Time On Frog Island by Merge Games hit the Stadia Store in July 2022 and instantly hit the Pro games list.
Many Stadians, myself included, believed Time On Frog Island to be a kid’s game due to its cute and colourful graphics. However, after playing this game for only a short time, it became apparent that this simply isn’t case. After realising that Time On Frog Island is actually aimed at a different audience than it may first seem, I took it upon myself to inspect this game a little more closely.
Time On Frog Island Trailer
Why Time On Frog Island Isn’t A Kids Game
Time On Frog Island has all the makings of a kids game: tonnes of interactive items, cute graphics, a colourful pallet, a short campaign, and let’s not forget the frogs! These all make Time On Frog Island a fun game for your kids to play for a while. However, when it comes to actually completing the game, it’s actually quite challenging – much more challenging than one might think.
Firstly, there is no map, min-map or compass. Also, much of the island looks the same, so it can be very easy to get lost. I totally understand that the idea of the game is to explore. Also, the map isn’t exactly huge. However, a simple navigational aid would have made the game much easier for kids.
Moreover, there is no written dialogue between you and the non-playable characters (NPCs). They communicate using speech bubbles containing a few cryptic images. So figuring out exactly what they want from you is really quite hard at times. Even I had to look a few things up on a guide because I was baffled by what the bumbling frog in front of me wanted. This is further exacerbated by some of the quest chains being quite long and not exactly intuitive.
So What Is Time On Frog Island, Then?
For what appears to be a kids game, on face value, Time On Frog Island really doesn’t hold you hand at all. However, this doesn’t mean that it’s not fun to play! I actually really enjoyed playing through the game.
After exploring for just a little while, I started to find some fun and interesting puzzles and quests. Also, as I mentioned earlier, pretty much everything on the island you can interact with or at least pick up.
You can plant and grow plants in the farmer’s field. You can pick up clams, bounce up really high by jumping on a giant mushroom and throw the clam on the floor mid-jump to break it open, sometimes revealing a pearl. You can brew your own beer. You can get one of the locals to build you a house. You can even pick up a beehive and run around wildly as you get repeatedly stung. And this is just a short list of some of the things I remember – there is so much more that you can do during your Time On Frog Island.
Furthermore, there is an underlying, yet somewhat loose, storyline to the game, too. Not only are you shipwrecked on the island and need to get your boat repaired. But when you set up your campfire for the night and go to sleep, you see images of someone you used to sail with. These images tell a story over time, which is a really nice touch.
Overall, even though this isn’t really a kids game, younger kids might find a little enjoyment by exploring the island and interacting with the townsfolk and the tadpole… dogs?? children?? (I honestly don’t know!). However, I think this game is much more suited to the young adults or teenagers.
What’s better is that Time On Frog Island is currently available for free with a Stadia Pro subscription.
Have you played Time On Frog Island? If so, did you enjoy it? Do you think it’s a kids game? Let us know in the comments section below.
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