I was a fetus when the original Frogger hopped into the arcade, so I never got the chance to sample the novel gameplay and theme that made the original a revered classic. Although it’s not exactly the same as Frogger, Frogger Returns is a faithful recreation combined with updated graphics and additional modes of play. Those who could grasp a joystick back then should be pleased with the game’s new look.

Frogger Returns has a nice selection of activities for both single- and multiplayer fun. When playing alone, there are four modes to enjoy, but some are more interesting than others. Arcade mode is where I spent most of my time, but I had a chance to check out Time Trial and Score Attack as well as the leisurely Free Play mode.

Arcade mode begins next to a highway filled with traffic. The goal is to get five frogs through each level by avoiding speeding traffic, screeching subway trains, rats, dogs, water (a frog can die in water?) and other forms of obstacles. Did I mention there is a time limit? You only have three lives, and I spent a lot of time in the beginning level trying to get all five frogs to the goal bins. The difficulty is insane. Frustration occurred, but my desire to get those darn frogs to safety overruled my irritation. You want to win, and that says it all.

I’ll admit that my frogs didn’t make it to the second level very often. Frogger Returns is surprisingly hard but has the ability to be rewarding without the lure of unlocking additional content. Finally making it to that second level, I did a small victory dance.

One issue I had was not a big one but upset me enough to include it in this review. During my sessions Frogger sometimes hopped on his own or jumped in a direction that I had not moved him to. I couldn’t decide if this was my error or a glitch in the game, but it didn’t happen that often, so it wasn’t a huge deal.

After finally throwing in the frog in Arcade mode, I sampled Score Attack, Time Trial and Free Play. In Score Attack, your job is to rack up as many points possible before losing all your lives. This was pretty fun, and I like dominating the in-game leaderboard. In Free Play, you cannot die and have the opportunity to really enjoy the game without fear of death.

In Free Play, I actually made it past the second level which, for me, seemed impossible in Arcade mode. Time Trial finds you racing your frog as fast as he’ll hop through the levels. This is difficult, and experience with the game is the only way to win. Power-ups are helpful as well and include abilities like time stop, 30-second bonus and force field. Multiplayer modes like Classic Race, Territories, Collector and Fly Feast allow you to share the action with friends and family. My nongaming husband seemed to enjoy his time with it, although he didn’t play for very long. We only tried each mode a couple of times before he wanted to go do something else.

Hijinx Studios should be proud of Frogger Returns. The updated version of an arcade classic allows new generations to discover and appreciate the retro period of gaming. The graphics, gameplay and challenges are true to the original, and the new modes give the game a higher level of replayability. Hardcore gamers will probably chew through Frogger Returns in a matter of hours, but since the game is only $5 (500 Wii points), it doesn’t seem like a waste of money. Moreover, since its WiiWare, it won’t take up any room on your bookshelf.