Superfrog
Encyclopedia
Superfrog is a 2D Platform game
developed for the Amiga
by Team17
Software in 1993, then converted for the PC by Bubball Systems in 1994. The Amiga version was popular enough to spawn an Amiga CD32
version, which could also be played on some Amiga computers fitted with a CD drive.
, who is turned into a frog by a jealous witch, in homage to the Frog Prince
fairy tale. His princess
girlfriend is then abducted by the same witch. Subsequently sulking by the "River O' Despair", the prince chances upon a floating bottle of Lucozade
, which confers upon him super powers.
The game features an overt commercial tie-in with the energy drink
Lucozade
as a health-boosting powerup, similar to the Chupa Chups
sponsorship of Zool
, 7-Up's sponsorship of Cool Spot
and Quavers
sponsorship of Pushover
. When the player has defeated the witch, a quick end sequence shows the frog and the princess kissing, but - rather than the frog turning back into the prince - the princess is turned into a frog instead.
Depending on the number of coins and fruit collected, and on how fast the player finishes the level, a number of credits (up to a maximum of 15) are awarded at the end of each level. The player can then choose to either collect the credits for a score
or gamble them in a slot machine
-style minigame
for more bonuses. The most important function of the slot machine minigame is the chance to win a level code
enabling the player to restart the game from the beginning of the next level at a later time.
An extra level between world 5 and 6 takes the form of a side-scrolling shoot 'em up
called Project-F in homage to Team 17's own Project-X
(even going as far as using a remixed version of the original game's theme tune). Rather than collecting coins, the objective of this stage is to survive to the end. This level was omitted from the PC conversion of the game.
After completing all six worlds, the game ends with a small boss fight
against the witch.
series, though many gamers remember Superfrog fondly for its solid gameplay, smooth scrolling, cartoon-quality graphics, and upbeat music
. Although a relatively small release by the standards of blockbuster platformers like Sonic, it was very well received and has retained a fan base which considers it a technically perfect example of the genre. It has had at least two fan sites online, the largest and most popular being Superfrog: The Tribute Site.
or PSP
revival of the original. A Team17 animator also changed his avatar on the Team17 forum to that of a freshly animated Superfrog walk cycle.
Team17 themselves appear not to have forgotten about Superfrog, as the titular character - the frog himself - makes cameo appearances in their most recent games, notably Worms Blast
and Worms 3D
. Martyn "Spadge" Brown, Creative Director at Team17, also expressed an interest in reviving the character in a new Superfrog title, although later on he was quoted at saying this was "just a concept".
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
developed for the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
by Team17
Team17
Team17 Software Ltd. is a video game company best known for developing the Worms series of games , but it has made many other games, notably Superfrog and the Alien Breed series. Most of its early releases were on the Amiga home computer system and featured trademark smooth scrolling, and detailed...
Software in 1993, then converted for the PC by Bubball Systems in 1994. The Amiga version was popular enough to spawn an Amiga CD32
Amiga CD32
The Amiga CD32, styled "CD32" , was the first 32-bit CD-ROM based video game console released in western Europe, Australia, Canada and Brazil. It was first announced at the Science Museum in London, United Kingdom on 16 July 1993, and was released in September of the same year...
version, which could also be played on some Amiga computers fitted with a CD drive.
Story
The story, present in the game's manual but mostly conveyed through the introductory animation by Eric W. Schwartz, concerns an unnamed princePrince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
, who is turned into a frog by a jealous witch, in homage to the Frog Prince
The Frog Prince (story)
"The Frog Prince; or, Iron Henry" is a fairy tale, best known through the Brothers Grimm's written version; traditionally it is the first story in their collection. In the tale, a spoiled princess reluctantly befriends a frog , who magically transforms into a handsome prince...
fairy tale. His princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
girlfriend is then abducted by the same witch. Subsequently sulking by the "River O' Despair", the prince chances upon a floating bottle of Lucozade
Lucozade
Lucozade is an umbrella name for a 6 series of energy and sports drinks, produced by GlaxoSmithKline in Gloucestershire. The former company became part of Beecham and, after the mergers of SmithKline and Beecham in 2000, GlaxoSmithKline....
, which confers upon him super powers.
The game features an overt commercial tie-in with the energy drink
Energy drink
Energy drinks are beverages whose producers advertise that they "boost energy." These advertisements usually do not emphasize energy derived from the sugar and caffeine they contain but rather increased energy release due to a variety of stimulants and vitamins....
Lucozade
Lucozade
Lucozade is an umbrella name for a 6 series of energy and sports drinks, produced by GlaxoSmithKline in Gloucestershire. The former company became part of Beecham and, after the mergers of SmithKline and Beecham in 2000, GlaxoSmithKline....
as a health-boosting powerup, similar to the Chupa Chups
Chupa Chups
Chupa Chups is a lollipop company founded by the Catalan Enric Bernat in 1958, and currently owned by the Dutch-Italian multinational corporation Perfetti Van Melle. The name of the brand comes from the Spanish verb chupar, meaning "to suck."- History :...
sponsorship of Zool
Zool
Zool is a video game originally produced for the Amiga by Gremlin Graphics in 1992.Zool was intended as a rival to Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog. It was heavily hyped upon its initial release, including being bundled with the newly launched Amiga 1200, although not the AGA version with enhanced...
, 7-Up's sponsorship of Cool Spot
Cool Spot
Cool Spot was a mascot for 7 Up beginning in the late 80s. During this time, the red spot in the 7 Up logo was anthropomorphized: given arms, legs, a mouth, and sunglasses....
and Quavers
Quavers
Quavers are a British snack, originally made by Smiths, and now produced by Walkers. Walkers, part of the Pepsico family, purchased the Quavers brand in 1997 where it became one of the Frito Lay International brand names.- History :...
sponsorship of Pushover
Objective
The objective of the game is to find and defeat the witch, then rescue the princess, while achieving smaller objectives throughout, such as finding a golden key or escaping from captivity through a circusCircus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
. When the player has defeated the witch, a quick end sequence shows the frog and the princess kissing, but - rather than the frog turning back into the prince - the princess is turned into a frog instead.
Gameplay
There are 24 regular levels divided in six differently themed worlds. The goal of each level is to collect a set number of coins, and then reach the exit, which will only open if Superfrog has collected enough coins. Extra factors of gameplay include a timer countdown and a number of health points, both of which can be restored by finding bottled of Lucozade among the levels.Depending on the number of coins and fruit collected, and on how fast the player finishes the level, a number of credits (up to a maximum of 15) are awarded at the end of each level. The player can then choose to either collect the credits for a score
Score (gaming)
In games, score refers to an abstract quantity associated with a player or team. Score is usually measured in the abstract unit of points, and events in the game can raise or lower the score of different parties...
or gamble them in a slot machine
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
-style minigame
Minigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
for more bonuses. The most important function of the slot machine minigame is the chance to win a level code
Password (video games)
In many video games of the 8-bit and, to a lesser extent, 16-bit eras , after a level was beaten and/or when all continues were used, the game would display a password, that when entered in the game would allow the player to return to this part in the game...
enabling the player to restart the game from the beginning of the next level at a later time.
An extra level between world 5 and 6 takes the form of a side-scrolling shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
called Project-F in homage to Team 17's own Project-X
Project-X
Project-X is a scrolling shooter game for the Amiga computer released in 1992. It was also ported to DOS.Developed and published by Team17, it was regarded as one of the best shooter games for that platform at the time, both for its technical excellence in graphics and sounds, and for its difficult...
(even going as far as using a remixed version of the original game's theme tune). Rather than collecting coins, the objective of this stage is to survive to the end. This level was omitted from the PC conversion of the game.
After completing all six worlds, the game ends with a small boss fight
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
against the witch.
Reception
Team17's earlier games became relatively obscure after the release of the hugely popular WormsWorms (computer game)
Worms is a series of turn-based computer games developed by British company Team17 Software. Players control a small platoon of earthworms across a deformable landscape, battling other computer- or player-controlled teams...
series, though many gamers remember Superfrog fondly for its solid gameplay, smooth scrolling, cartoon-quality graphics, and upbeat music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. Although a relatively small release by the standards of blockbuster platformers like Sonic, it was very well received and has retained a fan base which considers it a technically perfect example of the genre. It has had at least two fan sites online, the largest and most popular being Superfrog: The Tribute Site.
Revival
Over the years, rumours have circulated about potential sequels to the original. Skytopia.com published a brief news snippet about a potential sequel, quoting an unnamed programmer as saying "It is going to be amazing". There have also been rumours of a potential DSNintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
or PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
revival of the original. A Team17 animator also changed his avatar on the Team17 forum to that of a freshly animated Superfrog walk cycle.
Team17 themselves appear not to have forgotten about Superfrog, as the titular character - the frog himself - makes cameo appearances in their most recent games, notably Worms Blast
Worms Blast
Worms Blast is a puzzle/action game for Windows, PlayStation 2, GameCube, Game Boy Advance and Mac released in 2002, developed by Team17, and published by Ubisoft ....
and Worms 3D
Worms 3D
The game has received generally good reviews. A negative point by most reviewers was the 3D camera system, that often places behind the objects in landscape with the worm being hidden in front of those.-External links:* * ]]...
. Martyn "Spadge" Brown, Creative Director at Team17, also expressed an interest in reviving the character in a new Superfrog title, although later on he was quoted at saying this was "just a concept".
External links
- Superfrog: The Tribute Site
- Superfrog at MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...