Pocket Frogs by Nimblebit (free in the App store) is a fun addition to your iOS device that is in the same family as the old Tamagotchi keychain game. If you like taking care of pets, getting more, and trading and selling them with other Pocket Frogs players, then I think you will enjoy this game. It’s not for everyone, but I think that if you enjoy what I am beginning to call “play-over-time” games (a game where you play for a few minutes, and then leave it while the game is still progressing in the background), you will enjoy this app.
The app snaps into action with a quick Pocket Frogs title screen, and then lands you on your starting habitat. The app has a very colorful interface, and I liked it from the get-go. It is a Plus+ network game, so you can link into the worldwide leader boards to see how your frog skills rank. It will ask you to log in, set up an ID, or skip the Plus+ setup (if you choose to skip, you can log in whenever through the menu). There is a lot of functionality with this app, and I think it’s worth the time.
You start with two generic frogs, and can scale up from there over time. Your habitat will go HUDless if you leave it for five seconds without interaction. Tap the screen to bring it back. In the upper left corner of the screen, you will see your supply of stamps and growth potions. The right corner has your current level and how much experience you need to progress to the next level. The bottom left is where your currency is; in the game your money is called “coins.” In the middle on the bottom, you have the habitat chooser, where you can view the different habitats you have and what they contain. Finally, the bottom right has your menu button.
Within in the menu, you have the catalog, help function, more games by Nimblebit, your awards, Plus+network settings, your requests, the supply shop, the pro shop, the frog mart, the “breed” previewer, your mailbox and your neighbors. As I said, there is a lot of functionality and things to explore, so you are sure to not get bored within the first few minutes.
The stamps and potions can be acquired through the pro shop found in the menu. These are in-app purchases that speed the game a bit, but cost too much for my budget. They are used for “not waiting” essentially. Everything that happens when you use these items will happen eventually, however it happens instantly when you use the item. The potions are used for growing eggs into frogs, and the stamps are used for instantly delivering anything you are waiting for from the supply shop.
Back in your habitat, Tap one of the frogs, and you will see the info regarding that particular frog. You can see its breed, rarity, maturity, happiness and value. You can also take it to the pond, move it to another habitat, or sell it for coins.
When you bring a frog to the pond, you can catch flies to increase the frog’s happiness. This was the mechanic that I could not find help for. All you have to do to catch flies is to hit them while jumping. Tap an adjacent lilly pad to make your frog jump. Hit a fly while jumping, and you will catch it. Once you have caught enough flies, your frog will be tame, and you will be able to breed it with other frogs you find (and jump on to breed) in the pond area.
I won’t go into everything in the app, so explore for yourself! It’s free! Breed your frogs, get new habitats, new scenery for your habitats, mature your frogs, and sell them for coins! You are even able to gift your frogs to other players. I found myself enjoying this game and bringing it back up when I was in the car the other day. I’m having fun with it, so perhaps you will, too.
