The handheld market has rapidly changed since the original PSP launched back in 2004, mobile phones have become more advanced and more people are playing these ‘bitesized’ gaming apps. They’re cheap to buy and perfect for wasting a few minutes on here and there. However the biggest hurdle smartphone gaming has is control. Sure touch screen is cool and all that, but it will never replace the tactile input of the humble button. Plus having to use the same display that the game being played on can lead to you losing out on what’s happening on the screen. But smartphone gaming shouldn’t be completely written off just yet, there are a number of titles available on the App Store that would be perfect for PlayStation Vita.
We thought we’d take a look at a few titles currently available for iOS devices that should be bought to Vita and there’s not a angry pigeon or stack of conveniently placed blocks in sight.
Day 2. Frog Minutes – Grasshopper Manufacture
When you think of Grasshopper Manufacture you think, Killer 7, No More Heroes, Shadows of the Damned (did we mention you should buy this game?) or maybe even their upcoming title Lollipop Chainsaw. You probably wouldn’t think Frog Minutes, it’s may not contain any lightsaber wielding assassins, Mexican Demon hunters or High School Cheerleading Zombie Slayers, but it still has the unique Japanese charm Grasshopper have become famous for.
In Frog Minutes you simply catch frogs, much like yesterdays look at Groove Coaster, on paper this sounds extremely dull, but one you have start building your collection of amphibians, it becomes extremely addictive. At times it’s also very relaxing, with the sound of the stream in the background and the rustle of trees in breeze, being it’s only soundtrack. It’s as far from No More Heroes as you can get. Game play is simple, various critters will flit around the screen, you must catch these in order to feed the various frogs that are lurking in the trees or undergrowth. These critters can be spooked from their hiding places simply by tapping on the moving pieces of scenery (the same method is used to coax out the frogs) Once a frog is revealed, give it a tap and a bubble appears showing you what the frog requires to eat. Once the frog has had it’s fill you can add it to your collection. As you progress through Frog Minutes more species off frog appear and more Critter hiding spots become available.
Why would it work on PlayStation Vita?
As Frog Minutes was built around the iPhones touch-based control scheme it could easily be ported to Vita, while taking advantage of it’s multiple touch inputs area, Critter hiding spots could be given more depth and discovery. PlayStation Vita’s location-based feature ‘Near’ could allow users to travel around a discover new species or release ones they have already caught so others can expand their collection. How about taking you Vita into the wild and snapping pictures of various leaves and flowers with the built-in cameras, to attract a certain kind of insert or frog? Frog Minutes is a great little game that’s simple in concept but could find audience on PlayStation Vita and if Grasshopper Manufacture decided make use of the handheld’s unique features it could prove to be a welcomed addition to it’s already impressive software line-up.
It’s worth nothing Frog Minutes was released in order to raise money for the Japanese Red Cross, to support victims of the Tohoku earthquake. You can find our more about Frog Minutes on Grasshopper Manufacture’s official website