Ribbit King, a truly twisted title that creates a new sport called Frolf (which is, basically, golfing with frogs instead of balls), is yet another game aimed at hardcore devotees of Japanese whimsy. You know who you are: You've beaten Rez 18 times. You've written your own arrangements of the music in Gitaroo-Man for string quartet and woodwinds. On your left shoulder is a Mister Mosquito tattoo. I can almost imagine you interrupting me right now, whispering, "Matt, don't speak. You had me at Frolf." [cue tears and sappy music]The rest of you might want to consider the decision to buy Ribbit King a little more carefully. While the basic mechanics are that of a simplified golf game (with a rudimentary two-click swing), the real meat of the Ribbit King experience comes from exploring the strange "gimmicks" strewn throughout each course. These include spiderwebs that can bounce your frog further distances, giant snakes that shake you in their jaws until you jiggle the analog stick to break free, or even conveyor belts that take frogs to otherwise inaccessible platforms. Much of your score depends on mastering these gimmick combos, which earn you big points (often more than getting the frog in the hole). This makes for an odd brand of play, but often the gimmicks are too random in effect to really allow for strategy. Many times, you'll hit what looks like a bum shot, only to be whisked through an unforeseen sequence of gimmicks that place you right up to the hole. While it's certainly amusing, after a time the heavy reliance on gimmicks felt, well, kind of gimmicky.After the novelty is gone, it's an adequate, if goofy, golf title with passable technical execution. The camera system and graphics engine certainly won't win any awards (there are definitely times when the poor camera and overhead view make it difficult to aim – especially on the futuristic levels), but I guess that's not really the point. All in all, this feels like a stand-alone game that would have done better as a cool Mario Golf minigame mode.Concept:Frolf: where sport and amphibious life meet!Graphics:A charming art style makes the ho-hum graphics somewhat irrelevantSound:Yippie-skippy-synthy-plinky-Casio-doo-de-dahPlayability:I think a three-click swing would have made this a little more interesting, but it's solid overallEntertainment:Japanophiles, cute-fetishists: Reserve your copy now. Everybody else: Rent itReplay:ModerateRated:7 out of 10Editor:Matt HelgesonIssue:June 20042nd Opinion:As much as I dug this goofy little game, it's certainly not going to appeal to a wide audience. It's too basic and odd to strike a chord with mainstream gamers. But those who like their games heavy on Japanese flavor will definitely be pleased with this strange golf title. It looks a little bit sharper on the GameCube than on the PS2, but it's a bizarrely fun time on either system, and the unlockable cartoons on the bonus disc are a hoot. Yep, it's definitely as odd as it sounds, but if that's your thing (I know it's mine), then you'll have a blast with this title.Rated:7.5 out of 10Editor:Jeremy ZossSubscribe to Game Informer--Game Informer Review