Frogger - the 1983 action arcade for Commodore 64 from Parker Brothers.
Guide each frog across lanes of traffic and a fast river to one of five
home bays. Read patterns, ride logs and turtles, and beat the shrinking
bonus timer before hazards close in.
Core loop
- cross the road by timing gaps between cars and trucks
- hop river lanes on logs - turtles - and gators
- fill all five home bays at the top to clear the round
Systems and items
- diving turtles - submerge on a rhythm and dump careless jumps
- lady frog - carry to a home for bonus points
- bonus fly - appears in a bay for quick extra score
- alligator head in home bay - looks safe but eats you
- side wrap - exit left to reappear on the right and reset position
Level design and feel
Single screen stages with rising speed and trickier patterns.
Cartridge versions favor clean beeps and crisp motion; some disk variants
add music. Two player alternating keeps the pressure friendly.
Why it is notable
- official C64 release under Sega license via Parker Brothers in 1983
- classic road and river read that still teaches timing on C64
Tips
- ride a log near a bay, then sidestep to avoid gator heads before docking
- count turtle dive cycles and only jump after a full surfacing
- use the side wrap to escape dead lanes instead of forcing a jump
At a glance
Year - 1983
Developer - Parker Brothers (cartridge) - Sierra On-Line (disk variant)
Publisher - Parker Brothers
Genre - Action arcade (single screen)
Players - 1 or 2 alternating
Controls - Joystick in port 1