RIBBIT KING

by Bandai

Product Features

• Choose from the wacky fun in Story Mode, or multiplayer madness of Vs. Mode
• 13 crazy characters and 10 different froggy friends to choose from
• Collect items and points to improve your Frolfing skills
• Unlock hidden characters and encounter weird and wonderful items as you play

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00009YEKC
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches ; 4.8 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: June 9, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,937 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Game Informer Review

Ribbit King, a truly twisted title that creates a new sport called Frolf (which is, basically, golfing with frogs instead of balls), is yet another game aimed at hardcore devotees of Japanese whimsy. You know who you are: You've beaten Rez 18 times. You've written your own arrangements of the music in Gitaroo-Man for string quartet and woodwinds. On your left shoulder is a Mister Mosquito tattoo. I can almost imagine you interrupting me right now, whispering, "Matt, don't speak. You had me at Frolf." [cue tears and sappy music]

The rest of you might want to consider the decision to buy Ribbit King a little more carefully. While the basic mechanics are that of a simplified golf game (with a rudimentary two-click swing), the real meat of the Ribbit King experience comes from exploring the strange "gimmicks" strewn throughout each course. These include spiderwebs that can bounce your frog further distances, giant snakes that shake you in their jaws until you jiggle the analog stick to break free, or even conveyor belts that take frogs to otherwise inaccessible platforms. Much of your score depends on mastering these gimmick combos, which earn you big points (often more than getting the frog in the hole). This makes for an odd brand of play, but often the gimmicks are too random in effect to really allow for strategy. Many times, you'll hit what looks like a bum shot, only to be whisked through an unforeseen sequence of gimmicks that place you right up to the hole. While it's certainly amusing, after a time the heavy reliance on gimmicks felt, well, kind of gimmicky.

After the novelty is gone, it's an adequate, if goofy, golf title with passable technical execution. The camera system and graphics engine certainly won't win any awards (there are definitely times when the poor camera and overhead view make it difficult to aim – especially on the futuristic levels), but I guess that's not really the point. All in all, this feels like a stand-alone game that would have done better as a cool Mario Golf minigame mode.

Concept:
Frolf: where sport and amphibious life meet!

Graphics:
A charming art style makes the ho-hum graphics somewhat irrelevant

Sound:
Yippie-skippy-synthy-plinky-Casio-doo-de-dah

Playability:
I think a three-click swing would have made this a little more interesting, but it's solid overall

Entertainment:
Japanophiles, cute-fetishists: Reserve your copy now. Everybody else: Rent it

Replay:
Moderate

Rated: 7 out of 10
Editor: Matt Helgeson
Issue: June 2004

2nd Opinion:
As much as I dug this goofy little game, it's certainly not going to appeal to a wide audience. It's too basic and odd to strike a chord with mainstream gamers. But those who like their games heavy on Japanese flavor will definitely be pleased with this strange golf title. It looks a little bit sharper on the GameCube than on the PS2, but it's a bizarrely fun time on either system, and the unlockable cartoons on the bonus disc are a hoot. Yep, it's definitely as odd as it sounds, but if that's your thing (I know it's mine), then you'll have a blast with this title.

Rated: 7.5 out of 10
Editor: Jeremy Zoss


Subscribe to Game Informer

Product Description

Ribbit King is a must-have for fans of both crazy racing games and wild platformers. Planet Hippitron is short on natural resources - to secure some, Scooter must win the powerful "Super Ribbinite". To do that, he'll race on 20 different courses, across 5 different worlds. Beat all your opponents at Frolfing to earn the prize -- and save your world!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best twenty dollar game ever, June 16, 2004

By 

Steve Biroschik (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: RIBBIT KING (Video Game)

For twenty bucks, you can't beat this game. It is appropriate for all ages, and more importantly, fun for all ages.

If you love Animal Crossing, you will like this game. The main character even wears what appears to be a hat from Animal Crossing.

You play as Scooter, or other unlockable charavters, and are trying to save your planet. Your planet's power supplies are running out and to save them he must win the coveted "Super Ribbinite". Compete to become the Frolf Champion across 20 different courses on 5 different worlds. You must defeat all your opponents to win the Frolf Cup and the Super Ribbinite.

The game you play is a variation of golf, but instead of playing for low score, you are playing for points. You have up to ten shots to hit various targets and bonuses and need to sink the frog in the hole by shot ten.

No frogs are harmed in the game. You don't hit the frog. The frogs sit on a little catapult and jump when you activate the catapult. There are a variety of frogs in the game.

I'm a big believer in supporting developers who take chances and make games that are sequels or shooters. Ribbit King also has a very bizarre sense of humor in the cut scenes that made me laugh once or twice. You've wasted twenty bucks on worse things. :-) Buy this game!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Fun You'll Have On GameCube, March 11, 2007

By 

Molly Glover "saucy sybarite" (Twin Cities, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: RIBBIT KING (Video Game)

This game is the best multiplayer game out for GameCube. It's better than Mario Party! It's better than anything!

You're playing golf with a frog as your ball. You launch the frog off a little seesaw and try to hit various targets along your way to the hole. There's trampolines to fling your frog further, monsters to throw your frog in another direction, lilypads which flip your frog in another direction, fish that eat your frog and spit him out across the lake, pterodactyls that eat your frog and fly him to another place on the course before spitting him out, and elephants that stomp and send your frog flying. Not to mention the lakes, rivers, sandtraps, hills, whirlpools, flies, and items that help you along the way!

This game may seem like it's just for little kids, but don't let the graphics fool you. It's a tough game to master and takes a lot of skill to get "frog-in-ones" on every hole.

You can play on one of 5 worlds: jungle, lava, ice, space, or robot. I highly recommend Ribbetopia (jungle) and Techtron (robot) as the best levels there are for play.

Play multiplayer or one-player story mode to unlock new frogs with new abilities and new characters. It took me about 3 weeks of playing every day to beat story mode.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun for something simple & low stress, May 10, 2006

By 

Tiger (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: RIBBIT KING (Video Game)

A good game to play with a non-gammer. I find it a fun 2-player game. If you like Mario Party, this might be a good option. There is a good amount of luck involved. The strategy largely relies on you picking a good path that could yield combination of points in sequence.