Bonnie Bear Saves Frogtime is an odd proposition. The game is witty, charming, and is clearly well-crafted. So why am I finding myself bouncing off it?
Bonnie Bear is one of those genre-bending games that will end up being given a generic descriptor like RPG, or Adventure. Springing fresh from the minds of Bonte Avond, Bonnie Bear has you explore the world battling frogs (and toads, and other unspecified creatures). Is this a Pokemon clone? Nay! These tactical frog battles take place over a grid system. Each player starts on opposite sides and places three creatures on the field. Each creature has a power, and if you manage to cross the entire field, you take that much from your opponents health pool. Frogs can jump over other creatures, toads blow them back, other creatures… do other things, you get the idea!
The story starts with Bonnie Bear emerging from their home, having clearly been “going through it” (honestly, relatable), and in order to celebrate all their friends clubbed together to get some frogs for the group, so they can partake in the joy of Frogtime. But what’s this? A mysterious stranger left Bonnie another present. A magical shell, swiftly stolen by Rik Spek (look at his six pack), and by the rules of the beach, he must be defeated in frog-based combat to claim it back! This, of course, quickly spirals out of control, and the unique writing spirals into a quest to cross the world playing frog-time.
Frogtime (the game within the game, not the game itself) looks shallow on the surface, but once it clicked in my brain, it’s a charming little puzzle. Frogs can travel incredibly quickly if you time jumps right, and landing my first triple jump filled me with an embarrassing amount of satisfaction. You quickly unlock a shop where you can open booster eggs of creatures, and whilst you randomly draw from your “party” (there is a max of 8 at the beginning) at the start of every match, you’ll quickly build a team of dependable allies you can answer any situation with.
Even though Frogtime is a core part of Bonnie Bear’s gameplay loop, I don’t think it will be the reason you keep coming back. That would be the writing. It’s hard to describe the charming, absurdist humor that is going on here (or not, hey, look at me go), but I would implore everyone who’s ever enjoyed an episode of The Mighty Boosh or the like to give this a try. I wish I could say I loved it, but even though I bounce off it personally, I can recognise the sheer quality of the craft at least.
The art style is charming, albeit a little basic, and the music throughout the game is superb (even if you are forced to literally partake in several musical interludes, in which the player interaction takes away from the quality in my honest opinion). I did eventually get used to the voice acting, but something felt incredibly off about it at the start of the game, particularly in any conversation involving Ann. Something about it set me teeth on edge, particularly the timing or cadence of the conversations. Again, I feel this may be personal preference.
For the right type of person, Bonnie Bear Saves Frogtime is an absolute treat, and I would wholeheartedly recommend you take a punt if you think you might be that person, because there is a lot to love here, and the team have clearly put in a huge effort to make the best game possible… for the right person.
Bonnie Bear Saves Frogtime was reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2, but is available on Nintendo Switch and Steam.
