Popeye (video game)

is a 1982 arcade platform game developed and released by Nintendo based on the comic strip of the same name created by E. C. Segar and licensed from King Features Syndicate. Some sources claim that Ikegami Tsushinki did programming work on the game. The game was licensed by Atari, Inc. for exclusive release in the United Kingdom and Ireland in an Atari-designed cabinet. Nintendo ported the game to the Famicom, while Parker Brothers published versions for other home systems. '' Popeye no Eigo Asobi'', an educational spin-off similar to the later '' Donkey Kong Jr. Math,'' was released for the Famicom on November 22, 1983.

Gameplay

The object of the game is for Popeye the Sailor, depending on the level — 24 hearts, 16 musical notes, or 24 letters in the word HELP — while avoiding the Sea Hag, Bluto 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 period, no jump button. Conversely, Bluto can jump down a level, or merely stoop and reach down into the level below, and he can also jump up to hit Popeye if he is directly above.

Despite the feature of a punch button, Popeye cannot attack Bluto directly. Instead, the button is used for the following:
*Punching destroys items that could hurt Popeye such as bottles, vultures and skulls.
*Each level has a can of spinach; punching these cans will give Popeye invincibility and he can knock out Bluto just by running into him, although after a few seconds Bluto will swim back out and be ready for action again.
*In Round 1 (the dock scene) of each three-round cycle, as well as the first round and third rounds of each four-round cycle, is a punching bag, which Popeye can use to knock loose a nearby barrel from its position near the top of the playing field. If the barrel falls onto Bluto's head, the player earns bonus points (based on where Bluto was attacked) and renders Bluto harmless for several seconds.

Other licensed ''Popeye'' characters in the game are Olive Oyl, Swee'Pea, and Wimpy, though they are mostly decorative and do not add heavily to the gameplay. Wimpy appears in Round 2 (the street scene) on one end of the seesaw in the lower left corner of the field, to act as a counterweight. Swee'Pea floats high above, with bonus points to be earned if Popeye can spring off the see-saw and touch him.

Popeye loses a life if he is hit by Bluto or any thrown/flying object, or if he fails to collect a dropped item within a certain amount of time after it reaches the bottom of the screen and also gets scolded by Olive Oyl for this.

Development

''Popeye'' was designed by Genyo Takeda and Shigeru Miyamoto. The ''Popeye'' characters were originally slated for the game that became ''Donkey Kong'', starring Mario, Donkey Kong, and Pauline but Nintendo was unable to license the characters at the time.

Ports

Parker Brothers ported the game to the Atari 8-bit family, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Intellivision, Commodore 64, TI-99/4A, and ColecoVision, and one of the few games ported to the Odyssey². A board game based on the video game was released by Parker Brothers in 1983. There was also a ''Popeye'' tabletop video game with a color LCD, but it was not based on the arcade game.

On July 15, 1983, ''Popeye'' was one of the three launch games for the Family Computer, along with ''Donkey Kong'' and '' Donkey Kong Jr.''

Reception

In the United States, ''Popeye'' topped the ''Play Meter'' arcade chart for street locations in April 1983.

''Electronic Games'' wrote in 1983 that the arcade version of ''Popeye'' at first appeared to be "yet another variation of a theme that's become all too familiar since ''Donkey Kong''". "But there are some nuances", it added, "not the least of which are the graphics and sound effects, that tend to allow the game the benefit of the doubt in execution". The magazine concluded that "''Popeye'' does offer some interesting play that is more than complemented by the cosmetics." The ''Arcade 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." Michael Pugliese writing for ''The Coin Slot'' described ''Popeye'' as "a visually stimulating and exciting game that will go well in any location," and noted that "it contains all the challenges and character appeal to make it a solid earner for a long time." ''Computer and Video Games'' magazine gave the arcade game a generally favorable review.

''Antic'' wrote that the Atari 8-bit version of ''Popeye'' "is a thoroughly entertaining challenge for gamers of all ages". Mechanics differing from other climbing games, the magazine said, gave it above-average replay value. ''Computer Games'' magazine gave the ColecoVision and home computer conversions an A rating, calling ''Popeye'' a "terrific cartoony climbing game, much better than ''Donkey Kong''."

Legacy

The Famicom saw an educational spin-off on November 22, 1983: '' Popeye no Eigo Asobi'', an English teaching game akin to the later '' Donkey Kong Jr. Math''.

In 2008, Namco Networks released an enhanced remake for mobile phones. The game plays largely the same, and features an enhanced mode in addition to the arcade original, which includes a bonus stage and an extra level paying homage to the short ''A Dream Walking'' where Popeye must save a sleepwalking Olive, as well as some trivia segments. In the game it is possible to earn tokens, which can be used to buy some of the old comic strips.

On November 4, 2021, independent developer Sabec LTD released a reimagining of the arcade game simply titled ''Popeye'', with 3D graphics for the Nintendo Switch to bad Metacritic scores and Youtube reviews. Reviews for the game list poorly rendered graphics and environments, limited music in which a rendition of the ''Popeye'' theme plays indefinitely during gameplay and is not looped properly, minimal use of sound effects, poor animations, poor optimizing of the game itself causing lag spikes during stages, repeating stages, poor controls, repetitive gameplay, inconstant collision detection with enemies and environments, reuse of the same official ''Popeye'' artwork throughout the game at the title screen, between stages, and the end credits, and other glitches in general. The game has been labeled an asset flip as it also uses Unity store bought assets for levels from the Polygon Pirate Pack which doesn't fit with the cartoon's theme which originally showcases a timeframe in which steam and diesel engines exist and taking character models from fan's 3D-model versions of the characters and other websites for the game without crediting the original creators. The character animations also are taken from the Mixamo website.

High score

Ben Falls holds the world record score of 3,023,060 earned on December 20, 2011, according to Twin Galaxies International Scoreboard.

Notes

References

External links

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''Popeye''
a
NinDB
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{{Shigeru Miyamoto

1982 video games
Arcade video games
Atari 2600 games
Atari 5200 games
Atari 8-bit family games
Cancelled ZX Spectrum games
ColecoVision games
Commodore 64 games
Game & Watch games
Intellivision games
Mobile games
Multiplayer and single-player video games
Nintendo games
Nintendo arcade games
Nintendo Entertainment System games
Nintendo Research & Development 1 games
Platform games
TI-99/4A games
Video games based on Popeye
Video games developed in Japan
Video games designed by Shigeru Miyamoto
Videopac games