Frogger

"Um, I don't think they finished this one."

Unless something bizarre happens, Frogger will go down as the last game released for the SNES in the States (except for rereleases, of course). It’s a rather undignified send-off for such a vaunted system, a game that appears to have been either rushed or perhaps abandoned and picked up by Majesco for a quick buck. It simply doesn’t look like all of the pieces were assembled here.

Frogger was an arcade smash back when it was released in the early 80s. It sported bright, colorful graphics, an annoyingly catchy tune that got stuck in your head and wouldn’t let go, and some very simple gameplay. The Frogger name has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years due to the popularity of the remake (with the exact same name as the original) available for the Playstation and PC. This isn’t the remake. The SNES can’t handle the sort of 3D graphics used in that game, but you’d think that it could handle the original game just fine, right? Right?

I should mention right off the top that this game is not an emulation of the original but a port designed from scratch for the SNES hardware, so don’t expect an arcade replica. Thankfully, the programmers (all three of them) left the gameplay intact. For the uninitiated, the objective is to get your frog across the street and river into one of five slots at the top of the screen. You must avoid obstacles such as traffic, snakes, and gators. You’re also not supposed to take a dip in the river, which never really made sense to me since I always thought frogs could swim just fine--I guess there’s supposed to be more gators down there or something. Control is very simple: the frog can move up, down, left, and right. When you fill all five slots, the process starts over and gets harder.

You’ll notice immediately in this game that the graphics are different from the arcade version. They are much more colorful than the original, but they tend to be a little too “busy” for my tastes. I’m sure if Majesco had tried to market this game at all, they would have claimed the graphics were improved, but I wouldn’t go for that. The embellishments can be distracting, and it’s hard to see those snakes against the riverside backdrop in this version.

It doesn’t take you long to realize what the biggest omission is in SNES Frogger--there is no music in the game whatsoever. None! Not hearing that annoyingly catchy tune from the original just made it seem as if I was playing a different game. I can’t think of the last console game I played that had as little going for it in the audio department as Frogger. Sound effects are bland and sparse, making this a very quiet gaming experience.

I was also disappointed at the lack of options available in the game. You have no choice in the matter of difficulty and number of lives, and there are no extra options found in other SNES renditions of arcade classics such as Ms. Pac-Man. The only decision to be made before playing is One or Two Players.

I don’t want it to seem like I’m trashing Frogger. I have always enjoyed playing the arcade version of this game, but I don’t like feeling cheated. A few embellishments would have gone a long way towards making this a better cartridge. The simplistic gameplay and control are reproduced here, but only in their barest forms. SNES Frogger is not a solid effort.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 08/12/00, Updated 08/12/00