Play Meter

Pin-shooting
at the blacll hole
Kermit areen
with enuu?
With Sega/ G remlin 's latest
computer video game, F rogger,
players meet some unique chal-
lenges from a frog's-eye point of
view.
Frogger is a one- or two-player,
MultiPhase video game designed to
appeal to players of all ages.
music, "frog sounds," and vivid,
complex color contribute to
Frogger's entertaining play.
Players race the clock as they
attempt to guide, in succession,
intrepid frogs safely across a busy,
four-lane highway and treacherous
river to their abodes. Along the way,
frogs must dodge whizzing cars and
hop aboard swimming turtles and
floating logs.
The skill level of this Sega/ Gremlin
game increases with each successive
round. The pace of highway traffic
accel erates and deadly snakes,
otters, crocodiles, and diving turtles
appear to imperil Frogger's
progress.
Players score points for each safe
jump and each frog which reaches
home within the time allowed. Bonus
points are scored for escorting home
a lady frog, consuming insects
'
returning all frogs safely home.
"Flash Bank," "Black Hole," "Solar
Target," "Solar Gun," and "Alien
Eject" are among the weapons
players must utilize to control the
action on Solar Fire, Williams' new
multi-level, multi-ball pingame.
Conquering Williams' unique, high
scoring "Flash Bank" is the first
challenge that players face. The top
level playfield four-bank drop targe ts
feature a roving bonus lamp which
cycles past scores of 20,000, 40,000,
60,000, 80,000, and 100,000 points.
The test is to hit a target at the
crucial moment when the light is
flashing at its highest point level; this
stops the light flashing on that score.
Completing the entire bank within
the time limit collects the lit score-
up to possible 600,000 points.
Still on the upper level playfield
area, completing the 3-bank targets
advances the "Black Hole" value
from 25,000 to 50,000 to Drain
Shield. Fast shooting players can
achieve even higher scores by
knocking down the 3-bank while the
timer light is on; this spots a letter in
F-1-R-E for 20 seconds of double
scoring across the entire playfield.
Completing F-1-R-E lights the lower
level Bullseye Target for Special.
Moving to the lower level, the
"Solar Target" located by the left
lamp is the player's next objective.
Hittinq the "Solar Tarqet" while the
lights cycle lights a letter in S-0 -L-A-R
for a progressive Bonus Multiplier of
2X to 6X for each letter achieved.
Completing S-0-L -A -R allows
automatic Extra Ball.
Players would then utilize their
"Solar Gun" to shoot down the Solar
Fire menace. Complete either lower
3-bank within the time limit to
advance the "Solar Gun" timer 3
seconds, 5 seconds to 10 seconds.
Hit the "Solar Gun" charger to
activate the captive ball and score
10,000 points for every second the
"Solar Gun" shoots.
Having arranged the playfields for
the highest possible scoring, players
can set two or even three balls loose
for Multi-Ball play by continuing to
concentrate on the lower level 3-
banks. Completing a bottom 3-bank
~t any time during play, randomly
lights one of the three "Alien Eject"
holes for multi-ball play.
PI A y MFTFR · N o vember 1, 1981
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