The Frog for Whom the Bell Tolls

(sethmlarson.dev)

36 points | by anujbans 9 hours ago ago

13 comments

  • chasil 2 hours ago ago

    'While game’s title is a reference to “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Ernest Hemingway...'

    This is actually much, much older than Hemingway.

      No man is an island,
      Entire of itself.
      Each is a piece of the continent,
      A part of the main.
      If a clod be washed away by the sea,
      Europe is the less.
      As well as if a promontory were.
      As well as if a manor of thine own
      Or of thine friend's were.
      Each man's death diminishes me,
      For I am involved in mankind.
      Therefore, send not to know
      For whom the bell tolls,
      It tolls for thee.
    
      --John Donne
    
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Donne
  • jezzamon 2 hours ago ago

    For me personally this is one of my all time favourite games. It has a lot of charm and humour.

    It looks like it's a zelda-like game, but because combat is deterministic rather than skill-based, it's really more of a puzzle game

  • barrowclift 2 hours ago ago

    What serendipity, I've just begun my own play through a few days ago after having learned of the game (as most of those in North America have) through the Link's Awakening cameo. It's thoroughly charming, makes me sad it never enjoyed a proper release outside of Japan.

    If any readers here have an interest in retro gaming or (like me) loved Link's Awakening back in the day, I highly recommend giving it a look.

    • SethMLarson an hour ago ago

      Woah, that's awesome!! Enjoy :)

  • graemep 7 hours ago ago

    Thea article says the title is a reference to Hemingway, but Hemingway's use of it was a reference to John Donne. The latter is far more familiar to me. Its no more relevant to the game though.

    • jaccola 3 hours ago ago

      Indeed, the same meditation that originated the phrase ‘no man is an island’.

      Though, of course, the better version is “Ask not for whom the timer ticks. It ticks for thee”

  • Oarch 6 hours ago ago

    From the title I'd assumed this was a mixed metaphor between boiling the frog and facing impending doom.

    Maybe I need to stop AI doomscrolling for a bit.

    • nitefood 5 hours ago ago

      What amazes me is I thought the exact same thing, verbatim. And I hadn't thought about that boiling frog in years. I guess it scarred you and me both when we saw it.

    • bryanrasmussen 4 hours ago ago

      I just thought it was going to be a funny mashup of For Whom The Bell Tolls (Hemingway) with Michigan T. Frog (Looney Tunes)

  • CM30 5 hours ago ago

    Oh hey, it's the game I remember from the cameos in Link's Awakening and the Wario Land series. Honestly, I don't think anyone associates Mad Scienstein with this game anymore, given his appearances in Wario Land 3, 4 and Dr Mario 64.

  • ginko 6 hours ago ago

    It's a really fun little game with lots of character. I played the translation and picked up an original copy on my last trip to Japan.

  • ralfd 2 hours ago ago

    > despite a few twists at the end: the Princess does not escape her fate

    Which is? What fate?

    • SethMLarson an hour ago ago

      You'll have to play to find out ;) haha!