Frogger: The Great Quest
| Frogger: The Great Quest | |
|---|---|
 Boxshot of the Windows version | |
| Developer(s) | Konami Computer Entertainment Papa Yeti Studio |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Series | Frogger |
| Platform(s) |
PlayStation 2 Microsoft Windows |
| Release |
PlayStation 2
|
| Genre(s) | Adventure, Platformer |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Frogger: The Great Quest is a video game released in 2001 by Konami for the PlayStation 2. It was ported to Microsoft Windows the following year and was dedicated in memory of its fallen voice actor, Steve Sheppard-Brodie, who was the voice of Lumpy the Toad, Count Blah the Vampire, and The Magical General of Light and Industry. It is the first game in the series developed by Konami, and the first since Hasbro Interactive released Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge in 2000. It introduced a new look, being the first in the series to be set in a 3-D platform environment. It is also the first to feature Frogger as a biped wearing clothes. The game was also released for the Game Boy Advance with the title Frogger Advance: The Great Quest.[1]
Gameplay
The object of the game is to lead Frogger across the Third Kingdom, which is filled with evil creatures and insects in search of the Princess of his wishes. There are many user interactions in the game that gives hints and tips on how to complete each level. There are a set amount of coins and gems to collect in each level for a bonus score (optional), and special stones that will allow Frogger to use special abilities. Frogger has a few different attacks, which consists of a melee attack, and a ranged attack which he will spit green guck from his mouth. It also features neat jumping physics. Upon pressing the jump button, if you press it again and hold it, Frogger will blow up his cheeks and slowly glide to his destination, this is efficient for getting from a high ledge, lilly pad, cliff, etc. to a lower one. Frogger can also swim in this game.
The game is more of an adventure than a challenge, being particularly aimed at children. Unlike most computer games, the PC port doesn't have options to change the resolution or overall graphic quality, thus making the world appear jagged and rough. The game is well known for its inaccurate controls and lazy camera view. The game is sometimes compared to Rayman 2: The Great Escape and Rascal in terms of graphics and overall themes.[2]
Plot
Frogger hears a story of how a frog transformed into a prince after having been kissed by a princess. As such, Frogger begins to search for a princess of his own so he can become a prince himself. He begins his adventure in the Rolling Rapids Creek, where Fairy Frog Mother trains him. Frogger eventually makes his way to Bog Town, where he meets Bruiser the Bear, who informs Frogger of a river princess. After Frogger helps Bruiser out, Bruiser in exchange sends him to Slick Willy's Riverboat, where the river princess is said to be located. Frogger then meets Slick Willy himself, who reveals that the River Princess is merely the name of his boat. Willy then tells Frogger that he intends on eating him for lunch, causing Frogger to defend himself as the two engage in battle. Willy eventually surrenders and decides to help Frogger instead; he transports Frogger to River Town, where Frogger meets and befriends Phroi the Fairy, who informs him of a fairy princess. Phroi then creates a path that allows Frogger to enter Mushroom Valley, where the latter finds three pieces of a broken key in order to unlock the door to Fairy Town.
Once in Fairy Town, Phroi introduces Frogger to the other fairies and assigns him to complete five tasks in order to meet the fairy princess. For the first of these tasks, Frogger finds and collects five magic seeds in Fairy Town that he uses to grow plants in local soil patches. Following this, the fairies take Frogger to the gloomy Ancient Tree of Knowledge, where he must find and defeat the Dark One - Mr. D. After doing so, Frogger returns to Fairy Town, where he plays hide-and-seek with the fairies. For Frogger's fourth task, he enters a nearby lair home to Hiss the Cat Dragon, who presents him with a challenge. After completing the challenge, Hiss tells Frogger a riddle and allows him to return to Fairy Town once again. Finally, Frogger plays tag with the fairies, who then introduce Frogger to Holly the Fairy Princess - but she is not the princess he is looking for. Holly then teleports Frogger to the Dark Trail Ruins, so he can continue his journey north where the princess he is looking for can be found. After getting through the ruins with the help of a strange creature, Frogger defeats a rogue monster inhabiting the trail and enters Dr. Starkenstein's Castle. Dr. Starkenstein initially seems friendly and allows Frogger to explore his castle, though it is later revealed that he is actually evil and intends on using Frogger's legs for his experiments. The doctor assigns one of his deadly inventions to kill Frogger, but the latter destroys the machines in the castle allowing him to escape and enter the neighboring Catacombs.
Frogger meets a benign vampire named Count Blah, who reveals himself to be the father of Princess Dar, a resident of the Catacombs. When Frogger finds and meets Dar, she tells him that she is not the princess he is looking for either. However, she does allow Frogger to escape the Catacombs and continue his journey on the upcoming Goblin Trail, with the hope of finding the real desired princess. After fighting numerous goblins and unlocking several doors, Frogger ends up in the Goblin Fort, the central home to the goblins. Frogger gets through the Fort and makes his way to Joy Castle, where the true princess herself is presumably located. Frogger explores the castle, navigates its towers, and finds his desired princess Joy (and Fairy Frog Mother) being held custody by the Magical General of Light and Industry - the source of all evil in the kingdom. Frogger then defeats the general, freeing Fairy Frog Mother and Joy, as he shares a kiss with the latter - finally transforming him into a prince. The game ends with Frogger in his new transformation and his allies celebrating together.
Major characters
Frogger (voice of Dave Rivas) is the main protagonist of the game. He hears a story of how a frog turned into a prince by being kissed by a princess, and sets out on a quest to find a princess of his own to turn him into a prince. He is aided by the Fairy Frog Mother, and a great source of allies, but also has his share of enemies, such as the Goblins, frog-eating fish, scorpions, snakes, vampire bats, the Rough Bunch, the Bone Cruncher, the Mad Scientist, and the Magical General.
Lumpy is the toad who raised Frogger in Firefly Swamp. He speaks in a Louisianian accent. Lumpy tells Frogger that there are stories of a magical world beyond the swamp. After the Fairy Frog Mother visits Frogger and grants him three powerful wishes, Lumpy lets Frogger venture to find a princess.
Fairy Frog Mother (voice of Lani Minella) is Frogger's guide throughout the game. She is a very powerful fairy, and usually appears to Frogger in the most desperate situations, such as when he is trapped in Dr. Starkenstein's Castle. Throughout the game, she provides helpful advice and strength for Frogger, but it ends up being his turn to help her when she is captured by the Magical General.
Princess Joy is the daughter of the King and Queen of Joy Castle, who have mysteriously disappeared. Frogger meets a few princesses along the way, but in the end, Princess Joy is the one Frogger is looking for. She was captured by the Magical General prior to the events in the game.
Phroi the Fairy is a fairy who lives in Fairy Town, and considered the leader of the fairies there. Frogger first meets him by helping him recover from his sickness in River Town. In exchange for his healing, Phroi allows Frogger to meet the Fairy Princess...after he completes five tasks (Fairy Games). Although Phroi keeps his promise of letting Frogger meet the Fairy Princess, she is not the one Frogger is looking for.
The Magical General of Light and Industry is the main antagonist of the game, despite his minor appearance. He is responsible for the events of the game. He may or may not have been responsible for the disappearance of the King and Queen, but instantly took the chance to use the Goblins' jealously of the kingdom's freedom to wage war on it. He captures Princess Joy and plots to use her to become King. After Frogger defeats him, he leaves but vows to return...
King Ijnek (voice of Dave Rivas) is a primary antagonist in the game, but like the Magical General, is rarely seen despite this. He is hated by those who fear him, but is frequently abused by Big Mama, so Ijnek takes it out on everyone else, including Frogger. He leads the Goblins in their attack on the Third Kingdom.
Dr. Starkenstein (voice of Dave Rivas), also known as the Mad Scientist, is clearly a mad scientist. He created Geeky Bill and Stinky Phil, as well as the Giant Metal Chicken Ray. Frogger is fortunate enough to be his "guest" for a night, but he is really planning on using Frogger's legs to further enhance his experiments. It is later revealed he was making creatures for the Magical General.
Secondary characters
The Mosquito Gang, also known as the Rough Bunch, are local bullies around Bog Town. The leader is Positive the Mosquito. It is indicated Frogger got on his bad side once and have been enemies ever since. They appear as enemies during the first half of the game.
Blair and Gavin are the two guys that Frogger hears telling the story about the princess kissing the frog that turns into a prince. When Frogger arrives at Bog Town he asks them how he could find a princess. Gavin is rude and walks away from Frogger, but Blair is friendly and gives Frogger some advice on finding a princess by telling him to talk to Bruiser the Bear.
Bruiser the Bear is a big, blue bear that speaks with a southern accent and lives in a cabin located in Bog Town. In exchange for some honey, he leads Frogger to Slick Willy's "River Princess", which Frogger believes to be a real princess. Not only does he not get along with the bees, he's allergic to them.
Captain Scat is the captain of the cat crew on the River Princess. He and two other crew members attack Frogger when he interrupts their card game to ask questions about the River Princess.
Slick Willy is the crocodile owner of his boat called the River Princess, which Frogger thinks is an actual princess. Slick Willy wants to eat Frogger for lunch, but after he is defeated by Frogger, he helps Frogger get to River Town to help the sick fairy, which turns out to be Phroi. Slick Willy's name and voice is based on those of former United States president Bill Clinton.
Zippy is an old hermit tortoise who sits on the pier of River Town. He tells Frogger about the goblin horde invading River Town and locking up Phroi the fairy in a small house.
Mr.D, a.k.a. THE DARK ONE, is a cloaked entity that resides in the Tree of Knowledge in Fairy Town. He is sought after by Frogger as part of the second Fairy Game. After fighting and defeating Mr.D, half his skull cracks, revealing part of Frogger's face. The reason for this is never revealed. He is also a character in a future Frogger installment, Temple of the Frog.
Hiss the Cat Dragon is a cat dragon who resides in a canyon above Fairy Town. Phroi and the fairies send Frogger to get a ride from Hiss as part of the fourth task. Hiss loves to play chase, and agrees to give Frogger a riddle if he plays and wins...otherwise, Hiss will eat Frogger. After the game, Hiss tells Frogger to follow his heart during his quest. He makes an appearance at Joy Castle after the final battle.
Princess Holly, also known as the Fairy Princess, is the princess Frogger meets after completing all five of Phroi's tasks, but is not the one he is looking for. She warns him that the princess he is looking for is in need of his help. She magically transports Frogger to the Dark Trail Ruins.
Wild Thing is a goblin-like creature that meets Frogger in the Dark Trail Ruins. He tells Frogger to watch out for the "Stinky Biggies" (Bone Cruncher) above. When Bone Cruncher chases Frogger, Wild Thing shows the young frog a way out and tells him to shrink Bone Cruncher. Frogger then catches Bone Cruncher and Wild Thing shows him the way to Dr. Starkenstein's Castle.
Bone Cruncher the wolf-like monster is encountered when Frogger travels through the Dark Trail Ruins. He is referred to as "Stinky Biggies" by Wild Thing. Bone Cruncher may have some connection with the establishment of the original civilization, possibly worshipped by it. Frogger uses a Shrink Stone to shrink it down to a small size, but when he uses it later before his final battle, Bone Cruncher returns to normal size (thanks to Fairy Frog Mother) and chases off some of the Magical General's guards.
Geeky Bill and Stinky Phil are two creatures created by Dr. Starkenstein. They ambush Frogger at the end of the Dark Trail Ruins and carry him to Dr. Starkenstein's Castle. Geeky Bill, who thinks the doctor is crazy, tells Frogger to run away, but Stinky Phil is loyal to the doctor and fights Frogger along with the Metal Chicken Ray, and is defeated by Frogger.
Big Bertha is the witch that resides in Dr. Starkenstein's castle. Like Dr. Starkenstein, she also needs frog legs for something. She attacks Frogger when he lands in her room but the Fairy Frog Mother comes in and fights her, giving Frogger a chance to escape. She also appears at the end of the game saying "I don't think so" when "The end" appears.
Metal Chicken Ray is Dr.Starkenstein's latest invention that gets released when Frogger enters the laboratory and overhears Dr.Starkenstein talking about it. A tall, giant chicken that breaths blue, poisonous breath attacks Frogger while he destroys the laboratory and then chases him out the exit and traps him at the entrance to the Catacombs.
Count Blah is a vampire who resides in the Catacombs, but unlike typical vampires, Blah only drinks fruit juice. He originates from fruit bats, but there were vampires on his mothers side. He asks Frogger to find his daughter, Princess Dar, and considers giving her to Frogger since he is looking for a princess, but Dar warns Frogger that Princess Joy is in greater and more immediate need.
Princess Dar is the daughter of Count Blah. Frogger searches the catacombs for her at the request of Count Blah, with the promise that she may be the princess he is looking for. Unfortunately, she is not, but she does help Frogger escape the catacombs and reach Joy Castle.
Big Mama is the heavyset goblin wife of King Ijnek. She hits him with her rolling pin for being incompetent. After Frogger defeats King Ijnek, she is never seen or mentioned throughout the rest of the game.
Grim Bite is a sword with a mind of its own. He starts out in the possession of the Magical General, but in the end, it chooses Frogger. The Magical General then retreats after Grim Bite growls at him.
Reception
The PlayStation 2 version of Frogger: The Great Quest received generally negative reviews according to Metacritic, with a score of 32 out of 100.[3] IGN rated the PlayStation 2 version a score of 3 out of 10.[2]
References
- ↑ Harris, Craig (April 24, 2002). "Frogger Leaps to GBA Again". IGN. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
- 1 2 "Frogger: The Great Quest Review". IGN. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
- ↑ "Frogger: The Great Quest (PS2)". Metacritic. Retrieved May 11, 2018.