Frogger: The Great Quest
Encyclopedia
Frogger: The Great Quest is a video game released in 2001
by Konami
for the PlayStation 2
. It was ported to the PC
the following year and was dedicated in memory of its fallen voice actor, Steve Broadie
, who was the voice of Lumpy the Toad, Count Blah the Vampire, and The Magical General of Light and Industry. It's the second game in the series developed by Konami, and the first since Hasbro Interactive
released Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge
in 2000
. It introduced a fresh new look, being the first in the series to be set in a lush 3-D platform environment. It is also the first to feature Frogger as a biped
wearing clothes. As of 2004, the game has sold an estimated 3.68 million copies, thus Making it one of the best-selling games of its time for the PlayStation 2.
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.
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 (video game)
in terms of graphics, and overall themes.
Fairy Frog Mother 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 faries there. Frogger first meets him by helping him recover from his sickness in River Town, in exchange for allowing 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.
King Ijnek 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, also known as the Mad Scientist, is clearly a mad scientist. He created Geeky Bill and Stinky Phil, as well as the 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.
Bruiser the Bear is a big, blue bear that 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.
Slick Willy is the owner of 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.
Mr.D, a.k.a THE DARK ONE, is an 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 ridde 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.
Bone Cruncher 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 is one of Dr.Starkenstein's creations, and think the doctor is whacked out. He helps Frogger escape the Mad Scientist's castle.
Stinky Phil is one of Dr.Starkenstein's creations, but unlike Geeky Bill, is loyal to the Mad Scientist. He fights Frogger alongside the Mad Scientist's Metal Chicken Ray, and is ultimately defeated.
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.
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.
2001 in video gaming
-Events:* Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts the 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts John Carmack of id Software to the AIAS Hall of Fame...
by Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. It was ported to the PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
the following year and was dedicated in memory of its fallen voice actor, Steve Broadie
Steve Broadie
Steve Sheppard-Broadie was a US-based voice actor.-Work:Broadie is best known for providing the voice of E-102 Gamma in SEGA's video-games Sonic Adventure in 1999 and Sonic Shuffle in 2000...
, who was the voice of Lumpy the Toad, Count Blah the Vampire, and The Magical General of Light and Industry. It's the second game in the series developed by Konami, and the first since Hasbro Interactive
Hasbro Interactive
Hasbro Interactive was an American video game production and publishing subsidiary of Hasbro, the large game and toy company.Hasbro Interactive was formed late in 1995 in order to compete in the computer and video game arena. Several Hasbro properties, such as Monopoly and Scrabble, had already...
released Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge
Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge
Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge is a console and computer game released in 2000. The game is part of the Frogger series, and the sequel to Frogger , featuring similar 4-way movement gameplay in a 3D world with 6 different environments...
in 2000
2000 in video gaming
-Events:* May 11–13 — 6th annual Electronic Entertainment Expo ; the 3rd annual Game Critics Awards for the Best of E³* June 26 — International Game Developers Association renamed from Computer Game Developers Association...
. It introduced a fresh new look, being the first in the series to be set in a lush 3-D platform environment. It is also the first to feature Frogger as a biped
Biped
Bipedalism is a form of terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs, or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a bipedal manner is known as a biped , meaning "two feet"...
wearing clothes. As of 2004, the game has sold an estimated 3.68 million copies, thus Making it one of the best-selling games of its time for the PlayStation 2.
Gameplay
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
Rayman 2: The Great Escape
Rayman 2: The Great Escape is a platform game and the sequel to Rayman. It was developed by Ubisoft and first released on October 29, 1999. It is considered to have raised standards regarding 3D, level design and game play, being praised by numerous reviews...
, and Rascal (video game)
Rascal (video game)
Rascal is a platform game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Psygnosis and was released for the PlayStation in Europe on March, 1998, in North America on March 31, 1998 and in Japan on March 18, 1999.-Premise:In the game, the player assumes the role of a blonde haired boy named...
in terms of graphics, and overall themes.
Major Characters
Frogger 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, the Rough Bunch, and the Mad Scientist.Fairy Frog Mother 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 faries there. Frogger first meets him by helping him recover from his sickness in River Town, in exchange for allowing 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.
King Ijnek 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, also known as the Mad Scientist, is clearly a mad scientist. He created Geeky Bill and Stinky Phil, as well as the 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.Bruiser the Bear is a big, blue bear that 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.
Slick Willy is the owner of 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.
Mr.D, a.k.a THE DARK ONE, is an 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 ridde 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.
Bone Cruncher 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 is one of Dr.Starkenstein's creations, and think the doctor is whacked out. He helps Frogger escape the Mad Scientist's castle.
Stinky Phil is one of Dr.Starkenstein's creations, but unlike Geeky Bill, is loyal to the Mad Scientist. He fights Frogger alongside the Mad Scientist's Metal Chicken Ray, and is ultimately defeated.
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.
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.