Frogger Helmet Chaos
SCORE: 81
Frogger: Helmet Chaos on the Nintendo DS is part puzzle game, and
part action adventure. The player has Frogger, hop, jump, swing on his
tongue, double jump, stomp, and pull himself across chasms. At times all
of these different moves can be overwhelming, especially if enemies are
closing in and/or platforms are moving. The story is about the evil Dr.
Wani trying to control the swampland characters via mechanical helmets.
Frogger sets out to destroy these helmets, and free those poor enslaved
animals.
Graphically Frogger: Helmet Chaos is a mixed bag. Many of the levels
look uninspired and/or reusing many of the same graphics from previous
levels. The cut scenes are done in a cel shaded manner, and are actually
pleasant to see. In a lot of ways this game feels like a Gameboy Advance
version that was quickly moved over to the Nintendo DS. The details are
decent in a lot of areas, but many of the mini games are small. Later
levels are huge with plenty of dead end rooms. The different areas of
the game are themed, so there is some variety.
One of the areas that shines amazingly brightly in this game is the
sound department. The voice acting in this game is crisp, clear, and
spectacular. The music works perfectly for this game, and is very
cheerful. Hearing the characters talk to one another in this game is a
real treat. Whoever handled the sounds in this game is a star with some
real talent to be watched for in future games.
There is a lot to unearth, unlock, and find in this game. The game
also encourages the player to play through the game a second time, as a
choice made early on in the game will produce two different sets of
levels. There are plenty of mini games that can be purchased at the
caravan level, including the original Frogger (now playable by four
different people at the same time). This is a game that this reviewer
feels is worth the money.
The controls in Frogger: Helmet Chaos are quick and responsive in all
areas. The control design takes a little getting used to. The genius of
the level design is simply stunning. The thought required to get through
certain areas is welcome indeed. This game is fun to play most of the
time. It can be a little frustrating to go very far into a level make a
couple of mistakes, and have to do it all over again. Some of the bosses
in this game are annoyingly difficult to beat, and the reason for that
is the way to damage them is not apparent.
The first thing the player has to get used to in this game is they
can not attack the enemies. Which means the player must avoid violence.
Most of the bosses require some form of attacking (i.e. hitting them
with Frogger's tongue) however. While this game is not perfect, it is
nice that Konami is making games like this one. It was a joy to play,
and review this game. If they can upgrade some of the graphics, this
reviewer would love to see more games like this. The message of freeing
people from enslavement to the concepts of the world is certainly a
welcome storyline indeed. Hopefully Konami will continue to make games
like this one.
- Paul
Graphics: 73%
Sound: 87%
Replay/Extras: 85%
Gameplay: 78%
Family Friendly Factor: 83%
System: Nintendo DS
Publisher: Konami
Rating: 'E' for Everyone
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