Peacock, the video streaming service owned and operated by NBCUniversal, has reportedly greenlit a live-action show based on Frogger, the iconic arcade game developed by Konami and originally published by Sega in 1981.
In the reality series, contestants will take on the role of the frog from the Konami video game as they attempt to cross a number obstacles, including traffic, alligators and hippos. The "crossings" are meant to challenge the players' strength, strategy and problem-solving skills. The winner will be awarded a cash prize.
Frogger, considered one of the greatest video games created, has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. In the game, players must guide a frog to each of the empty "frog homes" at the top of the screen. Frogger, which can be played by one or two players, begins with three, five, or seven frogs, depending on the settings selected by the player. A four-direction joystick is used to navigate the frog across the lanes.
The original 1981 arcade version joined the Nintendo Switch and PS4 Arcade Archives on December 12, 2019. A remake of the original game has been announced for release exclusively for the Intellivision Amico.
The game famously appeared in a 1998 episode of Seinfeld titled The Frogger. In the episode, Jerry and George visit a pizzeria they frequented when they were kids and find that the Frogger machine still holds George's twenty-year-old high score.
The current Frogger world record holder is Pat Laffaye of Westport, Connecticut, who scored 1,029,990 points on August 15, 2017, becoming the first and only person ever to break one million points on an original arcade machine
Frogger is Peacock’s first original competition series. The streaming service, which launched on July 15, 2020, primarily showcases content from NBCUniversal studios and other third-party providers, including television series, films, news, and sports programming.
Frogger is produced by Eureka Productions (ABC's Holey Moley, Fox's Name That Tune) in partnership with Konami Cross Media NY. Eureka's Chris Culvenor created the format and will executive produce with Paul Franklin.
Source: Hollywood Reporter