In Atari 2600 Frogs and Flies (Conversion of Intellivision Frog Bog), players control frogs with the objective of catching and eating as many flies as possible. The game features a single-screen pond environment with lily pads and a day-night cycle that starts with a light blue sky and gradually darkens, ultimately turning black.
In single-player mode, the system automatically takes control of the red frog, while the player controls the green frog. The frogs can jump from one lily pad to another, and during each jump, flies fly around the screen. By pressing the fire button, the frog’s tongue sticks out to catch and eat flies. Each captured fly is worth two points.
The game has two different levels. In the first level, the frogs’ jumping off and landing points are fixed, and players must time their jumps to catch flies in their path. In the second level, the frogs can freely move on the ground to catch flies, as the jumping and landing points are not fixed. If a frog jumps into the water, it takes several seconds for it to swim back to the nearest pad, which should be avoided to maximize fly-catching opportunities.
The game ends after the night cycle, with the frogs leaving the screen and a firefly carrying a “The End” message. The frog with the highest score, i.e., the most flies captured, wins the game. Frogs and Flies is a fun, casual game that offers an entertaining and engaging experience for players of all ages.