This guide explores two Rare-tier pets from Grow A Garden that are tied to the Zen Event and inspired by Japanese folklore: the Nihonzaru, a limited-time pet whose gameplay function was removed, and the Tsuchinoko, a creature that was ultimately scrapped during development. 🐒🐍
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The Nihonzaru (Limited Rare Pet)
The Nihonzaru, whose name translates to “Japanese Macaque,” is a Rare pet that was available for a limited time from the Zen Egg with a 31% hatch chance. It is now no longer obtainable.
Current Function: A Cosmetic Companion ♨️
It’s crucial for owners of this pet to know that its original ability was removed from the game in Version v1771.
The Nihonzaru’s current passive is called “Bathe Time,” and it is now purely cosmetic. If you place a Hot Spring decoration in your garden, the Nihonzaru will go and relax in it. This action provides no gameplay bonuses or boosts to your other pets or crops.
- Formerly, the “Bathe Time” ability used to provide a small boost to all other active pets, but this is no longer the case.
- Quirk: Each Nihonzaru needs its own individual Hot Spring to bathe in. Placing multiple monkeys with only one spring can lead to bugs.
The Tsuchinoko (Scrapped Rare Pet)
The Tsuchinoko is a fascinating pet that was planned for the game but was ultimately scrapped and will not be released. It provides a glimpse into ideas that were in development.
Planned Design: Based on the mythical cryptid from Japanese folklore, the Tsuchinoko was designed as a stocky, mallet-shaped snake. It was intended to be hatched from the Corrupted Zen Egg.
Planned Passive Ability: “Fat Snake”
If it had been released, the Tsuchinoko’s planned passive ability was “Fat Snake.”
- Planned Effect: This ability would have increased your lucky harvest chance, making it a valuable companion for maximizing your crop yields and getting rare harvests.
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