In this Hopper review we are into a new clone of Frogger. In the latest reviews the coin has fallen clones of our most popular games from the Arcades. This is really random and not planned. What it says to us is that our most popular games have a bunch of re-makes out there.
Today it is all about a new frog with its scenery to get a new experience.
Title Screen
As compared to other conversions this Frogger game starts on a first more difficult level. Other Frogger games come this level of difficulty mayb from the 2nd-3rd level. And what do I mean more exact. I mean that the vehicles are many and fast. The objects in the river move fast and the variation with deep diving turtles is often.
The actual playing in this Hopper Review
The steering on this MSX version of Hopper is neat, it is a smooth control of your frog and there is a quick response, maybe sometimes to quick.
Level 1 showing distance between logs
But is this one of the better conversions? The response to this is ‘NO’. I expected a little more from the graphics, the moving objects are weak in colours and in detail. The game really becomes hard due to in my opinion a poor coordination between the objects floating on the river. You may say that it should be challenging. You need to get the opportunity to be challenged.
What I mostly react on is the movement and coordination between the 2nd line with smaller logs and the 3rd line with the bigger logs. In my opinion they missed on the speed and coordination. The nr of small logs with a big space between the big logs and the speed is to fast on the smaller logs. (See Picture above)
This is really the real setback with the game and makes this conversion fall into the lower rating of Frogger conversions.
%
Our Playability Rating
In the Magazines
Hopper is one of the few cheap games around that offers reasonable graphics and is fun to play. It’s the latest in a spate of budget priced titles from the Dutch software house Aakosoft and is being marketed in the UK by Nemesis. Hopper is probably very familiar to arcade buffs as it is a re-hashed version of that old chestnut Frogger.
The cassette cover describes it as a classic which is an understatement as like Boulderdash it’s the sort of title that won’t age and will never lose its appeal. The game casts you as a frog and your task is to leap across a busy road onto a grassy bank and then across a fast flowing river. Sounds easy doesn’t it but we can assure you it isn’t! As we said before the road is very busy and as you leap across you have to take care and avoid the juggernauts and racing cars that come hurtling towards you. Get hit by one of them and you meet a sticky end. Once you reach the grassy bank there’s time for a quick breather and a quick scout around.
Level 1 Hopper MSX
Getting across the river is no easy task as you have to leap across turtles and logs. The logs are no problem, but the turtles sink when you least expect them to! Across the river, cut out of the bank are five hollows and yes you’ve guessed it you have to leap into each hollow to score points. But, not all the hollows are empty! Occasionally a purple fly will occupy one of the hollows, leap into it and your score substantially increases. However, you have to be quick as the fly only remains in the hollow for about five seconds, miss him and you miss your bonus. If you manage to get through the first level (we did but it took a lot of practice) you are confronted with the same scenario but the traffic moves at a much quicker pace and the river is infested with crocodiles as are some of the hollows. Jumping in to a hollow which is occupied by a crock is certain death so watch out!
We didn’t manage to get onto the next level but we’re still trying. The graphics aren’t exceptional but bright and the sound is very similar to a frog leaping. Other than that we think Hopperis a great game, we certainly had a lot of fun playing it, and it’s good value at only £1.99.
This is one title we recommend you to buy.
From MSX Computing Issue 04 in 1986
On the Covers
Normally I like the covers designed for the Eaglesoft titles. But with Hopper this is not case. I really feel that the different parts of the cover do not harmonize. The Frog, The Ferrari and the terrible logo. I must say that the logo design looks like a ruler and a pencil product. The spacing between the letters is to much. The Ferrari alon would fill the role for a nice car game but thats it.
%
Our Cover Rating
Other Frogger Reviews
Read about our favourite Frogger review so far below these lines.
Read more about Croaker – a Frogger conversion that was reviewed for the Acorn Electron. The game itself also exists on the BBC Micro.
