Jump to content
IGNORED

Why Starpath Frogger?


Cootster

Recommended Posts

Reading "The Many Faces of Frogger" in the latest RTM got me to thinking: Why does the Supercharger version of Frogger exist?

 

I mean, it's definitely awesome and the best console version of the game ever made, but the Parker Bros. cart version is also great even if it doesn't look quite as good. Why did they choose to duplicate a Sega title that had already been done right as opposed to one that got a not-so-excellent 2600 cart port?

 

Up & Down, Congo Bongo, Zaxxon, heck, even Tapper and Tac-Scan, would have all benefited more from this treatment than Frogger did.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I seem to remember the "many faces" reviewer saying the Parker Brothers Frogger didn't have the 'second snake' (which I assume means the snake that wanders on the big floating log), but it does.

 

haven't noticed a 'second snake' on the Starpath Frogger, but I find it a little tougher than the PB version - is there one or not?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I seem to remember the "many faces" reviewer saying the Parker Brothers Frogger didn't have the 'second snake' (which I assume means the snake that wanders on the big floating log), but it does.

 

haven't noticed a 'second snake' on the Starpath Frogger, but I find it a little tougher than the PB version - is there one or not?

1002938[/snapback]

 

Both versions have the second snake. Apparently, the reviewer wasn't good enough to get to that point in either.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
I seem to remember the "many faces" reviewer saying the Parker Brothers Frogger didn't have the 'second snake' (which I assume means the snake that wanders on the big floating log), but it does.

 

haven't noticed a 'second snake' on the Starpath Frogger, but I find it a little tougher than the PB version - is there one or not?

1002938[/snapback]

 

Both versions have the second snake. Apparently, the reviewer wasn't good enough to get to that point in either.

 

Yeah, I think the A800 PB version also has the second snake, but the reviewer missed that too. The reviewer also didn't bother checking whether you would walk on the snake's tail, a very important detail IMO. You can in the 2600 PB, 2600 Starpath, 800 PB cart, 800 released Sierra disk, and a few others, but you can't in the Intellivision or Sierra C64 versions. Also, the unreleased Sierra 800 prototype version got the highest ratings, but it seemed a bit choppy to me and I didn't like the feel of the controls.

 

It's a liscensing quirk. Konami (not Sega) sold the Frogger rights to Parker Bros but only for game cartridges, so Starpath was able to acquire the cassette rights.

 

No game company ever left that hole open again.

 

Are you sure it wasn't SEGA who sold the Frogger rights? The PB carts only list SEGA's copyright, not Konami's. I remember reading about a huge dispute with SEGA and Konami over the rights to Frogger. Konami did make the original Frogger, but SEGA brought Frogger to the US without giving Konami proper credit. http://www.atariage.com/cart_page.html?SoftwareLabelID=194

 

I'm wondering what the full story of the distrubition rights to Frogger is. Apparantly, Sierra had the rights to tape and disk versions of Frogger before Starpath did. The box suggests that the Starpath version is sublincensed from Sierra. The released Sierra Atari 800 disk version of Frogger actually seems to share some graphics and sound with the Parker Brothers Atari 800 version. http://www.atariage.com/box_page.html?Soft...p;BoxStyleID=38

Edited by BrianC
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reading "The Many Faces of Frogger" in the latest RTM got me to thinking: Why does the Supercharger version of Frogger exist?

 

I mean, it's definitely awesome and the best console version of the game ever made, but the Parker Bros. cart version is also great even if it doesn't look quite as good. Why did they choose to duplicate a Sega title that had already been done right as opposed to one that got a not-so-excellent 2600 cart port?

 

Up & Down, Congo Bongo, Zaxxon, heck, even Tapper and Tac-Scan, would have all benefited more from this treatment than Frogger did.

 

 

That is an EXTREMELY valid point and Zaxxon and Congo Bongo were both WAY more needy than Frogger to be sure.

 

-Ray

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

it's a re-inforced frame dodge charger, that is very strong.

 

I still need a boxed frogger / party mix to complete my sc collection. have everything else. i LOVE the sc. truly one of the greats of the 2600 (and of course it's awesome, the awesome Epyx came from the supercharger.)

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 16 years later...
  • 2 weeks later...
On 1/18/2006 at 9:02 PM, Cootster said:

Reading "The Many Faces of Frogger" in the latest RTM got me to thinking: Why does the Supercharger version of Frogger exist?

 

I mean, it's definitely awesome and the best console version of the game ever made, but the Parker Bros. cart version is also great even if it doesn't look quite as good. Why did they choose to duplicate a Sega title that had already been done right as opposed to one that got a not-so-excellent 2600 cart port?

 

Up & Down, Congo Bongo, Zaxxon, heck, even Tapper and Tac-Scan, would have all benefited more from this treatment than Frogger did.

 

The Parker Brothers version of Frogger is terrible and it's terrible on every system they released it on.  Not one port has the music right. They don't get the color right.  Even the more powerful system versions of Frogger were terrible. Colecovision, C64, 5200, they all suck.  There is no excuse for these bad ports.  There was a 2016 release for the 64 called "Frogger Arcade" and that's what the 64 version should have been.

 

As to why they didn't pick a game that needs it more, I'm guessing they didn't have much money to pay for a license of a newer game.  The tape version for the supercharger was going to sell a fraction of the copies a cartridge version would.  Games that require add-ons sold separately rarely do very well. If they pay a ton for the license, they would have to sell a lot of copies to make a profit. 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, christo930 said:

The Parker Brothers version of Frogger is terrible and it's terrible on every system they released it on.

 

It just goes to show you how much tastes can vary. I love the (cartridge) version of 2600 Frogger. In fact, I have more fun playing it than the arcade original, as the controls have a more abrupt effect, so it's easier to steer your character quickly and accurately. The "animation lag" in the original takes some getting used to. I care more about the game-play than the music or other ephemeral irrelevancies, but that's subjective as well, I guess.

The C64 version by Sierra Online is great, too.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/18/2006 at 8:09 PM, NovaXpress said:

It's a liscensing quirk. Konami (not Sega) sold the Frogger rights to Parker Bros but only for game cartridges, so Starpath was able to acquire the cassette rights.

 

No game company ever left that hole open again.

NOVA XPRESS!!

I thought he was back but then I realized this topic is like 20 years old haha

On 9/20/2022 at 2:19 AM, davidrepsda253 said:

How much does this game cost? I have a brand new copy I had forgotten about in my collection inside a box I left. It has some damage and 2 rips on plastic and 1 on the box. 

71C4D377-6278-45C2-8A69-55E01365BE4B.jpeg

381235ED-E3F7-48FD-9FD3-039A5240F646.jpeg

C7284687-CE02-4F33-96EE-3FDA594F5215.jpeg

016A49A7-629F-495E-90D5-5867C94E1460.jpeg

CF57C5B4-C2A3-4078-AE1A-5DE3E22B17F2.jpeg

Friendly forum price - $150 shipped

Ebay price - more

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...