Machine Guides

Game History

Frogger is a classic arcade game developed by Konami and first released in Japan on June 5, 1981. Sega distributed the game in North America and Europe, where it became a commercial phenomenon.

The game's premise was simple yet innovative: players controlled a frog attempting to navigate through dangerous environments, including a busy road filled with speeding vehicles and a treacherous river filled with hazards like crocodiles and floating logs. The objective was to guide the frog safely to its home at the top of the screen, all while avoiding obstacles that would result in instant death.

Frogger was an immediate commercial success, with Konami shipping over 10,000 units worldwide and the game becoming one of the highest-grossing arcade titles of 1981.  With its simple yet addictive gameplay and charming protagonist making it a beloved title among players of all ages. Frogger established conventions for obstacle-based gameplay and level design that would influence countless games in the years to come.

Today, Frogger is remembered as one of the most influential arcade games ever made.

How to Play

Objective

The main goal of Frogger is to guide a frog safely across dangerous environments to reach its home at the top of the screen. You must navigate through two main areas: a busy road with speeding vehicles and a hazardous river with various obstacles. The ultimate objective is to successfully guide all five frogs to their homes without losing all your lives.

Controls

• Joystick: Use the joystick to move the frog up, down, left, and right

Gameplay

• Starting the Game: Press the Start Button to begin your frog's journey home.

• Road Navigation: Guide your frog across the bottom half of the screen, which represents a busy road with multiple lanes of traffic moving at different speeds.

• River Crossing: Navigate the top half of the screen, which represents a river filled with hazards like crocodiles, snakes, and floating logs.

• Platform Mechanics: Jump on logs and turtles to cross the river safely. Some turtles submerge, so timing your jumps is crucial.

• Home Bases: Reach one of five designated home bases at the top of the screen to complete a level.

• Life System: You have limited lives that are lost when hit by vehicles or falling into the water. The game ends when all lives are lost.

• Time Limit: Complete each crossing within the time limit to advance to the next level with increased difficulty.

• Bonus Points: Earn bonus points by catching flies that occasionally appear in home bases and completing levels quickly.

• Level Progression: Successfully guide all five frogs to their homes to advance to the next level with faster traffic and more challenging river obstacles.