Line #18 VideoGame/ForTheFrogTheBellTolls


1	[[quoteright:301:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/for_the_frog_the_bell_tolls.png]]
2	%%[[caption-width-right:301:some caption text]]
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4	Since they were small children, the young Prince of Sablé and Richard, the Prince of the Custard Kingdom, were rivals in fencing. However, Richard always bested the Prince of Sablé, who dreamed to beat him some day. One day, word reaches that the Croakian Army, led by Lord Delarin, invaded the peaceful Mille-Feuille Kingdom and abducted Princess Tiramisu. Richard immediately sets out to save the kingdom, followed by the Prince of Sablé. With that, an adventure begins to save the Mille-Feuille Kingdom and Princess Tiramisu.
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6	And frogs. A lot of frogs.
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8	''For the Frog the Bell Tolls'' (original title: ''Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru'') is an ActionRPG for the UsefulNotes/GameBoy, developed by Creator/{{Nintendo}} and released in 1992. It was influenced by their own ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' series, which inherited some elements of this game. The later released ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'' has a cameo by Prince Richard in a house full of frogs and the even later released ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'' had a cameo by Prince Richard in frog form as an early non-boss enemy in the Japanese version (he's named Frogog in the translation). Since then, ''For the Frog the Bell Tolls'' hasn't gotten much acknowledgment by Nintendo, but Dr. Arewo Stein managed to appear as a recurring NonPlayerCharacter in ''VideoGame/WarioLand4'' with a Japanese mock-interview also retconning him into being Mad Scienstein from ''VideoGame/WarioLand3'' and Dr. Mario 64, and there is a sticker of the Prince of Sablé in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl''. In ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'' and ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', the Prince of Sablé appears as an Assist Trophy.
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10	[[NoExportForYou The game never got a release in America or Europe]], [[https://www.romhacking.net/translations/6517/ but a complete fan translation exists.]]
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12	!!This Game Provides Examples Of:
13	* AffectionateParody:
14	** The game as a whole is a comedic love letter to the RPG genre. For example, the Prince of Sablé keeps getting treated as the king of second bananas in comparison to Richard. Who, to wit, [[SitcomArchNemesis manages to tell to the first village you visit how easy it is to mock you]]. Players from nowadays say Richard was probably the inspiration for [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Blue]] and [[Anime/PokemonTheSeries Gary Oak]] (from the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games and anime, respectively).
15	** And the DamselInDistress [[spoiler:was never actually in distress; both she [[ChessmasterSidekick and her guard captain]] are wringing every possible giggle they can get out of you while guiding you from the shadows.]]
16	* AnticlimaxBoss: [[ParodiedTrope Parodied]] in-universe. When the Prince of Sablé encounters Lord Delarin, [[spoiler:the latter is revealed to be... a normal-sized snake, an enemy too weak to even hurt you at this point. The prince [[BreakingTheFourthWall verbally expresses his disappointment that the final boss is so pathetically easy]]. Then the snake transforms.]]
17	* BagOfSpilling: The Prince begins the game filthy rich, but loses it due to unconcerned spending and thievery. He gets the stolen money back, but loses ''all'' his money again, this time to buy a potion that turns him back to a human.
18	* BeefGate: Since combat is automatic, "bosses" instead serve as gates to make sure you've acquired the best gear and stat upgrades available to you, rather than gameplay challenges.
19	* BewitchedAmphibians: Frogs play a huge role in this game, as mentioned above.
20	* BigDamnHeroes: The final battle is full of this, with no less than three separate arrivals of reinforcements.
21	* BigBallOfViolence: How battles are generally done in this game. Getting stronger results in weaker enemies being defeated instantly, after which they fly off the screen.
22	* BigWhat: The Prince, frequently.
23	* BlandNameProduct: Nantendo, who apparently make strength-enhancing wristbands. Considering [[Creator/{{Nintendo}} who made this game]], it's doubtful that there were any legal reasons for this.
24	* ChekhovsGun: The stuff Dr. Arewo Stein is working on when he gives a upgrade to the Prince.
25	* ConvectionSchmonvection: The Prince and his mining crew manage to outrun a volcanic eruption [[spoiler:after unsealing the Snake Killer sword]], despite it happening right behind them.
26	* DamselInDistress: The princes think Princess Tiramisu is this, but then find out that no one knows where she is. [[spoiler:Turns out she's been disguised as the witch, Mandola the whole time.]]
27	* DubNameChange: The fan translation changes Dr. Arewo Stein's name to Dr. Knit, presumably due to text limitations.
28	* EdibleThemeNaming: Various locations and characters are named after sweets, such as the Sablé and Custard Kingdoms, Princess Tiramisu, and Mt. Bavarian.
29	* EmergencyEnergyTank: Wine.
30	* ExperiencePoints: Averted, the player has to find certain stones that raise his stats directly.
31	* EyeScream: [[spoiler:Lord Delarin gets blinded by a well-aimed sword throw during the final battle.]]
32	* ForcedTransformation: Initially, the potion of Mandola turns the Prince of Sablé, Richard, the entire Custard Army, and Jam into frogs. Later, the Prince can change forms at will, and even gains a snake form.
33	* {{Foreshadowing}}: As he comes back from a MushroomSamba, the Prince of Sablé briefly hallucinates he's talking to a beautiful woman, only to regain his senses and realize he's been hitting on the rather homely witch Mandola the entire time. [[spoiler:Mandola actually ''is'' a beautiful woman, Princess Tiramisu, in disguise.]]
34	* HeartContainer: Or rather, "Heart Stones".
35	* HeartsAreHealth: Not unlike the ''Zelda'' series, your total HP (and enemy HP) is represented as hearts.
36	* HelloInsertNameHere: The player gets to name the Prince of Sablé.
37	* HeroicMime: Averted. The Prince might not have a canon name, but he does have a voice.
38	* HopelessBossFight: The Prince can't win against the [[spoiler:mammoth]]. He then resorts to [[spoiler:mind control]].
39	* HyperactiveMetabolism: Wine, and even bugs when he is a frog, replenish the Prince's health.
40	* HyperactiveSprite: All of the human {{Non Player Character}}s walk in place constantly.
41	* IdiotHero: The Prince of Sablé. He has very little understanding of the outside world, spends his money frivolously because he never learned frugality, and frequently gets taken advantage of by the common folk as a consequence.
42	* InsistentTerminology: Dr. Arewo Stein insists that the Hyper Glove is not simply a Work Glove, even breaking the fourth wall to correct the game itself.
43	* JustInTime: The magic potion that transformed Prince Richard and the entire Custard Army into frogs is designed to wear off when the Spring Bell is rung (hence the game's title). Said bell winds up ringing at exactly the perfect time: [[spoiler:[[KillItThroughItsStomach right after Lord Delarin has swallowed the Custard Army whole.]]]]
44	* KarmicThief: Jam only steals from the invading Croakian Army. He initially mistakes the Prince of Sablé for a Croakian, leading to some misfortune (and loss of fortune) for the Prince.
45	* TheMaze: The way to the witch Mandola on Mt. Bavarian. Thankfully, the way is described on a sign near the entrance.
46	* MoneySpider: Since enemies don't give experience points, the only reason to fight many of them (besides getting them out of your path) is for the money they drop. As a consequence, even wild animals frequently drop money on defeat.
47	* MushroomSamba: The Prince of Sablé eats an apple that messes with his head and causes his tongue to go numb, though he snaps out of it once Richard appears. Mandola describes it as causing relaxing dreams.
48	* NPCRoadblock: Frogs and snakes with "bad attitudes" block some paths, and can only be passed with some transformation or puzzle solving.
49	* OhCrap: PlayedForLaughs right at the very end of the game. [[spoiler:The Prince asks Polnareff if Princess Tiramisu (whom he is now betrothed to) was only pretending to be mischievous and flippant as part of her Mandola disguise. Polnareff assures him it was not an act, and Tiramisu's personality is exactly the same in either form. Cue the Prince [[FaceFault collapsing with shock]] right as the ending screen rises up.]]
50	* PlayboyBunny: The waitresses at the bar in the town of Pudding are dressed up like these.
51	* PointyEars: As a witch, Mandola sports these.
52	* PointOfNoReturn: Lord Delarin's throne room.
53	* PostFinalBoss: Insofar as a game with automatic combat can have one. After defeating Lord Delarin, [[spoiler:the two princes duel each other for Princess Tiramisu's hand in marriage. Prince Richard ultimately chooses to concede before either can land a finishing blow.]]
54	* RealPersonCameo: Creator/ShigesatoItoi mining for gold. No, really.
55	* RecurringRiff: Almost all of the songs in the game contain the same short, six-note tone, which later appears in Richard's Villa during his cameo in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening''.
56	* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: Lord Delarin, the leader of the Croakian Army, is a snake.
57	* TheReveal: [[spoiler:The witch Mandola is really Princess Tiramisu in disguise.]]
58	* TheRival: Prince Richard. He does his best to stay ahead of the Prince of Sablé at every turn, even after becoming a frog.
59	* RPGElements: To a small extent. The Prince doesn't level up via an experience system, but he can obtain items and equipment that increase individual stats.
60	* RunningGag: The Prince continuously loses and regains a large amount of money over the course of the game. However, it's never around when you can use it to shop.
61	* SchizoTech: On the surface it's a generic fantasy land with MedievalStasis, but there are modern-day corporate buildings, robots, and other things.
62	* ShoutOut:
63	** After he finishes the maze on Mt. Bavarian, the Prince of Sablé remarks that he saw [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI the trick before somewhere]].
64	** A robot is called Tokyo Comic Show Z. "Comic Show" is meant to reference a comedic sketch, and the "Z" letter references TropeNamer and TropeMaker SuperRobot ''Anime/MazingerZ''.
65	** The tile refers to ''Literature/ForWhomTheBellTolls''.
66	* SideView: The dungeon levels are mostly made of such segments.
67	* SpikesOfDoom: Small spikes deal little damage. Big ones kill in one hit.
68	* TopDownView: The usual view, aside from the SideView segments.
69	* UnexpectedGameplayChange: Instead of being fully-automated like all other combat in the game, [[spoiler:you must finish off Lord Delarin with a sequence of [[PressXToNotDie quick-time event]] sword thrusts, carefully timed to slip through the gap in his rotating barrier.]]
70	* WhenTreesAttack: Fear Trees, which start out as tough enemies but are much easier to take down later in the game.
71	* WitchClassic: Mandola fits the appearance and spends her time being mischievous. It's her magic potion that turned the princes into frogs. [[spoiler:She's actually Princess Tiramisu, pulling a BatmanGambit that required her to disguise herself as a witch.]]
72	* YouDontLookLikeYou: The Prince's in-game appearance is not at all like the illustration above, but instead that of an AmbiguouslyBrown boy.

Context VideoGame / ForTheFrogTheBellTolls