Clash of Critters 0.50 Update: Halloween Event, Bonobean & Horde Invasion Season 3

The next Clash of Critters 0.50 update is scheduled for October 21, 2026, bringing a new Grass-type Tatari, the launch of Horde Invasion Season 3, and several important balance adjustments. Players can also look forward to expanded difficulty levels, a Halloween event, and changes to Gold Rush Gift Box rewards.

 

Part 1: New Tatari Bonobean Joins Clash of Critters

The standout addition in the 0.50 update is Bonobean, a new Grass-type Tatari known for its Gorilla form and defensive combat style. Rather than relying solely on direct attacks, this Grass Tank combines piercing banana projectiles, battlefield traps, and temporary defensive boosts to influence enemy movement and sustain itself during combat.

Banana Shot: Piercing Damage and Split Projectiles

Bonobean's primary skill, Banana Shot, fires once every four seconds, with the first shot arriving one second into battle. The main banana travels two tiles ahead and deals damage equal to 200% of its ATK.

When it hits an enemy, the projectile splits into two smaller bananas that travel diagonally at approximately 45-degree angles. Each mini banana travels another two tiles, pierces enemies along its path, and deals 100% ATK damage. However, these secondary projectiles skip the enemy struck by the original banana.

This attack pattern makes positioning an important consideration. Bonobean can threaten multiple enemies across different lanes, making its piercing projectiles particularly useful when opponents line up along predictable paths.

Hide and Throw Peels: Defensive Control

Bonobean also has a defensive mechanic called Hide and Throw Peels. When the damage it has taken accumulates to 30% of its maximum HP, it hides for four seconds and throws banana peels across the battlefield.

During this period, Bonobean stops attacking but remains vulnerable to incoming damage. It gains additional defensive and recovery benefits as it advances through its four stages.

Each banana peel remains on the battlefield for 10 seconds. The first enemy to step on one takes damage equal to 120% of Bonobean's ATK, suffers a 30% slow for three seconds, and is pushed approximately one tile in its current direction of movement.

These effects make banana peels more than a source of damage. They can disrupt enemy movement, interfere with advancing units, and create opportunities for other Tatari to deal damage.

Bonobean's Four Stages

Bonobean gains additional effects as it progresses through its stages.

Stage	Ability Upgrade
Stage 1	Unlocks Banana Shot and the Hide and Throw Peels mechanic.
Stage 2	Gains 30% additional DEF while hiding.
Stage 3	Keeps the DEF bonus and recovers 24% of maximum HP over the four-second hiding period.
Stage 4	Retains the previous upgrades and gains Grass Aura.

The combination of defensive scaling and recovery gives Bonobean a clear tank identity. Its ability to disrupt movement also adds utility beyond simply absorbing damage.

Part 2: Bonobean's Horde Invasion Skills

Bonobean gains three additional passive and active abilities at Ranks 3, 5, and 7 in Horde Invasion. These skills expand its damage potential and battlefield control, making rank progression an important part of its overall performance.

Rank 3: Poison Banana Play

Poison Banana Play gives each attack a 50% chance to launch an additional rotten banana. This projectile arrives 0.25 seconds after the original attack and deals 150% ATK damage to one target.

If the target dies before the rotten banana hits, the projectile selects another target. It also applies Poison, dealing damage equal to 12% of Bonobean's ATK per second for five seconds. While poisoned, the target takes 5% more damage.

An important detail is that the skill can trigger additional rolls from attack frames, including banana peel throws. Hiding therefore creates extra opportunities for the passive to activate.

This skill combines extra damage with a damage-amplifying effect. Against enemies that survive multiple attacks, Poison can help Bonobean contribute to sustained damage while supporting the team's overall damage output.

Rank 5: The Grand Finale

The Grand Finale introduces a fruit-generation and merging mechanic. Every four, five, or six seconds, Bonobean drops a banana onto an empty adjacent tile. Two fruits of the same type can merge into a stronger fruit, with the closest eligible pair merging first.

The progression follows three levels:

Banana: Deals 140% ATK damage to enemies on its tile.

Orange: Deals 170% ATK damage in a five-tile, plus-shaped area.

Watermelon: Deals 200% ATK damage across a 3×3 area.

Each fruit attacks 0.25 seconds after appearing and then deals damage every two seconds. Every hit also reduces the affected enemy's DEF by 24% for five seconds.

Fruits remain on the battlefield for 15 seconds, and merged fruits receive a fresh duration. However, all fruits disappear if Bonobean is defeated.

The key advantage of this ability is its combination of area damage and defense reduction. Bananas can develop into oranges and watermelons, allowing Bonobean to threaten increasingly large areas when suitable tiles remain available.

Rank 7: This Road Has Bananas

At Rank 7, Bonobean gains an active ability that places a Big Banana on the first empty tile directly ahead. Only one Big Banana can exist at a time, and it lasts for 14 seconds.

The Big Banana has 75% of Bonobean's maximum HP and 60% of its DEF. When a Zobo damages it, that enemy receives Weak, reducing its damage dealt by 20% for three seconds, and is knocked sideways into a neighboring lane.

Affected enemies must then move directly toward Bonobean before they can attack it. The knockback does not affect Tatari or Zobos that are immune to crowd control.

With a cooldown of 18–26 seconds, this ability provides another way to influence enemy movement and protect Bonobean's position. Its effectiveness depends on where the Big Banana appears and how enemies approach it.

Part 3: Horde Invasion Season 3 Brings More Challenges

Horde Invasion Season 3 is another major part of the 0.50 update. The event expands its difficulty structure to six tiers, giving players additional progression targets and tougher encounters to work through.

Six Difficulty Tiers and a Changing Boss Lineup

Horde Invasion features a revised boss progression, with different boss variants and encounters appearing across the event. Even lower difficulties can introduce unexpected boss orders, so players should avoid assuming that every run will follow a familiar sequence.

Several encounters highlight the importance of adapting to enemy mechanics:

Totem Zobo: Can appear as an opening boss in a non-elemental variant.

Hydro Zobo: May follow Totem Zobo, requiring players to respond to successive threats early in a run.

Manager Zobo: Appears earlier in the revised progression, increasing the importance of early resource management.

Brain Freeze Oboe: Introduces ice paths that grant haste while making affected units more vulnerable to knockback.

These encounters reward players who understand their units' strengths and can adapt their formations to the situation. A lineup built entirely around damage may struggle when survival, crowd control, or positioning becomes the deciding factor.

How Bonobean Fits Into Horde Invasion

Bonobean's abilities offer several useful tools for this mode.

Its piercing attacks can damage enemies along multiple paths, while Poison Banana Play adds extra damage and increases the damage poisoned targets receive. The Grand Finale provides growing area coverage and defense reduction, and This Road Has Bananas can disrupt enemy movement.

However, Bonobean's value depends on the encounter. Fruit generation requires available tiles, and its defensive hiding period temporarily stops its normal attacks. Players should consider the surrounding formation and enemy behavior rather than assuming the new Tatari will be optimal in every situation.

Part 4: Tatari Balance Changes and Team-Building Implications

Alongside the new content, the 0.50 update includes adjustments to several existing Tatari. These changes may influence how players build teams for Horde Invasion and other combat modes.

Frog and Mask Fry Receive Nerfs

Two notable adjustments affect commonly used units:

Mask Fry: Its Level 5 shield effect decreases from 40% to 28%.

Frog: Its ignition damage decreases from 50% to 40%.

These reductions may change how much protection or damage these units contribute to a formation. Players who rely heavily on their previous performance should reassess their team's defensive coverage and damage output after the update.

Wave Flutter Gains Significant Damage Potential

Wave Flutter's Level 3 skill damage factor increases from 45% to 200%. This is a substantial increase that may make the unit more attractive in damage-focused formations, particularly against clustered enemies.

The change also creates a reason to reconsider Wave Flutter's role instead of treating it exclusively as a utility pick. Its actual effectiveness will still depend on the encounter, positioning, and the rest of the team.

Tydinn, Raccoon, and Deer Adjustments

Other changes also affect team composition:

Tydinn: Wave Flutter's Somno Shot no longer applies Slow or Sleep to Tydinn in Horde Invasion, removing the previous interaction between the units in this mode.

Raccoon: Receives reduced attack downtime, increased healing, and an attack bonus increase from 15% to 24%.

Deer: Gains an improved paralysis trigger.

Together, these adjustments encourage players to revisit established combinations. Wave Flutter may offer greater damage, while Raccoon and Deer provide improved combat utility. Instead of relying on one familiar lineup, players can compare different combinations based on the enemies and challenges they face.

Part 5: Halloween Event and Gold Rush Reward Changes

The 0.50 update also introduces a Halloween event, adding seasonal content alongside the launch of Horde Invasion Season 3.

For players who enjoy limited-time activities, this is another reason to check the update's new content and plan their in-game activities around the seasonal schedule.

Gold Rush also receives a reward adjustment: Gold Rush Gift Boxes will have a weekly claim limit. Players who regularly collect these rewards should account for the new restriction when planning their weekly activities.

Since the update includes several systems at once, it is worth prioritizing the activities and rewards that matter most to your progression rather than spreading resources across every available feature.

Part 6: How to Prepare for the 0.50 Update

With Bonobean, Season 3, and balance adjustments arriving together, a little preparation can help you adapt more quickly.

Review your current formation. Check whether your team depends heavily on Frog's ignition damage or Mask Fry's shield. Consider how the changes affect your overall damage and survivability.

Reassess Wave Flutter. Its increased Level 3 damage factor makes it worth evaluating in damage-focused formations. Test how it performs alongside your existing frontline and support units.

Learn Bonobean's mechanics. Pay attention to banana trajectories, peel placement, fruit merging, and the timing of its hiding period. These mechanics determine how effectively it can damage enemies and disrupt their movement.

Adapt to each Horde Invasion encounter. With six difficulty tiers and a changing boss lineup, build your formation around the specific threats you encounter instead of relying entirely on a fixed strategy.

Plan around weekly rewards. Remember the new Gold Rush Gift Box claim limit and make sure your weekly activities reflect the updated reward rules.

If you plan to make in-game purchases as you progress, you can also check the available Clash of Critters top-up options on LDShop and choose a budget that fits your needs.

Conclusion

The Clash of Critters 0.50 update brings a new Grass Tank, an expanded Horde Invasion Season 3, and meaningful balance adjustments. Bonobean's piercing attacks, banana traps, fruit merging, and defensive abilities create new tactical possibilities, while changes to existing Tatari encourage players to reconsider their formations. Prepare for the October 21 update by reviewing your lineup, learning the new mechanics, and planning your seasonal rewards.