Superfrog - Mario and Sonic killer!

[kad3t]

Hey,

Superfrog is my most favourite platformer of yesteryear and one of the most favourite ones of all time. I believe it could be the Mario, the Sonic for the Amiga, that we wanted and never got. Well, we had Zool but I'm not ready to compare Zool to the two icons.

[ Show youtube player ]

[dreadnought]

Brace yourself. This game has many critics

While I don't think it was anywhere close to be a Mario/Sonic killer, I'd say it wasn't too bad overall. I haven't played it at all back in the day, platformers not being my forte, but this linked thread made me check it out recently. I think the gameplay itself is quite sound, what with tight controls, variety of interesting power ups, and freedom of movement, but it's really let down by looking utterly bland. There's just no character in its gfx design. Still, it'd be a solid 7/10 from me.

[kad3t]

Originally Posted by dreadnought

Brace yourself. This game has many critics

While I don't think it was anywhere close to be a Mario/Sonic killer, I'd say it wasn't too bad overall. I haven't played it at all back in the day, platformers not being my forte, but this linked thread made me check it out recently. I think the gameplay itself is quite sound, what with tight controls, variety of interesting power ups, and freedom of movement, but it's really let down by looking utterly bland. There's just no character in its gfx design. Still, it'd be a solid 7/10 from me.

Well, I'm a grown up, I can take it. And also, anything worth talking about will be something that can ignite a conversation. It's obvious that not everyone will love it. I, for instance, don't care much for any of James Pond games and they seem to be generally loved by Amiga community. Superfrog and Fury of the Furries however are the only two classic platformers (apart from Mario games) that I still find myself coming back to even so many years later. None other really.

[TCD]

Originally Posted by kad3t

I, for instance, don't care much for any of James Pond games and they seem to be generally loved by Amiga community.

In my opinion James Pond 2 is up there with Superfrog. It just shows that taste is individual and you like what you like for whatever reason

I will watch the video later today and post my usual rambling

[kremiso]

i like platform games in general, and yes Superfrog is a good one

strange no special edition has been released as other Team17 games, maybe with a water gun instead of that green ball like this

secrets everywhere, the egyptian levels and the egyptian music too are my fave parts

another pro is the use of the extra memory and external drives

[Havie]

I enjoyed Superfrog and did finish it back in the day. Also loved Robocod but never finished it - Amiga version was definitely the best.

Better than Mario or Sonic - having played Mario to the end and quite a lot of Sonic, in the intervening years - probably not but a great game in it's own right.

[kad3t]

Originally Posted by TCD

In my opinion James Pond 2 is up there with Superfrog. It just shows that taste is individual and you like what you like for whatever reason

I will watch the video later today and post my usual rambling

Yep, everyone is different. And it's not that I don't see the appeal of James Pond games, they're just not my thing.

[kad3t]

Originally Posted by kremiso

i like platform games in general, and yes Superfrog is a good one

strange no special edition has been released as other Team17 games, maybe with a water gun instead of that green ball like this

secrets everywhere, the egyptian levels and the egyptian music too are my fave parts

another pro is the use of the extra memory and external drives

Don't quote me on that as it's not researched or anything but I kinda think that despite being my most beloved platformer on the Amiga, Superfrog was a licensed one-off. Team17 got the money from Lucozade, made the game, and since there was no more money flowing there was no chance for a Deluxe, Special or even second game. And let me be clear, I'm not saying the money was the main factor (although it might have been, since I said there was literally no research done on my side on the subject), perhaps it was the license, maybe the character or the design was intelectual property of Lucozade owners and not Team17. Who knows?

[kad3t]

Originally Posted by Havie

I enjoyed Superfrog and did finish it back in the day. Also loved Robocod but never finished it - Amiga version was definitely the best.

Better than Mario or Sonic - having played Mario to the end and quite a lot of Sonic, in the intervening years - probably not but a great game in it's own right.

Well, quite honestly we have to keep in mind that Superfrog being my most favourite platformer may have me look at it through rose-tinted glasses and I may overlook its weaknesses a little. That said, as much as I'm willing to budge on the Mario, to heel with Sonic, I don't care for it too much. It was too fast, to random for me to appreciate it.

[dreadnought]

Originally Posted by kad3t

to heel with Sonic, I don't care for it too much. It was too fast, to random for me to appreciate it.

I can agree somewhat, also could never understand its crazy gameplay. I'd rather play Superfrog because it's more "tactical", so to speak. But, Sonic is a superhit for a reason, so I guess there is something to it after all...



And overall, I'd much rather play Fire & Ice, because it has oodles of charm and is my favourite Amiga platformer

[DanyPPC]

Zool had to be the "Sonic" killer in the Gremlin plans with the following advertisement:

"Bad news for Hedgehogs"

Too bad that Sonic is a game of a completely different caliber, distant in quality and playability.

Superfrog is a good platform game for Amiga, better than Zool.

[Stevo2k]

I thought superfrog was lacking in something, it was good....but not a great game, at least not at the sonic mario level anyways.....Marvins marvelous adventure was a sadly underrated game for the amiga, pretty mario'ish too.

[Galahad/FLT]

The claim that one singular game is better than a pair of quite different platformers makes no sense.

Mario and Sonic are platformers, but beyond that, the game mechanics are quite different.

Mario is usually horizontal scrolling, Sonic is 8 direction.
Mario is thoughtful platforming, Sonic is manic
Mario is quite slow, Sonic is fast

Both play entirely differently, Superfrog is kind of an amalgam of both, but not necessarily taking the best of both.

Graphically, Superfrog is good, technically its good, it's just not as refined as either Mario or Sonic.

Superfrog is almost a sandbox platformer where you can almost go anywhere, whereas Mario and Sonic have definite directions you're expected to go to.

Superfrog is a platformer, Mario is a platformer, Sonic is a platformer and so is Gods.

And all of them are different in unique ways.

[no9]

Originally Posted by kad3t

I'm not saying the money was the main factor (although it might have been, since I said there was literally no research done on my side on the subject), perhaps it was the license, maybe the character or the design was intelectual property of Lucozade owners and not Team17. Who knows?

There might be something to this since Superfrog HD was taken down from Steam and GOG some time after the release.

[TCD]

Good video, but if you only count the playfield and not the status bar Superfrog ran in 32 colors. Watching the video made me realize something that isn't that obvious otherwise. The level design is quite a bit repetitive in that the same elements are combined in quite similar ways throughout the whole game. I still love the game though and I agree that it's one of the better platformers on Amiga. Maybe more of a 7.5-8/10 for me though

P.S. Have you tried Traps & Treasures?

[trixster]

It continues to bewilder me that Superfrog gets this reception. It is a very average game yet it is one of the Amiga’s most overrated. Please don’t let any snes/megadrive owners overhear you classing superfrog alongside Mario/sonic, they’ll die of laughter

[kad3t]

Originally Posted by DanyPPC

Zool had to be the "Sonic" killer in the Gremlin plans with the following advertisement:

"Bad news for Hedgehogs"

Too bad that Sonic is a game of a completely different caliber, distant in quality and playability.

Superfrog is a good platform game for Amiga, better than Zool.

Yep, but it was no achievement. Zool felt so forced it was just too obvious.

[kad3t]

Originally Posted by TCD

Good video, but if you only count the playfield and not the status bar Superfrog ran in 32 colors. Watching the video made me realize something that isn't that obvious otherwise. The level design is quite a bit repetitive in that the same elements are combined in quite similar ways throughout the whole game. I still love the game though and I agree that it's one of the better platformers on Amiga. Maybe more of a 7.5-8/10 for me though

P.S. Have you tried Traps & Treasures?

Yeah, Traps'n'Treasures is really fun. Back then I had it in German, no one I knew seem to have it in English. Now, I do. I like it as it's a bit different than the others. Also, I love the music in the first level.

[kad3t]

Originally Posted by trixster

It continues to bewilder me that Superfrog gets this reception. It is a very average game yet it is one of the Amiga’s most overrated. Please don’t let any snes/megadrive owners overhear you classing superfrog alongside Mario/sonic, they’ll die of laughter

Well, I suppose we just don't agree on this one.

[dreamkatcha]

An extract from the 'Making of Superfrog' article in Retro Gamer 38...

"Many cartoon heroes have a secret to their strength:
Popeye eats spinach to become strong to rescue Olive while Bananaman consumes bananas to save the world.
With Superfrog it’s Lucozade, where just one sip transforms our intrepid hero from a common human-turned-frog into a superhero equipped with magical powers. However the included beverage was entirely different to its origin. “It was supposed to be Newcastle Brown Ale and I wanted it to be voiced by Jimmy Nail (Oz in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet) who would provide a thick Newcastle accent. However, his agent hadn’t agreed and despite being offered Tim Healy (out of the same series) we ended up talking to SmithKline Beecham (makers of Lucozade) who were looking to get involved in games. They really liked it and Newcastle Brown was swapped for family-friendly Lucozade.” At least he wouldn’t be drunk on duty!"

The quote is courtesy of either Martyn Brown or Alister Brimble. They forget to do the attribution thingy. Anyway, the point is that the game wasn't commissioned by Lucozade, Team 17 approached potential sponsors once it was already underway. In preview articles you can see versions of the intro animation minus any branding insignia.