My Frogger Toy Trials
Score: 85% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Konami Developer: Konami HWI Media: Cartridge/1 Players: 1 - 4 Genre: Action/ Classic/Retro/ Party
Graphics & Sound: This isn't the Frogger we used to know and love, but that may not be a bad thing. To get a measurement of My Frogger Toy Trials, you can compare the old Pac-Man to the new Pac-Man World games. I am always a little leery of dropping in 3D graphics just because we can, but it works for this type of game. The fact is that designers in the old days would have probably chosen a format like this if they'd had the capability. I'm not sure they would have built it quite like this, but that's where taste comes into play. My Frogger Toy Trials lets you play Frogger and his boy "owner" (there's a divergence in taste already...) as they play in a competition held by the hilariously depicted Panda Bob. The boy is a way for kids to project themselves into the game, in case they have difficulty relating to a cute little frog. Frogger does all the work, and 80% of the game involves running different levels and working through the competition. The boy character is really just there to get Frogger from one competition to another. There are some nicely realized characters in the background and during the competitions. There is a fair amount of dialogue and reading that goes into the game, telling the story of how you bond with Frogger. The levels for play are done well and there are cute little costumes that Frogger can wear. With bubble-gum Pop music playing and a cast of wise-cracking Tweens, it looks like Konami is banking on My Frogger Toy Trials being a hit with kids who still need a ride to the mall. I'm wondering if that's missing the actual demographic that looks for classic or retro gaming experiences? Perhaps this is a smart play, but it comes across as much too young for the bulk of gamers above the age of 13.
Gameplay: The old Frogger didn't do more than hop side-to-side; this little guy is an amphibious James Bond by comparison. Frogger has a scout's toolbox of tricks that include special costumes he can use to overcome obstacles in each level. Special jumps and use of his tongue will come into play as well. The game begins with Frogger being delivered to you by a mysterious character. You realize this will allow you to enter a special competition and possibly win the title of Toy Pet Champion. There is some additional character development before you actually get into your first maze. Depending on your inclination, the run-up may seem overly long or it may seem like great character development. I was getting a little tired of stomping on the A button, let me tell you... The actual competition was a relief for the simple fact that it retains some of the best qualities of the old Frogger. When you start a level, you will have a clear path to move forward but you'll have to get through an obstacle course. In certain cases, the obstacles are static and require tools or special moves. Costumes play a role in helping you do things like smash blocks. At other times your hopping ability will help you and you'll have to move quickly to get through some dangerous areas. There are enemies in each level that will attempt to slow you down. In the spirit of the original, you can't destroy the enemies. Avoidance is key. Timing and good judgment will help you slip past enemies. Multiplayer for up to four is probably what takes this above mediocre and makes for some fun long-term play. Some of the competitions are available for group play and this has a party-game feeling to it that is really nice. More of this would have actually pushed My Frogger Toy Trials to a much higher level. These mini-games put the microphone to nice use and are really much more creative than the core game. You do get to sample these in single-player, but they take on new meaning for a gang of four.
Difficulty: The game has a health system that dictates how far Frogger can get through a level before starting over. There are checkpoints, and as long as you maintain your health, you can use these to avoid starting from the beginning. Pick-up items in the level are good for building health or you can store items in your inventory that you purchase in the main game lobby. I found all this a little tedious and there were plenty of times when checkpoints seemed few and far between. It's hard to balance in a game like this, but the best approach would be to make the levels shorter. Since the whole game runs on rails, there isn't a sense of exploration. Too many obstacles and too few checkpoints sometimes resulted in frustration.
Game Mechanics: There are actually a lot of moving pieces to control in this game! The touch screen is used to advantage, but there are usually multiple ways of initiating actions. I found myself holding the stylus and trying to use the buttons at the same time, which can be tedious. There could be a case made for this to be reconfigured with less or more stylus use... When you go into the inventory, for example, you initiate with a button press, then move things around with the stylus. Selecting costumes can be done via the button controls, but you often are prompted to touch the screen to initiate actions. If you happen to be in a costume and know you'll be using a touch control, you do the "stylus in hand" thing and try to do the button at the same time. A bit awkward. The control scheme for Frogger has its pros and cons. On the upside, it is responsive and well configured between all the buttons. On the downside, there is a lot to do with the little frog... You have several different jumping styles, a tongue-whip and the ability to rotate Frogger with the shoulder buttons. The rotation is probably the most confusing because it is often hard to remember in the heat of the moment which button controls which turn direction. Many of the turn/jump actions are timed closely, so this can lead to some frustration. Factor in the use of the tongue and different types of jumping and you can see where it gets a bit clouded. The bottom line on My Frogger Toy Trials is that we have a curiosity that will be fun for some, but far from "classic" status. I don't think it does any harm or good for the franchise, but it carries over some of the gameplay we enjoyed in the old game. The necessity for this is a head-scratcher... a cynical man might suggest it was just a way to squeeze a few more bucks out of an old license during a time when retro gaming has some buzz. A more positive spin would be that even without the license, there is some fun to be had in My Frogger Toy Trials and some gameplay that the younger set will find challenging and amusing.
-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock
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