Frogger 3D (Nintendo 3DS) Review

Posted by Mark Salmela on 10.23.2011

Konami celebrates Frogger’s 30th anniversary with a brand new 3DS game. How does it fare? Read and find out.



Title: Frogger 3D
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Genre: Puzzle Platformer
Players: 1 - 4
Rated: E for Everyone


The original Frogger came out 30 years ago in 1981. Frogger was a simple game where you controlled a frog, and your goal was to get that frog safely across a street and a river to safety. It was a simple design yet it was very fun to play. Unfortunately the years haven’t been as kind to Frogger. While we’ve seen other old school titles like Pac-Man and Galaga receive numerous updates over the years Frogger hasn’t seen the same kind of success. Frogger has been in a handful of new games, including the 1997 Frogger game which I personally enjoyed, but none of the Frogger games have seen the success of the original 1981 game. Well Konami is here to try again, this time on the 3DS.

Frogger 3D has similar gameplay mechanics as the original. You take control of Frogger, and your objective is to hop to a goal that has been placed somewhere along a map. The game features 60 levels, and each level with the exception of the boss battles consist of 3 rounds. Each time you reach a goal you complete a round, are sent back to the beginning of the level, and the goal moves to a different spot on the map. You have 3 lives in each level, and if you lose your last life on the 3rd round you’re forced to redo the whole level over again. There are also collectible coins on the second and third rounds, if you wish to collect them for in-game achievements and unlockables.



Each level in Frogger 3D is set up like a maze. After the first few levels the path to the goal isn’t obvious, and you’ll often hop around very tight corridors and inbetween objects as you make your way to the finish. It’s almost a puzzle trying to plan your path, as there are several environmental hazards looking to kill you in your tracks. While the first few worlds take place in a city environment reminiscent of the old Frogger games eventually the level design gets really creative, including levels set in the Far East and levels set inside of a casino. It seems everything is out to kill this poor frog. I don’t know what Frogger did to upset some poker chips and the other environmental hazards in a casino, but it’s your job to get past them.

To help you along your journey there are several ally frogs that’ll give you different power-ups. One of the frogs will eat tomatoes that would otherwise block your path. Another frog acts as a tank that can destroy other cars and push them out of the way. Be wary though, as once cars are destroyed they become ticking time bombs, and if you’re caught in the explosion you’re going to lose a life. Each of the power-up ally frogs only last for a certain amount of time, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself taking bigger risks with these ally frogs since your time with them is extremely limited. In classic Frogger style you do have a time limit in general, but it isn’t nearly as big of an issue as it was in the classic Frogger game.



Frogger 3D is not an easy game. It walks a fine line between challenging and frustrating, crossing over the line into frustrating territory at several times. For example in the first world a truck will come plowing down the street at random times. It doesn’t give any warning or indication that it’s there until it’s already on the screen. If you’re anywhere near the truck you’re likely going to be crushed before you can even react. It seems in these instances that the game is meant to screw you over, and that you have to try to guess when these environmental hazards are coming to kill you. There are also several levels where random objects will just drop out of the sky. Once again you hardly have any time to react and these objects always seem to drop directly onto you or right next to your frog, making them extremely annoying. The game already becomes hard enough after the first few worlds, these environmental hazards just push the game into frustrating territory.

At the end of each world you’ll encounter a boss battle. These battles are surprisingly clever, using Frogger mechanics in a new and original way. Going back to the first boss battle against the truck that’s been bothering you over the first world, your goal is to push a cart of spikes in front of the truck that’s trying to run you over. The only problem I have with the boss battles is that they go on for slightly too long. I have no problem with drawn out boss battles, but I think by the third hit I’ve got the concept down, there’s no need to keep stretching it out if the boss isn’t doing anything new. Yes, the bosses get progressively harder with each hit, but their attack patterns hardly change, with the biggest difference in the truck battle being that the truck starts homing in on your frog.

Frogger 3D doesn’t push the Nintendo 3DS hardware in any way. There’s a lot of color and I enjoy the variety of levels, but the graphics don’t look that impressive and the 3D effect is minimal at best. There are instances where the game is clearly trying to make use of the 3D, and it’s only at these gimmicky areas that you even notice the game is in 3D at all. I have a feeling that this game could have easily been done on other platforms.

In addition to the main campaign there are two additional modes as well. There’s a multiplayer mode for up to 4 players, but there’s no online mode and multiplayer requires each additional player have their own copy of the game as well. Unfortunately for this review I was unable to find anyone else who owned a 3DS and a copy of Frogger 3D. The other mode is Frogger Forever, and it’s exactly what you think it is. You control Frogger, and your goal is to make it as far as possible without dying. This is one of the best parts of the game, and really harkens back to the original 1981 Frogger.




Pros

- Lots of variety in the levels.
- Ally frogs are a cool twist.
- Boss battles are unique and enjoyable.
- Frogger Forever mode is fun.


Cons

- Game can become frustrating and cheap at times.
- Frogger moves a little too slow.
- Camera can feel a little too zoomed in at times, making it hard to predict what’s coming.
- Multiplayer mode requires each person to have their own cartridge.
- There’s no traditional Frogger 1981 mode.



The 411


I still hate that truck.


Frogger 3D is a hard game to recommend. It is by no means a bad game. There are several things to like about the game, including the boss battles and the ally frogs. The problem is that there isn’t anything the game does exceptionally well. For a $30 Nintendo 3DS game I expect a little more. The graphics aren’t that great and the 3D effect is minimal. Considering this is Frogger’s 30th anniversary I wanted a true port of the original 1981 game, not a variation of the old game using the old graphics. If the game would have had a true port of the original Frogger, and it didn’t have environmental hazards that felt cheap, this game would have received a better recommendation. Frogger 3D is a fun distraction, but the game feels cheap in several instances and most players will struggle to find value in what could have easily been a $5 game on Smartphone devices.

Graphics	7.5	There’s a lot of variation in the color scheme and level design, but the graphics aren’t that impressive and the 3D effect is minimal.
Gameplay	7.0	Traditional Frogger gameplay using a more modern and puzzle focused design.
Sound	5.0	There’s hardly anything worth remembering in the sound department.
Lasting Appeal	6.5	There are a total of 60 levels, the endless mode, and multiplayer if you can find other people locally with the game.
Fun Factor	6.0	The game can feel cheap at times, which is a shame. It’s a fun distraction, but won’t be a standout title for the 3DS.
Overall	6.5   [ Average ]