crossy Road re-imagined | Check listing | Check listing | Apple Arcade subscription |
| Rodeo Stampede | Buffalo, elephants and more | Ride-and-lasso runner with a zoo | 9+ | 545.6 MB | Free, ads, purchases, weekly subscription |
| Froggle | Frog | Lily-pad river hopper | 4+ | 86.1 MB | Free, ads |
| Edward Hopper | Frog | Classic Frogger-style crosser | 9+ | 21.7 MB | Free, $0.99 Pro upgrade, no in-game ads |
| Crossy Road Castle | Crossy Road animals | Co-op tower platformer | Check listing | Check listing | Apple Arcade, also on consoles |
| Dash Tag | Pets | Lane runner | 4+ | 213.8 MB | Free, in-app purchases |
| Talking Tom Gold Run | Cat | Lane runner | Check listing | Check listing | Free to play |
| Sonic Dash | Hedgehog | Three-lane runner | Check listing | Check listing | Free, ads, in-app purchases |
For comparison, Crossy Road itself is rated 9+ and is a 256.4 MB download.
Hoppers: the closest to Crossy Road #
1. Capybara Crossing #
Capybara Crossing is the nearest match in feel: tap to hop, swipe in any direction, and cross roads, rivers and railways in a world that builds itself as you go. The star is a capybara, and there are 19 of them to earn with coins, from 100-coin Baby Capy to 3,500-coin Space Capy. Many have perks that change play, such as coin magnets, smaller hitboxes or a one-hit shield.
Where it differs from Crossy Road: there are no in-app purchases at all, the download is about a sixth of the size, and it runs fully offline with no account. The eagle is here too, arriving after eight seconds of standing still. The trade-off is scope: one world instead of dozens and no multiplayer. Our Capybara Crossing vs Crossy Road comparison goes into detail.
2. Crossy Road+ #
Hipster Whale’s own re-imagined Crossy Road for Apple Arcade. It’s the same hop-and-dodge game with the familiar animal cast, and like every Arcade title it has no ads or in-app purchases. It only makes sense if you already pay for Apple Arcade, and it’s only on Apple devices.
3. Rodeo Stampede: Sky Zoo Safari #
Made by Featherweight Games in Crossy Road’s blocky style. Instead of dodging animals, you lasso and ride them: launch onto stampeding buffalo and elephants, jump from one to the next across maps like Savannah, Jungle, Jurassic Age and Space Zoo, and send the animals you tame to your flying sky zoo.
It’s great fun, but read the store listing before handing it to a child. It includes a “Legendary Lion” subscription at $7.99 a week after a free trial, and it’s the biggest download here at 545.6 MB. Rodeo Stampede+ on Apple Arcade avoids the purchases.
4. Froggle #
A small indie game by Daniel Cohen where a frog hops upriver from lily pad to lily pad for as long as it can. It’s the river half of Crossy Road on its own, rated 4+, and free with ads. It’s 86.1 MB for a simple game, and it’s still early days: players are asking for more frogs and more worlds.
5. Edward Hopper | froggerlike #
The most traditional pick. You guide a frog across a busy road, then through a swamp by hopping on turtles and logs while avoiding snakes and beavers, in a 16-bit style with an optional scanline filter. It supports gamepads, has no in-game ads, and sells a $0.99 Pro upgrade. The catch is age: the last update was in December 2019, so check it runs well on your device. If you like this one, see our best Frogger-style games.
Crossy Road’s own spin-off #
6. Crossy Road Castle #
Crossy Road Castle swaps endless roads for endless towers: a co-op platformer for up to four players where you climb rooms full of traps with the Crossy Road animals. It started on Apple Arcade and reached consoles in 2024. It’s the pick for families who want to play together on one screen, and it’s far better with controllers than with a phone.
Runners: animals in a different endless format #
These aren’t hoppers. Your animal runs forward on its own and you swipe between lanes. They’re here because people who like Crossy Road’s animals often enjoy them.
7. Dash Tag #
Made by Wildworks, Dash Tag has you play pets escaping through forest treetops and red-rock canyons: run, dash, slide and jump, with dozens of collectible pets that have their own traits, plus daily missions and cloud saves. It’s rated 4+, the youngest rating among the runners, but it sells coins, emeralds and cosmetics, so switch on purchase approval for kids.
8. Talking Tom Gold Run #
Outfit7’s long-running runner stars Talking Tom chasing a robber through the streets and scooping up gold bars along the way. It’s polished and familiar to kids who know the Talking Tom apps, and its App Store subtitle celebrates ten years of running. The same studio also makes Talking Tom Hero Dash, where you rescue Tom’s friends.
9. Sonic Dash #
SEGA’s hedgehog on three lanes: swipe to switch lanes, jump and roll while collecting rings. It’s the fastest game on this list and more demanding than any hopper here, and it sells rings and red star rings. Sonic Dash+ on Apple Arcade drops the ads and purchases.
How do you pick a good Crossy Road alternative? #
Crossy Road works because of three things, and they make good tests for any game you’re considering:
- One input, one step. In a hopper, nothing happens until you tap. That’s why it’s calmer than a runner, and why young kids can play it.
- A reason to keep moving. Without pressure, you’d wait forever for perfect gaps. Crossy Road and Capybara Crossing use an eagle, and Frogger used a 30-second timer.
- Something to collect. Characters give short runs a purpose. Check how you get them. Earned with coins is friendlier than random draws, and both are friendlier than weekly subscriptions.
Then check the practical side:
- Read the in-app purchase list. The App Store shows it on every listing. A $0.99 cosmetic is not the same as a $7.99 weekly subscription.
- Check the size. These games range from 21.7 MB to over 500 MB. On a nearly full phone, that decides it.
- Test offline before a trip. Some games need a connection for events or saves. Our list of cute animal games that work without Wi-Fi shows which ones we could confirm.
If you specifically want capybaras, our roundup of capybara endless runner and arcade games compares every real one.
Frequently asked questions #
What is the most similar game to Crossy Road? #
Crossy Road+ on Apple Arcade is the same game re-imagined. Outside Apple Arcade, Capybara Crossing is the closest free match: the same hop-and-swipe controls across roads, rivers and railways, with an eagle that punishes standing still.
What is the best free animal endless runner? #
For a pure runner, Dash Tag and Talking Tom Gold Run are the most polished animal options, and Sonic Dash is the fastest. If you’re open to hoppers, Crossy Road and Capybara Crossing are easier to learn, and Capybara Crossing has no in-app purchases at all.
Are there games like Crossy Road without in-app purchases? #
Yes. Capybara Crossing has none, and Apple Arcade games like Crossy Road+, Crossy Road Castle and Rodeo Stampede+ have no ads or purchases as part of the subscription.
Can you play games like Crossy Road offline? #
Crossy Road’s own listing says it plays offline, and Capybara Crossing runs entirely on your device, with only ads needing a connection. For the rest, test in airplane mode before a trip.
Are these games safe for young kids? #
Most are rated 4+ or 9+ for mild cartoon peril, with no blood or weapons. The bigger issue for parents is spending: Rodeo Stampede sells a weekly subscription, and Dash Tag and Sonic Dash sell currency. Turn off in-app purchases in the device settings first.