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Bugsnaxis a game that, despite its modest scope, is full of unique ideas. The developer, Young Horses, has been candid about its wide range of influences, fromPokemon SnapandViva PinatatoApe EscapeandDark Cloud.
Despite its hodgepodge of ideas,Bugsnax’score gameplay loop is pretty simple. The player talks to the Muppet-like Grumpuses, find out which Bugsnack they want to eat, hunt them down in the wild, and solve a puzzle with the game’s tools to catch them.
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The shishkabug is one of the earlier Bugsnax the player can catch as part of the tutorial before they reach the hub town of Snaxburg. It’s a simple puzzle,there’s no need to worry aboutBugsnax’s day/night cycle or other details like that, but the lesson it teaches will be relevant throughout the game.
Players first encounter a Shishkabug while meeting the frustrated farmer Wambus, shortly after saving the starving Filbo Fiddlepie. Before hunting the shishkabug, they should havecaught a Strabby and a Bunger.
Both of those catches were tutorials forBugsnax’s starting tools. The Strabby taught players to place the Snak Trap in the path of wandering Bugsnax, while the Bunger taught the player that they can manipulate Bugsnax using the Sauce Slinger. The Shishkabug puzzle just combines these two lessons.
Catching Shishkabug
The Shishkabug is a skittish creature. If the player attempts to get anywhere near it, it will dart into a nearby bush. While in the bush, there’s no way for the player to interact with it directly and no way to coax it out.
The keyword here isdirectly.The player isn’t alone on the map, anddifferent Bugsnax can interact with each other. The player already knows that Bungers will charge at anything covered in ketchup, so they just need to weaponize its behavior.
Once the Shishkabug is hiding from the player, they need to place the Snak Trap in front of it, using the Shishkabug’s pink trail markers as a guide on where to put it.
Once the trap is set, the player needs to switch to the Sauce Slinger and coat the bush in ketchup. When the Bunger notices this, it will tackle the bush, sending the Shishkabug into a wild panic. It will run to another nearby bush, going straight underneath the player’s pre-set trap. As long as they’re fast switching between tools, they’ll be able to catch it.
Variations on Shishkabug
Bugsnaxfrequently has multiple versions of a single bug, presenting a novel twist on a familiar puzzle. The shishkabug has two more variations: The Tropicabug found in Simmering Springs andBugsnax’s Instagram-themed Instabug on Frosted Peak. Both puzzles ask the player to force a skittish Bugsnack out of its hiding place, with a somewhat different method each time.
Bugsnaxis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
