The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library

CROAKER

Professional, Originally Released On Cassette Only

Game Type          : Arcade Frogger Clone

Author             : Chris Butler

Standalone Release(s)   : 1983: CROAKER, Micro Power, £7.95

Compilation Release(s) : 1986: 5 COMPUTER HITS, Beau Jolly, £9.95

                    1987: PRES GAMES DISC 1, PRES, £9.95

Stated compatibility    : Electron

Actual compatibility    : Electron. Electron version plays fast on BBC.

Supplier            : MICRO POWER, 8/8A Regent Street, Chapel Allerton, LEEDS

                    LS7 4PE. Tel: 01532 683186.

Disc compatibility     : ADFS 1D00, CDFS 1D00, DFS 1D00

Instructions

The objective in CROAKER is to get your family of frogs safely across the busy motorway and over a polluted river into each of the lairs set in the embankment. To do this you must dodge between the traffic, then leap from logs to turtles without falling in.

When all five lairs have been filled you move onto a higher phase. The roads become busier, some logs turn into crocodiles, and the turtles sometimes dive, making the whole exercise much trickier. You can jump onto a crocodile's back, but beware his jaws!

Scoring

Every upward jump:   10 points.

Every frog home:    100 points.

Bonus points are achieved by getting the frog home as quickly as possible. If the Bonus Table reaches zero, you lose a life.

Game Controls

N - Left,   M - Right,   A - Up,   Z - Down

Instructions' Source       :  CROAKER (Micro Power) Inner Inlay

Review (ELBUG)

CROAKER is another version of the game also known as "Frogger". The game itself is delightfully simple to understand. You have to control the movement of a frog who has to reach his home by crossing a five lane motorway, and then a polluted river by jumping on to floating logs and the backs of turtles.

The visual presentation is extremely good with multi-coloured vehicles of all sizes and very realistic logs (rather less realistic turtles).

The journey is initially not too hazardous, but the game requires you to keep on trying. After the first screen the vehicles are closer together, making the journey more dangerous, while logs occasionally turn out to be well disguised and not very friendly crocodiles.

Even the placid turtles can make life dangerous by diving suddenly, to leave you floundering in the polluted river!

The program includes an optional musical accompaniment which you either like or hate. This is a first class game for the Electron and good value at £7.95. Rating: ****

Mike Williams, ELBUG 1. 5

Review (Electron User)

CROAKER is another version of that well known game in which suicidal frogs cross busy highways and then hop their way to safety across a river in order to reach a hole in the bank. One day I am going to ask someone how come frogs drown if they fall into a river?

The program loads reliably and screen instructions appear while the main code is being loaded in. The configuration of the keys is a little unusual - A and Z for up and down, while M and N control lateral movement. However, they soon feel natural enough, although I would imagine a joystick would improve matters.

The game's format is fairly standard, with five lanes of traffic travelling in alternate directions and different speeds. After a brief rest on the riverbank, there are then five more lanes of logs and turtles before safety is reached at one of the five holes. When all are occupied bonus points are gained and the screens become more difficult. The cars move more quickly and are more frequent.  Things are even worse in the river. Some of the turtles dive, and many logs turn out to be crocodiles with gaping jaws.

The game has little to make it stand out from its clones. But the graphics are quite presentable, with good use of colour. The key response is quick and positive.

I appreciated the first screen starting at a very easy level - my six-year old son was able to do well at this initial level, although the crocodiles made him ditch many frogs into a watery grave. Too often, a game starts with a level of difficulty that doesn't allow the young or inexperienced to achieve any success. Here it is possible to gain practice on the lower levels to help mount an attack on the author's claimed top score of 12,530.

This is a competent and addictive version, but without special features. Probably the most used facility will be that which turns off the awful tune and reverts to the original sound effects.

Phil Tayler, ELECTRON USER 1. 7