Episode 72
Ep.72 – Leapfrogging the Competition: Exploring 40 Years of Frogger's Success
Frogger (1981)
A Trip Down Memory Card Lane · David Kassin and Robert Kassin
January 13, 202253m 18sExplicit
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Show Notes
In 1981, Frogger hopped onto arcade screens and became one of Konami’s biggest hits, though its journey to North America was almost cut short. We look back at how Akira Hashimoto’s traffic-jam inspiration turned into a game of dodging cars and crossing rivers, and how Elizabeth Falconer fought executives at Sega/Gremlin to secure Frogger’s release in the United States. The episode explores the barroom playtests that proved its appeal, the many ways to die that gave it challenge, and the colorful cast of hazards from snakes to alligators. Our conversation digs into critic and fan reviews, later sequels like Frogger 2: ThreeeDeep!, and the quirky spinoffs that kept the franchise alive. Join us as we jump, dodge, and leap into history on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.