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A few months back I briefly previewed Frogman, which, with its dazzling 3D graphics and comic-book-inspired storyline, came across as a kind of Frogger, Extreme Makeover Edition.
Somewhere along the way, the developer did a bit of gene splicing and turned Frogman into Banzai Rabbit. I’m not sure why–maybe Konami didn’t like the similarities–but it doesn’t matter. Frog, rabbit, terrier–the core game is the same, and it’s awesome.
Rather than waste a lot of words describing Banzai Rabbit, I’ll just invite you to watch the demo video. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Cool, right? The game literally starts out as a comic book, then leaps off the page for street-level action. As in Frogger, you have to jump from one side to the other, avoiding traffic and other dangers along the way.
When you rescue the citizen-in-distress on the other side, the camera pans around 180 degrees, and you make a return trip. It’s a very clever, very seamless way to keep the action moving.
Unlike Frogger, Banzai Rabbit doesn’t keep you hopping on the same dull street. The game features a whopping 34 locations, including train yards, factories, and sewers. It also adds power-ups (like Slow Motion and Super Jump) to keep things interesting.
The icing on the carrot cake? Banzai Rabbit looks absolutely gorgeous, a comic-book-colored 3D feast for the eyes. It’s challenging, too, especially once you get past the first few levels. This is no hop in the park!
It is, however, loads of fun, and well worth the $2.99 price of admission. Banzai Rabbit is a must-have for Frogger fans and anyone who likes platform-style arcade action.
