Frogun

Frogun is a shiny new retro-style game, from the one-man-army developer Molegato. Prepare for a puzzle platformer bonanza where your grappling gun is not only a frog but also your friend! Adventure alongside Renata through mystical and mysterious ruins, uncovering secrets of the past and helping her track down and rescue her parents.

Gameplay

Both endearingly simple and completely unforgiving, the main gameplay loop of Frogun is the platforming. Jump badly over spikes or grapple your way poorly from one ledge to another and you face instant death. This aspect is by far more punishing than the light tap enemies may inflict on you, which only drains one of Renata’s three available lives. The kicker is mastering the jumps as well as the aim with the grappling gun, in a game as smooth as those that inspired it, which can lead to significant frustration.

In a manner highly reminiscent of Super Mario Sunshine, beyond getting from the beginning of the level to the end in one piece, the game also includes collect-a-thon elements, encouraging you to pick up numerous coins and discover various well-concealed secrets.

Finally, each level also includes a race against Renata’s rival, Jake, and a themed boss battle where the same two buttons which control Renata’s jump and the use of her grappling hook are used to coerce each boss to reduce their own HP to 0.

Visuals

Frogun was clearly created not only as a homage to retro games but also using all of the nostalgia that comes from thinking back on those games as an adult with responsibilities. The 3D pixelated style is reminiscent of old PS1 and N64 games, but with the added color pop and graphics quality of a modern game.

Each of the five zones within the Beelzebub ruins is unique not only when it comes to the gameplay options but also in terms of visual presentation. This ensures that the game remains an interesting and engaging experience throughout its entire run time. Additionally, the care and attention involved in designing each enemy as well as Renata herself come through both the extensive animation cycles and the cute details such as snow goggles on some of the characters on the snow-covered Mountaintop zone.

Story

Frogun’s story is as simple as it needs to be. Renata, the protagonist, is the daughter of two internationally famous and overachieving explorer-archeologist-inventors. Usually, they take Renata with them on their globetrotting adventures, but on this occasion, they had to leave her at base camp.

After three days and no sight or sound of her parents, Renata has to rescue them and prove she’s just as capable as they are. She takes her parents' most recent invention, the titular Frogun, and heads off.

The rest of the story focuses on the mystery in the depths of the ruins and introduces a bit of extra tension through Jake and Snatch, a treasure hunter and his pet snake who act as Pokémon-style rivals to Renata. Overall, the story is fun and quirky without being overbearing.

Conclusion

Frogun is a fun-filled trip down memory lane if that trip involved wearing rose-tinted glasses. The mechanics are identical to those of 90’s 3D platformers, down to the slight awkwardness and need to really master the features of the game.

Pros

• Colorful, bright and cheery
• Catchy soundtrack

Cons

• Controls could be smoother
• The racing mini-games are needlessly complex