Frogger

"Classic game, from a classic time, but better..."

Frogger on the Genesis is a great game. This classic version has all the signature tunes from the original cabinet. The play board is full screen so no scrolling here. Yes, the graphics are dated. Yes, the tunes go back to the turn of the LAST century, or earlier! And there's little to learn, do or gain from playing Frogger. The Genesis version does have some... problems.

Problem number 1. It's not arcade perfect. It's missing the full opening, this could be because it shows on the cart that Hasbro distributed the Konami/Sega classic. Sega's name is nowhere on it other than the opening normal "Sega" load screen like all Genesis games. The little frogs don't jump out and spelled FROGGER. The point system key doesn't show.

Point number 2. Since it's been reprogrammed on the Genesis, some of the colors are wrong on the cars, some of the speed of the cars are wrong for some levels in comparison with the original arcade along with some of the pitches of the cars speeding by.

Point 3: The arcade game just had some mad bass. (That's a music term, not the fish!) And the Genesis version is missing the bass (when you get killed you'll notice how it lacks the old bass), and the bass line in the tunes. Well, the bass line is there, but it's not very audible, could be the lacking of the Genesis hardware maybe? It was that memorable bass from the arcade, when you knew someone was just killed in Frogger walking through in the arcade.

Point 4. Graphical problems. Since they don't show you the key for the bugs, extra time for completion, points for each jump forward, whatever... they show you what bonuses you get when you get to the other side if you have another frog, or a fly. Well, it's there, but due to the reprogramming....you can't read it!

Point 5. Sometimes you'll die when you're COMPLETELY lined up to jump into the home on the top side of the screen. You jump into it, and it shows you dying by hitting the side, when you didn't! The only collision problem I've had with the game (mostly on the Nomad).

Overall fun and replayability for this game is why I give this game a bit of a "high" score of a 7. If it had all the original arcade attract screen, I might have given it an 8, but the replayability really is what keeps this game going for me.

Overall, I'm being QUITE picky with this, now very old, Genesis game. Why, Freeway, you ask are you being so picky? Because I've fallen in love with this game all over again. It's a great version compared to the scrolling version from Konami on the Game Boy Advance collection with the wrong tunes to boot! While the old Genesis version doesn't have any codes or tricks to open up any updated versions like the GBA has, it's still a great game. Why am I playing Frogger again!? Every now and then I just have to play a retro game (it was when I was growing up and those old games have a fondness newer gamers can never understand), and pull out the NOMAD! And while Frogger doesn't do well on the BIG (TV) screen, it is surprising looks great on the Nomad! I've always wondered if they reprogrammed the game with the Nomad in mind, considering it was still available to buy when Frogger came out? You still can't read the 200 point bonuses, but the game fits like a glove on the Nomad. Complete with the hidden red frogs... plug in Frogger and relive the old days again! George Castanza can't be wrong... and neither am I!

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/18/05