The Hamster Kombat token launch is just hours away as of this writing, and the game’s first season has ended. That means, at least for now, there’s no need to mine crypto or upgrade your rodent-run cryptocurrency exchange to share in the airdrop.

But the hit Telegram game isn't done yet. The developers say a second full season is in the works—and for at least a few weeks, there's now a simplified "social" season available that refreshes some of the familiar aspects of the tap-to-earn experience.

You can only earn new in-game diamonds in this latest experience, and the developers have teased some upcoming perks for players who put in the effort to accumulate virtual diamonds during their breaks.

Here's a quick look at how to stack the most diamonds in Hamster Kombat before season two.

Using diamonds to create diamonds

Remember all that time you spent buying and upgrading features for your crypto exchange? Well, all that is gone—for now, at least. That progress was counted for the airdrop and removed or hidden in favor of the alternate season, but there was a similar feature in the mix. Now it’s not easy to find.

Tap the “Playground” button at the bottom of the screen, then tap the “Mine cards” tab near the top, and you’ll see the familiar list of upgrade cards. They now have more in common with startups than they do with crypto, though as before, some of them seem completely random (see: “Visit the Zoo”).

In any case, every time you spend diamonds to upgrade your card level, you will earn more diamonds per hour while offline, increasing your passive earning rate. Just make sure to check back often, as earnings will stop accruing after three hours of being offline.

Time to play!

While the Playground section is now a repository for upgrade cards, it's still a repository for finding other games to play—you'll now get diamonds instead of keys or coins.

Most of the games come from partners and are aimed at what the developers have said is the future of Hamster Kombat as a hub for a variety of experiences. In this case, you’ll download another game from the iOS App Store or Android Play Store, find the hamster icon in the game, complete the stated mission, then take the code that appears and paste it back into Hamster Kombat. Boom, you’ve got a diamond.

Additionally, in the "Minigames" tab, you can play the built-in Hexa Puzzle—a light, easy-to-play puzzle game that earns you diamonds gradually but with much less hassle.

Friends and more

As before, Hamster Kombat is happy to pay you in-game currency for inviting friends using your referral code. However, the rewards are very small, so we don't recommend bothering all your friends (again) just to get a few digital diamonds.

Better yet, tap the “Earn” button to complete simple tasks. For example, there’s a daily YouTube video from Hamster Kombat—watch it, and an hour later (for whatever reason), you can claim a diamond. You’ll also get a diamond for following some of the game’s social accounts. And they’ll give you bonus diamonds based on how many friends you’ve invited.

Better yet, tap the “Earn” button to complete simple tasks. For example, there’s a daily YouTube video from Hamster Kombat—watch it, and an hour later (for whatever reason), you can claim a diamond. You’ll also get a diamond for following some of the game’s social accounts. And they’ll give you bonus diamonds based on how many friends you’ve invited.