| Popeye | |
|---|---|
 North American arcade flyer | |
| Developers | [a] |
| Publishers |
|
| Designers | Genyo Takeda Shigeru Miyamoto |
| Series | Popeye |
| Platform | |
| Release | |
| Genre | Platform |
| Modes | Single-player,multiplayer |
Popeye[b] is a 1982platform game developed and published byNintendo forarcades. It is based on thecomic strip of the same name created byE. C. Segar and licensed fromKing Features Syndicate. Some sources claim thatIkegami Tsushinki did programming work on the game.[10][11][12] AsPopeye, the player must collect objects thrown byOlive Oyl from the top of the screen while being chased byBrutus. Popeye can punch bottles thrown at him, but can only hurt Brutus after eating the one can of spinach present in each level. Unlike Nintendo's earlier gameDonkey Kong (1981), there is no jump button.
The game was licensed byAtari, Inc. for exclusive release in the United Kingdom and Ireland in an Atari-designed cabinet. Nintendo ported the game to theFamicom, andParker Brothers published versions for other home systems.
Popeye is aplatform game with three screens. The object of the game is forPopeye the Sailor to collect a certain number of items dropped byOlive Oyl, depending on the level—24 hearts, 16 musical notes, or 24 letters in the word "HELP"—while avoiding theSea Hag,Brutus, and other dangers. The player can make Popeye walk back and forth and up and down stairs and ladders with a 4-way joystick. There is a punch button, but unlike similar games of the time, no jump button.
Brutus chases Popeye and can go down a level, reach to the next lower level, and jump up to hit Popeye if he is directly above. Popeye can attack Brutus after eating the can of spinach found in each level. Spinach makes Popeye invincible for a short time, during which Brutus runs away and can be temporarily knocked out simply by running into him, and doubles the point value of items dropped by Olive until its effects wear off.
Popeye punches to destroy harmful items such as bottles, vultures, and skulls. He loses a life when hit by Brutus or any flying object, or if he fails to collect a dropped item within a certain time after it reaches the bottom of the screen. On the first screen of each cycle, Popeye can hit a punching bag to knock a bucket off a hook. If it falls on Brutus's head, he becomes stunned for several seconds and the player earns a score bonus.
Other licensedPopeye characters in the game are Olive Oyl,Swee'Pea, andWimpy.
Popeye was designed byGenyo Takeda andShigeru Miyamoto.[13] Nintendo had originally intended to make a video game based on thePopeye characters, but had trouble accurately depicting them. The characters ofMario,Donkey Kong, andPauline were developed as replacements for use inDonkey Kong (1981).[14]
After the success ofDonkey Kong, Nintendo revived plans for aPopeye game, partly as a replacement for their unreleased 1981 gameSky Skipper.
Parker Brothers ported the game to theAtari 8-bit computers,Atari 2600,Atari 5200,Intellivision,Commodore 64,TI-99/4A, andColecoVision. It is one of the few games ported to theMagnavox Odyssey².
On July 15, 1983,Popeye became one of the threelaunch games for theFamicom, along withDonkey Kong andDonkey Kong Jr..[15]
In the United States,Popeye topped thePlay Meter arcade chart for street locations in April 1983.[16]
Electronic Games wrote in 1983 the arcade version ofPopeye at first appeared to be "yet another variation of a theme that's become all too familiar sinceDonkey Kong [...] But there are some nuances, not the least of which are the graphics and sound effects, that tend to allow the game the benefit of the doubt in execution. [...]Popeye does offer some interesting play that is more than complemented by the cosmetics."[17] TheArcade Express newsletter scored it 7 out of 10 in January 1983, calling it "the closest thing to a videogame cartoon seen yet in an arcade", but also that "game play, unfortunately, doesn't come up to visual standards."[18] Michael Pugliese writing forThe Coin Slot describedPopeye as "a visually stimulating and exciting game that will go well in any location [...] it contains all the challenges and character appeal to make it a solid earner for a long time."[19]Computer and Video Games magazine gave the arcade game a generally favorable review.[20]
Antic wrote that the Atari 8-bit version "is a thoroughly entertaining challenge for gamers of all ages" and its mechanics unique among climbing games gave it above-average replay value.[21]Computer Games magazine gave the ColecoVision and home computer conversions an A rating, callingPopeye a "terrific cartoony climbing game, much better thanDonkey Kong".[22]
Popeye no Eigo Asobi is an English teaching spin-off forFamicom, released on November 22, 1983. A board game based on the video game was released byParker Brothers in 1983.
In 2008,Namco Networks released anenhanced remake for mobile phones. The gameplay is largely the same, plus an enhanced mode with a bonus stage and an extra level that pays homage to the shortA Dream Walking where Popeye must save Olive from sleepwalking. Tokens are earned to buy old comic strips.[23]
On November 4, 2021,Popeye was released for thePS4 andNintendo Switch as a 3Dreimagining of the arcade game.[24] It was met with poorMetacritic scores.[citation needed] It was delisted in 2023.
Ben Falls earned theworld record score of 3,023,060 on December 20, 2011, according to theTwin Galaxies International Scoreboard.[25]
Miyamoto says Nintendo's main monkey might not have existed.
Media related toPopeye (video game) at Wikimedia Commons
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