Froggy Hates Snow - Controls

Froggy Hates Snow combines top-down exploration, roguelite progression, survival mechanics and twin-stick combat into a deceptively simple control scheme. During every run you'll dig through deep snow, fight mystical creatures, gather resources, unlock permanent upgrades and search for the Escape Door before the cold or enemies overwhelm you.

Although the controls are easy to learn, mastering them takes time. Rolling at the correct moment, switching between Automatic and Manual Aim, using the Scanner and Locator efficiently, managing Heat Bubbles and reacting to enemy projectiles all become increasingly important as difficulty rises.

This guide covers the default PC keyboard and mouse controls, controller controls for Xbox, PlayStation and Steam Deck, combat controls, exploration commands, Heat Bubble interactions, Scanner, Locator, Map shortcuts and other useful gameplay actions. Since every key can be remapped from the Settings menu, your layout may differ if you've customized the controls.

The game supports complete controller remapping. Steam Deck, Xbox controllers, DualSense and DualShock controllers are fully supported, while keyboard bindings can also be customized independently.

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Movement Controls

Move Froggy using WASD on keyboard or the Left Stick on a controller. Unlike many roguelites, movement is directly tied to digging speed, meaning improving movement upgrades also improves how efficiently you travel through deep snow.

Movement Speed Affects More Than Walking

Movement Speed upgrades also increase skiing speed once skis become available. Faster movement lets you cross large locations more safely before enemy waves become overwhelming.

Digging Speed Has a Limit

Even if you heavily upgrade digging, your maximum digging speed is still limited by your base movement speed. Keeping both upgrades balanced produces much better exploration efficiency than focusing entirely on one stat.

Avoid Zigzag Movement

Digging creates clear paths through the snow. Moving efficiently in long, controlled routes helps uncover resources, treasure and hidden Heat Bubbles much faster than constantly changing direction.

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Rolling

Press Space on keyboard or A / Cross on a controller to perform a roll.

Rolling is your primary defensive tool. Besides helping you reposition quickly, upgraded rolls can gain partial or complete invincibility and even damage enemies depending on your unlocked upgrades.

Roll Through Projectiles

Many enemy attacks travel slowly enough to dodge consistently. Learning projectile timing is safer than simply trying to outrun every attack.

Save Rolls for Dangerous Moments

Constant rolling makes your movement less predictable and can accidentally place you inside another enemy attack. Wait until you actually need the dodge.

Upgrade Rolling Early

Several permanent upgrades improve your roll with status effects, collision damage or increased invulnerability, making it valuable throughout the entire game rather than only during the opening hours.

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Aiming

Keyboard players aim using the mouse, while controller players use the Right Stick.

Froggy Hates Snow supports both Automatic Aim and Manual Aim. You can instantly switch between them during gameplay using Caps Lock by default on keyboard. Automatic Aim helps new players survive large enemy waves, while Manual Aim gives experienced players much finer control during boss fights and difficult encounters.

Switch Aim Modes During Combat

There is no need to stay with one aiming method for an entire run. Automatic Aim works well against large enemy groups, while Manual Aim allows precise attacks against elite enemies and bosses.

Watch Your Attack Radius

The red circle surrounding Froggy shows your current attack range. Enemies outside this circle cannot be damaged, so always position yourself before firing instead of wasting attacks from too far away.

Use Manual Aim for Bosses

Bosses usually remain alive much longer than normal enemies. Manual aiming makes it easier to focus damage exactly where you want while avoiding unnecessary movement.

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Primary and Secondary Attacks

Use the Left Mouse Button or RT / R2 for your primary attack and the Right Mouse Button or LT / L2 for your secondary attack.

As your run progresses you'll unlock new weapons, elemental modifiers and passive upgrades that dramatically change how these attacks behave. Fire, Frost, Poison, Lightning and other elemental effects can all modify your offensive abilities.

Keep Moving While Attacking

Standing still is one of the fastest ways to become surrounded. Continue moving while attacking so enemy waves never completely encircle you.

Elemental Effects Can Replace Raw Damage

Some builds rely less on direct damage and more on status effects. Experiment with different combinations instead of always selecting the highest damage upgrade.

Destroy Enemy Projectiles

Several attacks, explosive abilities, shields and destructive fields can eliminate incoming projectiles instead of forcing you to dodge every single one.

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Interacting and Digging

Press E on keyboard or X / Square on controller to interact with objects.

This single button performs many contextual actions including digging, opening treasure, activating Heat Bubbles, collecting certain objects, interacting with NPCs and entering the Escape Door.

Dig Everything That Looks Suspicious

Resources, treasure, upgrades and hidden paths are buried beneath the snow. Exploring thoroughly often provides much stronger runs than rushing directly toward the objective.

Interaction Works Inside Heat Bubbles Too

While standing inside a Heat Bubble, pressing the interaction key instantly opens and closes the upgrade menu without needing to pause the game.

Check Every Treasure Chest

Treasure Chests are one of the main sources of Rare and Legendary Artifacts, making them far more valuable than ordinary buried resources.

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Using the Scanner

Press Q on keyboard or LB / L1 on controller after unlocking the Scanner.

The Scanner becomes one of the most useful exploration tools in the game. Upgrading it gradually reveals additional information about nearby resources and points of interest, dramatically reducing the amount of unnecessary digging required during each run.

Upgrade Scanner Early

Fully upgraded Scanner technology can reveal valuable resources, making exploration much faster during longer survival runs.

Use Scanner Before Digging Large Areas

Instead of clearing every section of snow randomly, scan the surrounding area first and move directly toward valuable discoveries.

Scanner Works Best with Locator Upgrades

The Scanner identifies nearby points of interest, while the Locator helps guide you toward important objectives. Upgrading both systems together creates a much more efficient exploration route than relying on only one of them.

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Using the Locator

Press R on keyboard or RB / R1 on controller after unlocking the Locator.

The Locator helps you navigate toward important objectives, including Escape Doors and other significant locations depending on your current upgrades. Rather than wandering across the entire map, you can use the Locator to narrow your search area and avoid wasting valuable time.

Upgrade Locator Whenever Possible

Each upgrade increases the usefulness of the Locator, allowing it to detect objectives from farther away and reducing the amount of unnecessary exploration needed to finish a run.

Don't Ignore Nearby Resources

While the Locator points toward major objectives, valuable treasure, Heat Bubbles and Artifacts are often hidden along the route. Take advantage of the journey instead of sprinting directly to the objective.

Use It After Clearing Enemy Waves

The Locator is most useful once the immediate area is safe. Clearing nearby enemies first lets you follow its guidance without constantly interrupting your route to fight.

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Opening the Map

Press M on keyboard or Y / Triangle on controller to open the Map.

As you upgrade the Map, it gradually becomes one of the strongest exploration tools available. Higher levels reveal more of each area automatically, making it much easier to locate Heat Bubbles, landmarks and Escape Doors.

Upgrade the Map Early

Map upgrades save a surprising amount of time during every run. Revealing explored terrain automatically prevents unnecessary backtracking and helps you plan efficient routes.

Plan Your Route

Instead of exploring randomly, check the Map regularly and travel through unexplored sections while collecting nearby resources.

Avoid Revisiting Empty Areas

Once you've fully searched an area and collected its visible rewards, move on. Spending too long in already-cleared sections usually provides little benefit while enemies continue becoming more dangerous.

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Inventory Controls

Press Tab on keyboard or the View / Touchpad button on controller to open your inventory.

Your inventory contains Artifacts, consumables, progression items and other collected resources earned throughout the current run.

Read Artifact Descriptions

Some Artifacts appear similar at first glance but create completely different builds. Understanding how their bonuses interact often leads to much stronger combinations.

Build Around Synergy

Several smaller bonuses working together are often stronger than one powerful Artifact that doesn't complement your existing upgrades.

Check New Items Immediately

Whenever you obtain a Rare or Legendary Artifact, open the inventory and understand exactly what it changes before continuing.

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Heat Bubble Controls

Heat Bubbles serve as your primary safe zones throughout each run. They restore warmth, allow you to purchase upgrades and become increasingly important during longer expeditions.

Never Ignore a Heat Bubble

Even if you don't currently need healing, activating a newly discovered Heat Bubble gives you another safe location to return to later.

Spend Resources Regularly

Holding large amounts of upgrade currency provides no advantage if you are defeated before reaching another Heat Bubble.

Upgrade Before Exploring Dangerous Areas

If a difficult enemy group or boss lies ahead, invest your resources first instead of risking losing progress.

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How to Change Controls

Open the Settings menu from the main menu or pause screen, then select the Controls tab. From there you can remap nearly every keyboard key and controller button to create a layout that feels comfortable.

Choose Comfortable Dodge Controls

Rolling is your most important defensive mechanic, so make sure the assigned button feels natural during long play sessions.

Experiment with Aim Modes

If Manual Aim feels difficult early on, use Automatic Aim while learning enemy behavior before gradually switching between the two modes.

Test New Bindings Immediately

After changing controls, spend a few minutes in an early area to ensure every important action feels comfortable before beginning a serious run.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you attack in Froggy Hates Snow?

Use the Left Mouse Button on keyboard or RT / R2 on a controller.

How do you dodge?

Press Space on keyboard or A / Cross on controller.

How do you dig?

Press E on keyboard or X / Square when standing near diggable snow or an interactive object.

How do you switch between Automatic and Manual Aim?

Press Caps Lock on keyboard by default. Controller players can change aim behavior through the game settings.

How do you use the Scanner?

Press Q on keyboard or LB / L1 after unlocking the Scanner upgrade.

How do you use the Locator?

Press R on keyboard or RB / R1 once the Locator has been unlocked.

How do you open the Map?

Press M on keyboard or Triangle / Y on controller.

Can you remap controls?

Yes. Both keyboard and controller layouts can be customized through the Controls menu.

Does Froggy Hates Snow support controllers?

Yes. The game supports Xbox controllers, PlayStation controllers, Steam Deck and other compatible gamepads.

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Final Control Advice

Learn movement and rolling before worrying about damage. Surviving longer allows you to collect more upgrades, making every future encounter significantly easier.

Don't overlook the Scanner, Locator and Map upgrades. Together they dramatically reduce exploration time and help you reach valuable Heat Bubbles, Artifacts and Escape Doors much more efficiently than relying on memory alone.

See our Froggy Hates Snow Tips and Tricks Guide for beginner advice, combat strategies, upgrade priorities, exploration techniques and boss survival tips.