Konami's beloved, amphibious star has come a long way since his perilous, traffic-crossing adventures in the arcades. Over the past few years, he's enjoyed a renewed level of popularity, thanks to a series of successful installments released on several systems. So it should come as no surprise, especially for those of you who can't get enough froggy action, that he'd eventually make the jump to the PSP.

It's Not Easy Being Green

Helmet Chaos subscribes to that oh-so-familiar theme where the hero sets out to prevent an evil villain from disrupting all that is pure and happy. Gamers who've played either of the previous releases for the current-gen systems featuring Dr. Wani will especially know what they're up against. This time, he's targeting Frogger's home, Firefly Swamp, and the neighboring Bunnington Hollow kingdom. To complete his destructive, industrial grand scheme, Wani has dispatched his loyal gator army to plant mind-control helmets on the inhabitants of both homelands -- ultimately forcing them to do his bidding. Obviously, Frogger isn't about to sit around and let that happen. And that's where you come in.

As an old-fashioned fan of the original Frogger setup, I was thrilled to see Konami chose to fashion the handheld release after the classic style that so many gamers have grown to cherish. Now, before anyone of you start getting thoughts that I am hating on 3D platformers, allow me to explain. I definitely think that it's worked well with a number of games like the Sly Cooper, Jak & Daxter, and Klonoa series. Heck, even Mario managed to pull off his entry into 3D realm with minimal hassle. Whenever I think back to a classic icon like Frogger, though, I think of a character who should stick as closely to the 2D environment as possible.


Ripples of Nostalgia

Although it's not quite the spiritual return I hoped for, Helmet Chaos recaptures much of the classic vibe of the arcade (sans the traffic), mixed with some intuitive platform and puzzle elements. The presentation is remarkably strong, easy to pick up, and dare I say -- challenging enough for even the most seasoned gamer. Moving Frogger throughout the levels requires you to constantly tap on the D-pad, a huge contrast from the traditional method for controlling a character. Though it may sound tedious at first, trust me when I say you'll get used to rather quickly. The controls adhere to the classic "hop and dodge" formula, which works surprisingly well in the 3D realm and should make fans of the arcade installments feel right at home.

Other key abilities are standard fare, consisting of a tongue lash move used for swinging across poles and other interactive objects in a jungle frog fashion, vertical jumps, and a conventional butt bounce for trigging switches. While these aspects remain the furthest thing from being innovative, old-fashioned and younger players will definitely appreciate the simplicity.

The crux of the "missions" require you to safely navigate Frogger from point A to B, while avoiding swamp baddies, moving objects around, and discovering a shocking revelation -- his unexplained fear of drowning. I know this is a game and all, but I found it difficult to shake the fact that this is a frog we're talking about. Amphibious. Capable of swimming in water. And yet - when I fall into the water, I am going to lose bars of my precious life? Color me confused.

In any event, the level designs are spectacular. I call them the 3 C's: Crisp, Colorful, Creative. It's been awhile since I've played a game targeted for younger audiences that was crafted so well. Even though the game only offers 30 levels, each area offers a relatively decent challenge. I also found the music to be quite enjoyable, albeit on the repetitive side. Much of the selection is fairly chipper -- corresponding to all of those outdoor, sunny levels, along with a few moodier themes that made me think back to the days of playing Super Mario World on the SNES when I was a kid.