Tree coins in the indie rage game Trees Hate You (developed by Tykenn) are optional collectibles hidden off the beaten path in the forest demo. These gold coins persist in your inventory once collected, meaning dying to a tree ambush immediately after grabbing one will not erase your progress. While coins initially seem useless, they serve as tokens for a playable retro arcade machine hidden in the late section of the trail.
Because Trees Hate You is designed around deceptive trial-and-error traps, every coin is placed near lethal hazards such as bush triggers, falling logs, and gun-toting trees.
Trees Hate You Coin Locations and Traps Overview
The demo features multiple coin pickups scattered across side ledges and trap-laden detour routes. The table below outlines verified coin spots, the hazards guarding them, and their primary function.
| Collectible | Location | Primary Hazard | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Tree Coin | Level 1, early forest path along the upper side ledge | Bush trigger trap / knockdown hazard | Spend at the arcade cabinet |
| Second Tree Coin | Level 1, mid-forest branching descent | Firing squad trees and tumbling logs | Spend at the arcade cabinet |
| Late Path Coins | Approaching the chest detour / arcade clearing | Rolling boulders, tripping roots, and ambush logs | Spend at the arcade cabinet |
Detailed Coin Locations and How to Collect Them
Collecting coins requires deviating from the main road, which is often exactly what the forest expects you to do.
1. The Early Bush Trap Coin (Level 1)
Early in the forest hike, you will spot a shiny tree coin resting behind a bush or sitting along an elevated side ridge near the first major tree encounters.
Rushing directly toward this coin triggers an environmental ambush:
- The bush itself acts as bait. Walking straight into the front trigger area causes a tree to slap or flatten you instantly.
- To safely retrieve the coin, loop around the bush in a wide arc from the far outer edge rather than cutting the corner.
- In several playthroughs, taking the side path or dying after grabbing the coin forces your character back toward the beginning or resets active checkpoint flags. However, your inventory screen will confirm that the coin remains registered to your character.
2. The Mid-Path Firing Squad Coin
As you descend past the early checkpoints and navigating stairs, another coin sits in a depression flanked by aggressive flora.
This area is one of the most punishing choke points in the demo:
- Approaching the coin activates multiple trees armed with pistols that fire both straight ahead and at 45-degree angles.
- Simultaneously, overhead logs dislodge and roll or fall directly down the path.
- The safest route involves baiting the first falling tree, using its trunk as cover against the gunfire, and juking horizontally across the dirt patches to grab the coin before falling back to safer ground.
3. Detour Coins Near the Clearing
Additional coins can be spotted as you progress past the "Wanted: This Loser" poster board and navigate toward the final stretch.
- One coin rests near the alternating arrow signs that attempt to mislead your path choice.
- Another coin route branches near the path leading to the hidden cosmetic chest containing the Top Hat.
- When going for these late pickups, watch for pancake trees that flatten outward, bomb-dropping apple trees, and low-hanging root vines designed to trip you in front of incoming hazards.
What Do Coins Do in Trees Hate You?
For the first half of the demo, picking up a coin simply stores it in your inventory without granting stat boosts, health, or passive buffs. Its actual gameplay purpose is revealed when you reach the clearing right before the final root gauntlet.
The Retro Arcade Cabinet
Hidden just before the road escape sequence is an arcade machine plugged into an electrical cable running through the grass. Interacting with the cabinet prompts the message: "Insert coin."
Key mechanics of the arcade cabinet include:
- One Coin per Play: Each coin in your inventory gives you one attempt at the built-in mini-game, titled Trees Hate You.
- Atari-Style Survival: The screen switches to a 2D top-down game where you control a small sprite evading an ever-increasing horde of aggressive tree icons.
- Score Tracking: The cabinet records survival scores, featuring pre-set tree-themed high scores such as Pine, Spruce, and Aspen. Players who survive multiple waves can reach personal scores of 10 to 12 or higher before colliding with a branch.
- Coin Depletion: Once you spend your collected coins, interacting with the cabinet shows the message: "You don't have a coin," ending your arcade session unless you restart your run with unspent coins.
Key Survival Tips for Coin Collectors
- Do Not Fear Dying After Pickup: The game deliberately places lethal traps directly over or immediately after coin trigger zones. Because collected coins stay in your inventory after death, grabbing the coin and dying right away is still a valid collection strategy.
- Watch the Ground Texture: Discolored dirt patches and clusters of dead leaves often mark the exact spawn point where a hidden tree will sprout, drop, or shoot when you approach a coin.
- Beware the Checkpoint Trap: Some coin routes require dropping down a ledge that bypasses or resets your progress to an earlier flag. If you are aiming for a clean run without extra backtracks, collect the early coin before committing to the lower path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you lose coins when you die in Trees Hate You?
No. Once a coin touches your character and enters your inventory, it is permanently saved for that run. Dying to the surrounding ambush does not reset your coin count.
How many coins can you collect in the demo?
Playthroughs and community secrets guides show that players typically collect between two and four coins depending on which side routes and chest paths they explore before reaching the arcade machine.
Are coins required to finish the forest demo?
No. Coins are completely optional collectibles intended for completionists and players who want to try the arcade mini-game. You can walk past the coin paths and the arcade cabinet entirely to clear the forest exit.
