Zapper screenshots   The Final Say! Gameplay 7.0 Graphics 7.2 Sound 7.1 Value 7.1 Zapper -  reviewed by Andrew B  Review Date: 18 March 2003 Review Score 7.0/10  Distributed By: Infogrames

"Zapper - One Wicked Cricket!" When Lisa Simpson asked Homer what a muppet was, Homer replied "It's not quite a mop and it's not quite a puppet...but gee where they funny!" That basically sums up this unusual game by Infogrames. Zapper is the brainchild of Blitz Games that were responsible for one of the most highly addictive games of all time, Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge and Zapper is no stranger to the Frogger legacy.  In Zapper, you play the role of a mischievous Cricket named Zapper that must hop his way to victory through a beautifully created 3D world. Unfortunately for Zapper, his baby brother Zipper has been kidnapped by an insidious magpie called Maggie. Even more bad news for Zapper is that Maggie has left behind some eggs that will eventually give birth to some very dangerous and deadly baby magpies that will give Zapper a whole world of trouble. Your job as Zapper is simple, you must defeat the spawns of Maggie, defeat Maggie herself and rescue your baby brother, all in the name of having fun. In its purest form, Zapper is a modern day remake of the classic arcade game Frogger but unlike Frogger, Zapper has an edge and has the ability to defeat his foes through electrical zaps. A basic mission of Zapper revolves around you hoping around the level (much the same as Frogger), getting your firefly friends to collect eggs and avoid getting squashed or attacked. The game also contains a variety of puzzles that must be solved by the gamer in order to help Zapper complete the level, these puzzles range from easy to difficult, depending on what kind of seasoned gamer you are. The game also contains a variety of bonus stages that are littered throughout the game and add that with the secrets in the game and you have a very long game to play. There are over 18 missions of dangerous fun for Zapper that will take you to a variety of different gaming worlds with some amazing graphics. The game also features three different gameplay modes that include a single player game, a multiplayer mode and a time trial mode. Needless to say, the multiplayer mode is extremely bizarre.  The control system of Zapper is a mixed bag as the controls do take some time getting use to. As Frogger...err... Zapper is now in a 3D world, you must navigate him through a variety of obstacles and because he can only hop, it does make things extremely tricky, especially when you are trying to get to higher places in the game.

Graphically, Zapper is a classic arcade game that features a huge polygonal world of objects, characters and a myriad of colours. The characters in the game are extremely cartoony and are made up of a small polygon count with not much detail. Fortunately, they are well animated and the variety of characters in the game will keep most seasoned gamers interested. 

The soundtrack of Zapper comes straight out of a Saturday cartoon show and has a very boppy and cutesy tune to it that I'm sure kids will find adorable. The game contains a variety of different sound effects such as character noises and background sounds that help move the game along nicely.

In conclusion, Zapper will not be the game for everyone as it has a very childish feel to the game but gamers of yesterday can reminisce and relive their glory days of Frogger. Although the game seems primarily aimed at children, the game contains some colourful and cute graphics, a very addictive soundtrack and some interesting gameplay that may actually make Zapper the very game for you.

- Andrew B