“Ribbit”: A Bullfrogs (Digital Version) Review

Note: I was provided a complimentary copy of the iOS version of Bullfrogs for the purpose of review. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

At a Glance: Bullfrogs

Intro Story: The Running of the Bullfrogs

A lone frog sits on a lily pad. “Ribbit.”

Another frog joins him, settling up next to him. “Ribbit.”

A third frog jumps onto the lily pad, causing it to sink. The three frogs bound to nearby lily pads as their previous perch drops into the pond. A frog barks—not just any frog, but a bullfrog. One of the frog leaders. Nearly twice as large as the other frogs, its commanding presence is made known as it hops onto a lily pad where other frogs sit. The bullfrog wastes no time in sending two of the sitting frogs into the water.

“Croak,” it rattles. 

The scene continues for some time, frogs and a select few bullfrogs leaping from lily pad to lily pad, forcing their seats to sink and sometimes pushing in other frogs. Others jump onto the brown log which the green lily pads surround. Those frogs don’t move, and they don’t fight. Eventually, all of the frogs are either on lily pads or on the log. Once all their forces are gathered, those on the log battle one more time, croaks and ribbits echoing in the otherwise calm evening air. Eventually, all but one group of frogs remain, the others left to retreat to wherever they came from.

“Ribbit.” 

Overview/Roadmap

This review has two parts. First, there is the Short Review, where various aspects of the game are discussed. Then comes the Gameplay Review, in which the setup and gameplay are discussed in detail, along with initial thoughts. Following the Gameplay Review section are some final thoughts and a final verdict of the game. Feel free to jump around, or read it all in one go.

Bullfrogs Short Review

Bullfrogs is a game of area control in which players place lily pads and then place and (and sabotage) frogs in order to take control of lily pads and the central log. As lily pads are removed, the pond is rearranged…for better or for worse.

Immersion

While the story itself may not be the strongest, I do find myself immersed in the gameplay whenever I play. The rules are simple, but the decisions aren’t always so. The fact that I’m sitting there contemplating the future existence of my frogs with more brain power than I’ve ever thought about frogs before (I’m not a herpetologist). Thus, I think the immersion factor is good.

Theme

The theme revolves around froggies and their bullfrog leaders in a brutal battle to control the pond. Each frog is considered a warrior, so it really is a combat game at its heart. However, instead of defeating troops and warriors, players fight for control of each lily pad card. The theme of frog fighting frog in bloody combat may not translate well just by the components, but knowing what the theme is helps it come to life a bit more. Essentially, the theme could have been pretty much anything and the game would still work, but hey! Frogs are cool (especially if you’re a herpetologist).

Art & Components

This is a review of the iOS version of the digital implementation of Bullfrogs. So, components basically include art and overall smoothness of gameplay. And it all checks out. It’s everything you’d expect it to be, with fun little animations to boot. 

Standout Performances

• Includes the solo variant
• Online public/private play
• Solo play against 1+ AI-controlled players
• Multiple AI difficulty levels
• Smooth gameplay
• Quick games
• Simple rules
• Good strategic depth

Breaking the 4th Wall

In theater, breaking the fourth wall refers to when characters (or something else) directly address the audience, thus pulling them out of the narrative and making the astutely aware that they are, in fact, watching a performance and that’s it’s not actually real.

First off, I mentioned in the section above that online play is a definite perk. Well, it is…if the people you’re playing against show up. I’ve had games initiated with multiple people, but after joining the game, they never came back. That might change as more and more people start playing the app, but for me, it was rather disappointing. But the option to create a game with your friends is pretty awesome.

Other than that, though, I think the game plays great for what it is.

Bullfrogs Gameplay Review

First Impressions

I have the version of Bullfrogs as published by Renegade Game Studios, so I was interested to see how this digital implementation would look and play. Well, it looks great! And the gameplay is silky smooth and plays just like the tabletop version. As far as first impressions go, I’d say Thunderworks Games did a pretty good job. 

Setup

To set up a game, you select whether you’ll be playing a normal game (i.e. on the phone with just you and AI or with you and others) or playing online (in a public or private game). Put your name in (Mine is currently Hoid, but will inevitably change), select the AI difficulty (if playing with AI), and get playing!

There is also a tutorial which will help you learn how to play. The tutorial is pretty helpful, so if you’re new to Bullfrogs, I’d recommend doing that first. 

Gameplay

The game is played over a series of rounds, and each round players take turns playing lily pads. After a player plays a card (i.e. lily pad), they then have to take a specific number of actions, as indicated on the card they played. This can be two, three, or four actions. When playing an action, you either place a frog or move an opponent’s frog. However, where you place and displace frogs depends on where you play your card. All cards must connect to the central log, and cards placed give you a few options. For example, you can only play frogs on cards that are orthogonally adjacent to the card you placed, or within a straight line of those orthogonally adjacent cards. So you have to place your cards thoughtfully in order to capitalize on your turns.

Of course, the other player can opt to move your frogs. The same rule applies as placement, though, and only frogs within those orthogonal lines (from the played card) can be moved. So while you want to get your frogs on cards (and onto the central log for points), moving other players’ frogs can also be beneficial.

Thoughts on Gameplay

In my oh-so humble opinion, Bullfrogs is a solid game. It plays quickly but it also scratches the area control itch quite nicely. The choices are meaningful and gets in that deeper-strategic feeling without the lengthy time commitment. Honestly, I don’t have much more to say than I already have.

Solo Play

One of the perks of the Bullfrogs app is that you can play with AI—up to a four-player game! The AI is pretty smart and has multiple difficulty levels, so it’s a lot of fun. But, the app also includes the solo variant, which adds more random movements and actions for the AI (utilizing two custom six-sided dice). It’s a pretty great variant I think, and while my physical Renegade version doesn’t include the solo variant, I can totally use this to make my own with random dice I have lying around. So that’s pretty cool. But yeah, all in all, the ability to play this solo is pretty great, and the solo gameplay is smooth and competitive. 

Bullfrogs: Final Thoughts

Bullfrogs is a lot of fun. Whether you’re playing with others or competing against artificial intelligence, there’s a lot of depth in your decisions and the gameplay is fun. It’s always tough reviewing the app version of games because there are really two things I’m looking at: the game itself and the implementation of the app. Fortunately, both game and app are good. How good? Well, that’s up to you to decide.

For me, the app is a near-perfect implementation of the physical game. It did what it set out to do, and there’s nothing I can complain about. The game itself, however, might be a different story.

For me, I like the game quite a bit. It’s not my all-time favorite, but I love that I’m able to pull out my phone and play a quick game. I also enjoy the physical version of the game, so there’s more to it than just convenience. It’s a solid game. I like it. And I like that it’s now an app.

Final Verdict

What it comes down to, then, is the final verdict. I already said that the app itself is near-perfect—meaning, it accomplished what it set out to do in royal fashion. The gameplay is good. It’s fast, fun, thoughtful, and engaging. The game is either Two Thumbs Up or Captivating, but I can’t quite figure out which. I think it depends on the day, really. So, with that in mind, Bullfrogs—as a game—gets a rating of Two Captivating Thumbs. The app—viewed in respect to its performance and what it set out to accomplish—receives a Standing Ovation for its execution. 

Verdict Scale (Lowest to Highest)

The Final Verdict is based on a scale of 1-7, although this scale is not numbered. Instead, it uses thematically appropriate words to describe the performance of the game.

Tomatoes – This game was emotionally taxing and difficult to finish.

Uninspiring – This game had me daydreaming about other games.

Lackluster – This game had its moments, but it probably won’t see much table time.

Laodicean – This game is decent. It works. There’s a reason people like it.

Two Thumbs Up – This game is pretty dang good.

Captivating – This game is outstanding! It’s more than good; it’s practically a staple.

Standing Ovation – This is the best game you will ever play. Period.

Read short fiction inspired by board games at BGI’s stories page!

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