Frogger Returns Review (Wii [Reviewed], PS3, DSiWare)
Developer: Hijinx Studios
Publisher: Konami
Release Date: November 12, 2009
ESRB: E — Everyone

Frogger Returns is a $5 download available on the Wii Shop Channel, and if you’re storing it on your Wii’s system memory it’ll take up 203 blocks of space. Is it worth $5 and 203 blocks? Yes, it is.

It doesn’t rock the boat much from the original. The goal is still the same: get your frog across the screen, avoid all the obstacles, time your jumps, and reach the lily pad. Simple concept, and if you’ve played Frogger before you’ll know exactly what you’re getting into from the first second.

The graphics aren’t going to leave you breathless, but this is a five dollar download, so you probably weren’t expecting Super Mario Galaxy. If you can still play the original without complaints, you’ll have no complaints here either. The levels look good, the obstacles are fine, the cars and enemies repeat themselves with no real variety, but that’s Frogger. That’s how it should be. The only things that could’ve used a little more polish are Frogger himself and the main menu, which is pretty rough. Neither has anything to do with gameplay, so it’s easy to overlook.

One thing that did bother me: the game advertises compatibility with both the Wiimote and the Classic Controller, and I could not for the life of me figure out how to get the Classic Controller working. I’m not saying they lied about it, but I couldn’t make it happen. That’s frustrating because the Wiimote setup is a little awkward for what’s essentially a four-button game. All you need is the D-pad to move in four directions, but the way it’s configured you have to point the Wiimote at the TV the whole time. Being able to turn it sideways should have at least been an option. Moving the frog around felt like changing channels.

The controls themselves are dead simple though. Up, down, left, right. That’s it.

There are four single player modes, and they’re all basically the same thing approached from a different angle. Arcade is the classic experience: a few lives, a time limit, avoid everything, reach the other side, chase a high score. Time Trial ditches the score chasing and just asks how fast you can complete each stage, with the clock counting up instead of down. Score Attack plays like Arcade but rewards bonus points for remaining lives and time left on the clock. And Free Play removes the time limit and lives entirely, letting you hop around at your own pace with no pressure and no scoring. It’s clearly there for the casual crowd, but it’s a nice option to have.

All three competitive modes have separate leaderboards, which is a nice touch.

Multiplayer supports up to two players locally across four modes. There’s no online support, which is a missed opportunity since simple online leaderboards would have been a natural fit for a game like this. At five dollars though, the lack of online is neither surprising nor a dealbreaker. The multiplayer modes are variations on racing to occupy holding cells, stealing cells from each other, and collecting flies to bank points before you die. Nothing that tops the single player experience, but having something to play with another person is always welcome.

One last thing worth mentioning: the single player modes have a handful of power-ups scattered through the levels. My favorite is what I’ve taken to calling the cheat bubble. Pop it and you’re invincible for a short window, able to run straight through cars, snakes, rats, and water without dying. Use it right and you can cruise to the end of a stage without breaking a sweat.

For $5, Frogger Returns is an easy recommendation if you have any affection for the original. It’s not a classic and it’s not something you’ll be playing months from now, but it’s a fun, no-frills download at exactly the right price point.

Frogger Returns gets a three out of five: SUBSTANTIAL.

If you’re into retro-style games, check out our Retro WedNESday series for more classic gaming coverage. You might also enjoy our review of LIMBO, another great downloadable title from the same era. And browse our full game reviews archive for more.

Agree, disagree, or think I got it completely wrong? Say so in the comments or over at the Vortex Effect forums.