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Parkour!; Witty Dialogue; Addicting Gameplay
Motion sickness
At first glance, you might assume this game looks rather whimsical and lighthearted; however, as you delve into the story, it takes a turn and you find yourself on a strange journey. Especially for an amphibian. Meet Hop, a young frog on his way home with his sister when he gets lured away to a different world by a trickster spirit named Diss. He has a rather mysterious mission for you, if you’re up for the challenge.
Just released on 01.12.26, this 3D platformer combines fluid parkour and frog-tongue action and places them in an open world sandbox; one may say this adventure is un-frog-getable. Check out the official Big Hops trailer below!
I have been more than eager to get my hands on this game since receiving an email about it from the director of Luckshot Games, Chris Wade, following last years Day of the Devs’. I’ve struggled to even put it down since I got it; it’s been so much fun! I love that there is so much content to unlock, such as fruits and veggies that you can consume for health or throw for different effects, interchangeable trinkets that provide different types of aid, and all the different ways you can move in the game, including with your frog-tongue. There are also extra levels located throughout the different areas of the game that I have found, a couple being rather challenging as far as needing to be good at the parkour aspect of the game, but so far, nothing impossible. Just make sure you keep a sandwich or two in your pack as needed!
Not only is the gameplay really engaging, but also the story and the characters. Let’s not forget to mention the art and graphics! I am always more invested in a game from the jump if I think it looks nice. It is obvious how much time was invested for the little details, as well as how every character is voiced, and almost all of them have interesting or funny dialogue when you interact with them. Diss, in particular, doesn’t feel like a typical enemy, aide from the snide remarks and playful jabs at Hop. And the fact that he literally frog-napped him. Diss is almost always nearby, lurking in a purple puddle of… something. He even helps you access the extra levels through a doorway, as well as letting you add and interchange your trinkets.
Speaking of trinkets, there are at least 26 to collect and you can use up to 6 at a time. You unlock these trinkets by collecting drip for Diss, which are purple orbs, some scattered out in the open and some hidden. If you collect enough, they turn into a drip which allows you to redeem a trinket, an extra trinket slot, an extra heart, and other power ups to aid you. This adds an incentive to explore, and there is no shortage of space to explore in this game. Another reason to explore are the bugs! When you find a new one, you turn it around for a few seconds to let Hop identify it before either storing it, throwing it, or eating it. You can also take your stored bugs to a vendor who displays them for you, and in return gives you access to items in their shop.
I also mentioned the fruits and veggies before, which are crucial to gameplay. I love that there are new ones to discover in each area, keeping the gameplay fresh and forcing you to adapt as you go. Some of the fruits can catch items on fire, others can grow a climbable vine from any surface, and some connect two surfaces with a rope you can walk across. You can store these fruits, and even their trees, in your backpack if you particularly like using a certain one, but they’re all a one time use so you have to be smart about it unless there’s a tree nearby! I have also come across little kiosks in some of the worlds that sell the fruits and their trees for coins. You can find coins by smashing vases and barrels, or you will sometimes come across them in hidden areas.
My only issue really is the motion, as I get a bit nauseous if I play too long. I did adjust the camera to move a bit slower, but too slow and I feel like I can’t keep up with Hop’s pace. I noticed a little later there is a motion sickness reduce setting but I haven’t noticed much of a difference. Just wanted to include this in case anyone else struggles with it. Aside from that, I love the movement mechanics! Since this is a 3D platformer, there are a lot of parkour opportunities for jump combinations as well as using your frog-tongue to maneuver across gaps. I have had no performance issues such as lagging, and the game has not crashed on me either. I know their target launch consoles are the Switch and Switch 2, which I think are perfect for this game.
It was hard to remember to even take screenshots because I was so immersed in the game. It is really addicting, especially since I got stuck on one of the side levels, which definitely wasn’t the very first one that I found or anything. I have only made it to the fourth or so area, or the very beginning of Gully Gang HQ, since I have been scouring for drip and bugs. I also took a slight detour and got a new outfit, though I seem to have lost my hat somehow. These outfits are available for purchase with coins and are interchangeable, so far only in a shop within the second area of the desert, and you can color them by purchasing dye packs at the shop, as well as by collecting flower petals when you see them. I have a lot more coins since my last visit, so I’m definitely going to circle back when I get the chance.
Big Hops is a fresh, imaginative 3D platformer that really captures what makes the genre so special. It’s got endless rewards for exploration, and a world bursting with personality in every corner. It easily made it’s way into editor’s choice and to one of my favorite Switch games. I’m looking forward to playing further and reaching the conclusion to find out what happens to our little frog and the odd trickster as well as seeing other people’s opinions on the game when it releases.
Let us know in the comments if you’ll be considering getting Big Hops!
Nintendojo was provided a copy of this game for review by a third party, though that does not affect our recommendation. For every review, Nintendojo uses a standard criteria.
