Zapper: One Wicked Cricket

About

"Zapper: One Wicked Cricket" is an action-adventure game featuring a cricket named Zapper on a mission to rescue his brother from the clutches of an evil magpie queen. With gameplay similar to "Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge," players must navigate through six interactive worlds, avoiding traps and enemies along the way. The game offers a challenging experience, requiring quick reflexes and precise timing to reach the final showdown with the magpie queen.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 62 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

The game is a nostalgic joyride, bringing back fond childhood memories for many players.
Level design is engaging with unique environments and interesting secrets to discover.
The game runs smoothly for some users, and the music and gameplay mechanics are enjoyable.

Many players experience issues with the game not launching or getting stuck on the Atari Presents screen.
The controls are considered horrid and difficult to use, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The port lacks modern features such as adjustable video settings and controller support, making it feel outdated.

gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
13%
13%
The gameplay is reminiscent of classic Frogger, featuring interesting level design and unique mechanics. However, players often encounter frustrating deaths due to challenging enemy and movement mechanics, compounded by a lack of controller support and an awkward keyboard layout. Overall, while the game is enjoyable and has fun mechanics, the controls can detract from the experience.
- “When I was younger, I remember playing this game and finding that I enjoyed the Frogger-like gameplay.”
- “So far, I think this is a really fun game that actually has neat gameplay mechanics.”
- “All in all, the level design is interesting, but the enemy and movement mechanics often lead to frustrating deaths rather than interesting challenges.”
- “The main mechanic that is missing is controller support, so you have to play using a very odd keyboard layout (arrow keys to move, with alt, ctrl, and z and x used to rotate the character, which is critical to succeeding).”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The graphics are generally well-received, with users noting that the environments are unique and visually appealing, particularly for a game from 2002. The cute, frogger-like aesthetic complements the original ideas presented in the game, making it a nostalgic yet charming experience for fans of PS2-era graphics.
- “Each world has unique and relatively good-looking environments, reminiscent of PS2 era graphics.”
- “The graphics aren't bad for 2002.”
- “On top of that, each world has unique and relatively good looking environments (if you like PS2 era graphics).”
- “It's a very cute Frogger-like game, which makes sense for it originally being the sequel to Swampy's Revenge, but it has a bunch of original ideas in terms of both gimmicks and level aesthetics.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is significantly enhanced by the contributions of composers John Guscott, Matt Black, Gerard Gourley, and Andrew Morris, whose orchestrated soundscapes elevate the experience across various levels.
- “The orchestrated atmosphere created by composers John Guscott, Matt Black, Gerard Gourley, and Andrew Morris enhances the game's style in several early and final levels.”
- “The orchestrated atmosphere created by composers John Guscott, Matt Black, Gerard Gourley, and Andrew Morris enhances the game's style in several early and final levels.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a rugged, battlefield-inspired wit that some players find off-putting, particularly when it comes from a hardened soldier archetype. This blend of toughness and humor may not resonate with all players, leading to mixed reactions.
- “A hardened soldier, rugged, but that battlefield sense of humor I couldn't stand.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is well-received, with players noting its quality and enjoyment, which enhances the fun of the levels.
- “Music is good and levels are fun!”