Konami essentially sparked a part of my childhood I had completely forgotten about with Frogger in Toy Town. The 1997 Windows game from Hasbro named after the daring frog from the original 1981 arcade title was one of my favorites as a kid. It wasn’t the 3D graphics or the platforming I enjoyed so much as the simplicity of the experience. Hop. Much like Mario, a simple jump mechanic and some creative level creation can really do a series wonders. Now, on Apple Arcade, Frogger in Toy Town is a gorgeous re-imagining of the game’s premise, with a great update to visuals and objectives that have me officially addicted.

Konami did some incredible work for Frogger in Toy Town. The levels all take place on surfaces full of toys and other child’s objects. Things like a Jack-in-the-Box or a cup of colorful pens suddenly pose a threat to your little froggy friend, and despite needing to keep an eye out for surprises, it’s all colorful and imaginative. For a mobile game, it looks incredible. Apple Arcade launched last month, and Frogger in Toy Town is a wonderful example of just how serious Apple is about their gaming service. If you want to give it a go, it’s free for one month on iOS devices, then $4.99 afterwards.

Just like the original, your goal is to jump and traverse oncoming cars, enemies, and other harmful projectiles to save frogs. This time around, you’re saving froglets that are scattered after a brutal tornado. With a new look and some stylish goggles, you explore different rooms to save your companions. An incredible addition to the game is a physics-based response to anything you touch. Barely brush against a stack of blocks and watch them respond accordingly, toppling down onto the ground. Q-Games, the developer of the game, deserves heaps of credit for just how good this game feels for a mobile experience.

Plus, you have various weapons at your disposal. Bombs can clear large blockades of literal blocks, and marbles can be used to shoot at enemies or create a path to an in-need froglet. When you come into contact with these enemies, it’s a little hit or miss as to whether you’ll actually take damage. I had pens fall on top of me multiple times, and yet no damage was recorded. Other instances, I’d sneak past a baby and get caught in an animation taking damage despite not seeing any contact made. Little bugs aren’t the end of the world, but they do make it feel a bit like chance as to whether or not you’ll pay for your moves.

The level designs, toppling objects, and wild enemies make Frogger in Toy Town feel a bit messy, but in the best way possible. I found myself actually getting nervous during Adventure levels, and that’s something I can usually brush off in a mobile game. Konami nailed it with this one, but Q-Games deserves the real credit. If you’re on the fence about the month trial for Apple Arcade, this is absolutely worth a try.

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Frogger in Toy Town

0.00

8.5

Score

8.5/10

Pros

• Great level design
• Wonderful graphics and visuals
• Wonderful update to Frogger series

Cons

• Buggy hit boxes and damage