Flip a rock
Drag left or right to look around, then tap a rock, sand burrow, reef stone or mud hole. Each scene uses its own hiding place: stream rocks, beach sand, reef stones, mudflat holes and glowing tracks on Moonlit Beach.
Game Guide
Crab Hunt Guide: How to Play & All 22 Crab Species
Crab Hunt is a free browser crab hunting game. Flip rocks in a stream, approach a crab slowly and release in the green zone to collect 22 crab species and one special observation, the horseshoe crab, across 10 scenes.
About Crab Hunt
Crab Hunt is a free online crab hunting game that uses Canvas 2D to recreate the feeling of crouching by a stream and turning over stones. The core loop is simple: flip a rock, find a crab, press and hold to approach, then release between 85% and 95% on the charge meter to add it to your catalog.
The game includes 22 crab species and one special observation, the horseshoe crab, across 10 scenes: Mountain Stream, Tropical Beach, Rocky Tide Pool, Mangrove Mudflat, Moonlit Beach, Mangrove Forest, Yangtze Riverbank, Seaside Village, Creek Ditch and Brook Hollow. It works on phones, tablets and desktop browsers, requires no download and saves progress in local storage.
How to Play: Catch a Crab in Three Steps
Drag to look · tap to flip · hold to approach · release in the green zone
Approach slowly
When a crab appears, press and hold it. Your hand moves closer while the charge meter fills. The meter is faster for rare species, so steady hands matter.
Release in the green zone
Release between 85% and 95% for a guaranteed catch. The 70%–85% good zone is affected by rarity: rare −8%, legendary −15%, hidden −10%. Too early or too late and the crab escapes.
All 10 Scenes and Unlock Order
From a mountain stream to a Yangtze riverbank and a quiet brook
🏞️⭐ Starting scene
Mountain Stream
The starting scene. Afternoon light, clear water and stream crabs, serrated crabs and red-clawed crabs under the stones.
✅ Available from the start
🏖️Scene 2
Tropical Beach
Catch 8 crabs in the stream. Dig bubbling sand burrows at sunset for sand crabs, moon crabs and swimming crabs.
🔓 Catch 8 crabs in the stream
🪨Scene 3
Rocky Tide Pool
Catch 10 crabs on the beach. Turn reef stones at low tide to find hermit crabs, shame-faced crabs and the legendary king crab.
🔓 Catch 10 crabs on the beach
🌲Scene 4 · Advanced
Mangrove Mudflat
Catch 12 crabs at the reef. Reach into bubbling mud holes at dawn; mud crabs may fight back, so bring gloves.
🔓 Catch 12 crabs at the reef
🌙Hidden scene
Moonlit Beach
Catch 40 crabs in total. Follow bioluminescent waves under a full moon; the Moonlight Crab appears only here.
🔓 Catch 40 crabs in total
🌿Scene 6 · Challenge
Mangrove Forest
Catch 6 on Moonlit Beach. A maze of aerial roots and bubbling mud; crabs are more alert and catching is 30% harder.
🔓 Catch 6 on Moonlit Beach
🚢Scene 7 · Challenge
Yangtze Riverbank
Catch 8 in Mangrove Forest. A wide river, freighter horns and stone steps where mitten crabs are wary; catching is 30% harder.
🔓 Catch 8 in Mangrove Forest
🌊Scene 8 · Challenge
Seaside Village
Catch 8 at Yangtze Riverbank. A fishing village at low tide, with boats, nets and rocks hiding sand crabs and hermit crabs; catching is 30% harder.
🔓 Catch 8 at Yangtze Riverbank
🪵Scene 9 · Challenge
Creek Ditch
Catch 10 at Seaside Village. Shallow water under a stone bridge, with tadpoles, water grass and mossy slabs; catching is 30% harder.
🔓 Catch 10 at Seaside Village
🦆Scene 10 · Challenge
Brook Hollow
Catch 10 at Creek Ditch. Willows, stone steps and ducks at dusk, with the last crabs under the duckweed; catching is 30% harder.
🔓 Catch 10 at Creek Ditch
Tools unlock automatically as you play: crab tongs (5 stream crabs), dip net (unlock the beach), crab hook (6 reef crabs), headlamp (27 crabs total) and anti-pinch gloves (after your first counterattack).
All 22 Crab Species
6 freshwater crabs + 12 saltwater crabs + 4 rare hidden species, plus the horseshoe crab
🏞️ Freshwater Crabs Mountain Stream · Starting scene
Stream Crab
Sinopotamon sp.
CommonMountain Stream · flat body, hides under stones
Serrated Crab
Sinopotamon denticulatum
CommonMountain Stream · saw-toothed shell, wedged into cracks
Red-clawed Crab
Chiromantes haematocheir
CommonMountain Stream · bright red claws, easy to spot
Chinese Mitten Crab
Eriocheir sinensis
RareMountain Stream · hairy claws, sudden bursts of speed
Yangtze Freshwater Crab
Sinopotamon yangtsekiense
RareMountain Stream · large and strong, raises both claws
Iron Crab
Sinopotamon sp.
LegendaryMountain Stream · shell hard as iron, lives under big rocks
🌊 Saltwater Crabs Beach · Reef · Mudflat · Moonlit Beach
Sand Crab
Ocypode sp.
CommonTropical Beach · fast but clumsy, circles its burrow
Fiddler Crab (Male)
Austruca sp.
CommonBeach / Mudflat · one oversized claw, loves to show off
Fiddler Crab (Female)
Austruca sp.
CommonBeach / Mudflat · small claws, small body, very quick
Sea Stone Crab
Pachygrapsus sp.
CommonRocky Tide Pool · hides in cracks under rippling water
Hermit Crab
Coenobita sp.
CommonRocky Tide Pool · retreats into its shell and plays dead
Swimming Crab
Portunus trituberculatus
RareTropical Beach · darts sideways with paddle-shaped legs
Mud Crab
Scylla serrata
RareMangrove Mudflat · aggressive, raises its claws to fight
Shame-faced Crab
Calappa philargius
CommonRocky Tide Pool · round and clumsy, curls into a ball
Moon Crab
Matuta sp.
RareTropical Beach · buries itself in sand, only eyes showing
Guan Gong Crab
Dorippe sp.
CommonMangrove Mudflat · shell pattern looks like a face
Soldier Crab
Mictyris sp.
CommonBeach / Mudflat · spherical, moves in armies
King Crab
Paralithodes camtschaticus
LegendaryRocky Tide Pool · huge, needs the crab hook, not a true crab
✨ Rare & Hidden Luck is part of the hunt
Moonlight Crab
Fictional species
HiddenMoonlit Beach · translucent shell, appears with glowing waves
Golden Fiddler Crab
Leucistic morph
HiddenBeach / Mudflat · all gold, extremely fast
Blue Swimming Crab
Portunus pelagicus
HiddenBeach / Reef · blue-spotted male, appears in the rain
Cherry Blossom Crab
Fictional species
HiddenMountain Stream · cherry-blossom pattern, spring only
Horseshoe Crab
Tachypleus sp. · not a crab
Special observationTropical Beach in rain · blue blood, protected species, observe only
Rarity affects the good zone: rare −8%, legendary −15%, hidden −10%. The 85%–95% perfect zone always succeeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Downloads, controls, species, saving and scene unlocks
Do I need to download Crab Hunt?
No. Crab Hunt is a browser game. Open the page and play on mobile or desktop, and your progress is saved locally in your browser.
How do you play Crab Hunt?
Drag to look around and tap a rock, sand burrow, reef stone or mud hole. When a crab appears, press and hold it, then release between 85% and 95% on the charge meter.
How many crab species are there?
Crab Hunt has 22 crab species plus one special observation, the horseshoe crab. They live across 10 scenes: Mountain Stream, Tropical Beach, Rocky Tide Pool, Mangrove Mudflat, Moonlit Beach, Mangrove Forest, Yangtze Riverbank, Seaside Village, Creek Ditch and Brook Hollow.
Does Crab Hunt save my progress?
Yes. The game saves catches, catalog entries, tools and achievements in your browser's local storage, so you can continue on the same device later.
Is Crab Hunt free?
Yes. Crab Hunt is completely free. There are no in-app purchases, no ads and no download required.
How do you unlock all 10 scenes?
Catch 8 crabs in the stream for Tropical Beach, 10 on the beach for Rocky Tide Pool, 12 at the reef for Mangrove Mudflat, and 40 total for Moonlit Beach. Then catch 6 on Moonlit Beach for Mangrove Forest, 8 in Mangrove Forest for Yangtze Riverbank, 8 at Yangtze Riverbank for Seaside Village, 10 at Seaside Village for Creek Ditch and 10 at Creek Ditch for Brook Hollow. The last five scenes are 30% harder.
How do you catch the king crab?
The king crab hides in deep crevices at Rocky Tide Pool. Catch 6 crabs at the reef to unlock the crab hook, then use it to reach the king crab. The king crab is an anomuran, not a true crab.
How does the Moonlight Crab appear?
Moonlit Beach unlocks at 40 crabs total, and the headlamp unlocks at 27 crabs total. The Moonlight Crab appears only on Moonlit Beach and is a hidden species.
Does Crab Hunt work on mobile?
Yes. Crab Hunt supports touch and mouse controls on phones, tablets and desktop browsers.
What is a horseshoe crab?
A horseshoe crab is an arthropod in the order Xiphosura, not a true crab. Its blue blood comes from hemocyanin. The Chinese horseshoe crab is a protected species, so Crab Hunt records it as a special observation and never asks you to catch it.
Flip over a stone and bring back the summer.
Simple, authentic and free to play. No download required.