Popeye
1982 · Action · Arcade
Overview
Popeye is a 1982 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for arcades. It is based on the comic strip of the same name created by E. C.
Deep Dive
Popeye is a 1982 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for arcades. It is 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. As Popeye, the player must collect objects thrown by Olive Oyl from the top of the screen while being chased by Brutus.
Developer Story
Popeye was developed by Nintendo in 1982, designed by Genyo Takeda. Shigeru Miyamoto had originally pitched the Popeye licence for what became Donkey Kong, but could not secure it in time. When Nintendo finally got the licence, Miyamoto built the game around the same structural ideas. Popeye became Nintendo's last major arcade game before the Famicom shifted their focus to home consoles.
Did You Know?
- Donkey Kong was originally designed as a Popeye game — Miyamoto adapted the concept when the licence fell through, making Mario a substitute for Popeye.
- The game was one of the last Nintendo coin-op games before the company pivoted its focus to the Famicom.
- Bluto throws objects at Popeye from above — a structure directly mirroring Donkey Kong's barrel-throwing.
- Spinach cans temporarily made Popeye invincible and able to attack Bluto directly — matching the character's established cartoon behaviour.
