"Five little frogs wandered across the pond. You'd better go look for them."
This portable extension of the original Frogger features diverse levels and better graphics, as well as the character Lillie Frog and some creepy pre-rendered frogs from the other Frogger 2 game.
About the run
- Emulator used: BizHawk 1.4.1
- Aims for fastest time
- Uses death to save time
- Genre: Action
General comments
- Frogger takes 9 frames to hop one space. Because hopping one space left and then back right alone takes 18 frames, it is almost always faster to wait for the obstacle in front of you to move out of the way and then hop forward instead of hopping around the obstacle.
- Frogger can hop onto the extreme edge of any tile with precise positioning via moving platforms. This is why it looks like he's standing on water in some levels (like World 1-5), though the game considers him basically on that lilypad. The game doesn't actually allow hopping on water (or through cars or snakes) because the game checks if Frogger should die the same frame he can start a new hop.
- If Frogger hops onto the edge of a tile of non-moving ground, he will only take 2-7 frames to realign himself on the tile. While he doesn't look like he's even moving, he can move as much as 14 pixels (7/8 of a tile) in 3 frames this way. This can sometimes be helpful, though when moving back onto grass or brick, it saves time to be properly aligned on a tile.
Level by level comments
The Frog Pond
Level 1
- There was no way across the first river without waiting for the slow logs on the last row.
Level 2
- Since there was no waiting for logs in this level, there are very minimal delays and changes in horizontal position.
Level 3
- I had to wait for the "wall of 'dozers" as well as the logs in the very last section, so I provided some entertainment at no cost to speed.
- Hopping across the last few logs was actually a little tricky to optimize.
Level 4
- Once you hop onto an oil spill, you can't change direction or move any faster.
Level 5
- I know it looks like I could have entertained while waiting in the middle of that second river, but I needed to wedge Frogger onto the extreme edge of the left lilypad to be able to hop across the next two platforms in the fastest time, and I couldn't move from that spot or he would fall into the water.
- Hopping around the slow car at the end is 2 frames faster than going straight.
Level 6
- I don't hop onto the obvious-looking second row log because there isn't another log anywhere on its path, meaning Frogger would eventually be forced to hit the wall and die in the water.
- This is another level with less entertainment because it would mess up Frogger's position, and I needed to use edge hopping to precisely move Frogger across this long water level.
Level 7
- This is a different kind of stage, referred to as a "treasure" stage in-game. You must collect all of the gems before the baby frog appears (out of nowhere).
- This stage was difficult to plan a route for. I eventually found that activating the level checkpoint and dying to bring Frogger back from the upper platform saved 4 frames only because of better positioning behind the red hot cauldron on the slow conveyor belt.
- I collected the last gem mid-hop, so Frogger actually finished this level standing between the tile containing the gem and the baby frog.
The Gator Lair
Level 1
- A very straightforward level. Hardly needed to stop to wait for anything, even the fast-moving boulder. It only took 10 minutes to TAS this level.
Level 2
- An extremely straightforward level. Emphasis on straight; there is barely any change in horizontal position during the boulder part of the level.
- This level also introduces the odd invisible path.
Level 3
- Like the "wall of 'dozers" in 1-3, there is a boulder train in this level with only one opening that requires Frogger to run far to the right in order to progress.
Level 4
- A short and simple level that mostly consists of following the invisible path.
- At the end, Indiana Frog runs away from a large boulder.
Level 5
- Lots of close calls with both crocodile's snouts and rolling boulders.
Level 6
- Yep, an entire level of invisible paths. Probably the least interesting level.
Level 7
- It might look like I waste time getting the first gem on the first big platform, but it's only 6 spaces out of my way, compared to 10 I would have to waste getting it later (starting from the ring of diamonds).
- Here is an example of using edge hopping to save time. I save 1 frame getting around the spider by walking on the extreme edge of the platform over walking on the tile or any other edge.
- I use death to save time as well as the trick to touch the last gem and the baby frog at the same time again.
The Ice Caves
Level 1
- Like the oil slick, you can't change direction or speed on the ice.
- I have to wait for the ice platforms to align, so I fake out an enemy fish.
Level 2
- The penguins act like logs or crocodiles. I was able to use one to save quite a bit of waiting and sliding.
- I taunt another fish while waiting for the ice platforms to align.
Level 3
- There's only one real path in this level, so no shortcuts.
- This is the only level where Frogger is always in motion; not a frame is spent waiting for something to move.
Level 4
- The ice platforms in this level started out in very good positions, allowing me to complete the level quickly.
Level 5
- There are a lot of possible routes for this level, but I think I found and used the fastest one here.
Level 6
- I would entertain during the long ride on the penguin, but for some reason, moving at all loses 2 frames, horizontally or vertically. I really don't know where those 2 frames go. My guess is it has something to do with the scrolling of the screen, but it remains a mystery.
Level 7
- This was the easiest treasure level to plan out. It required almost no thought.
- For some reason, the level designers decided to make it impossible to deathwarp back to the beginning. I guess they really wanted players to experience the thrill of running backwards on a conveyor belt.
- Despite that, the deathwarp I performed still saved a lot of backtracking.
The Lava Pits
Level 1
- This is another level where Frogger is almost always in motion.
- Because of the directions of the rolling fireballs, the path I took is the fastest one.
Level 2
- I manage to take a few shortcuts by running towards the rolling fireballs instead of "safely" following behind.
Level 3
- I have a little time to waste while I wait for the big fireball near the end of the level to move, so I attempt to entertain by keeping Frogger moving around quickly.
Level 4
- I have to wait for the bottom row of platforms in the second section to move to a place I can reach it, so I hopped around the first section platforms and collected some useless gems while I waited.
- I needed to hop onto that very last rock platform with a precise frame and position to finish as soon as possible.
Level 5
- Unlike the ice levels, which feature almost no waiting, this level can only be described as a "waiting" level. I had to wait for the triple big fireballs, the lava platforms, more lava platforms, and small clustered fireballs.
Level 6
- This is a really short and fast level, thanks to some very well positioned moving platforms.
- The way I hop into the goal is the fastest way around the bees, and it includes a close call with a rolling fireball at no cost to speed.
Level 7
- I thought about grabbing the checkpoint, getting the diamond that's really close to it, and deathwarping back, but it wouldn't save any time because either way, I have to wait behind the long row of cauldrons on the right-moving conveyor belt.
- I also tried to grab some of the diamonds in a ring around where the baby appears before following the spider, but with the cauldron patterns on the conveyor belts, it just wasn't possible.
The Lost Mines
Level 1
- I need to wait for a lot of things in this level, so I make the hopping entertaining again.
Level 2
- Some of the minecarts, like the very first one, leave just too soon for Frogger to hop on them.
- Riding the hawks would be a lot less entertaining if I wasn't able to hop in place as they're moving.
Level 3
- More waiting for hawks to move and having to entertain while doing so...
Level 4
- Due to the forced checkpoint in a bad position, this is the only "treasure" level that doesn't use deathwarping.
- All five frogs rescued!
Possible Improvements
- If whatever caused staying still on that penguin in 3-6 to save 2 frames over not moving at all could be figured out and possibly done on the rest of the levels, it would lead to some small improvements, maybe even big ones.
Suggested screenshots
9725, 32616
Thanks to
- The coders of BizHawk, for making an awesome, more accurate rerecording emulator for GB(C) games
- The creators of the game
- You, for watching
feos: Accepting for Vault.