Hop, ri-bitt and dodge

Like all the best concepts, Frogger is based on cause and effect. Cause – the frog wants to cross the road. Effect – he gets squashed flatter than a lillypad by a juggernaut if you time your jump wrong. Simple. And 25 years on, Japanese company Konami is still finding new ways to package the hop, skip and squash mechanic into a fun game.

Admittedly, the latest incarnation currently headed towards the DS is called Frogger: Helmet Chaos. No, we don’t know why either. Perhaps Konami's marketing department felt under-challenged. Let’s just leave it at that, move on, and talk about the game itself.

This time around Frogger has some new tricks. Resplendent in 3D, he can climb walls, double jump, and perform the less-than-pleasant sounding tongue grab. There are also a few new characters for you to play with.

As for the game itself, you’re no mere amphibian. No, you're playing as an eco warrior: Frogger is out to stop the nasty Dr. Wani and his destructive mining practices from destroying Firefly Swamp and Bunnington Hollow. This entails plenty of platforming action (30 levels), which will be combined with waves of touchscreen-based mini-games. Four player wi-fi multiplayer is also promised, and yes, a version of the original 1981 arcade game is included too, although you’ll have to unlock it.

Frogger: Helmet Chaos is due for release on the 17th February.