Popeye

Popeye is an action game originally released in arcades by Nintendo and later ported to home computers and game consoles. The game features characters from the popular King Features Syndicate comic strips and animated shorts. In the game players control Popeye with the goal of catching items that Olive Oyl drops from the top of the screen.

During the game, Olive Oyl is somewhere at the top of the screen and is dropping different items which float slowly towards the ground. Players control Popeye and need to catch all of the various items that Olive Oyl drops before they hit the ground at the very bottom of the screen. If any of the items land on the ground, players still have a short time to pick them up but if they sit for too long a life is lost. There are three different types of levels in the game, each with a different platform layout and different items that need to be collected.

• Level 1: 24 hearts need to be caught. The platform layout resembles a dock. A barrel is in the middle of the screen with a punching bag nearby that will knock it over; with careful timing the barrel can fall on Brutus which buys the player some time.
• Level 2: 16 musical notes need to be caught. The scene takes place outside a building; Wimpy is in the bottom left of the screen on one end of a seesaw. Jumping on the seesaw will launch the player towards the top of the screen.
• Level 3: 24 letters (each from the word HELP) need to be caught. This level resembles a pirate ship. A vulture frequently flies by attempting to catch Popeye.

A level is completed when players collect all of the items Olive Oyl drops; after the three types of levels are completed, the game repeats at higher difficulty.

Several types of dangers are present which will cost players a life. On each level Brutus is in constant pursuit; he can run along the platforms and climb up and down ladders. Occasionally he will also jump up or reach down from platforms. Players lose a life if Popeye is caught by Brutus. From time to time, the Sea Hag appears on the sides of the screen throwing bottles or skulls towards Popeye.

Player's have limited defenses in the game; Popeye is able to punch which can be used to defend from items that are thrown, however punches cannot be used to attack Brutus. Each level has a can of spinnach; eating the spinnach provides temporary invincibility and does allow Popeye to knock down Brutus, however after a short delay Brutus will be in pursuit again. Unlike in many platform games, players are unable to jump and can only run left/right on the platforms or climb up and down ladders.

Due to system limitations, the Odyssey 2 version of the game only has one screen instead of three as found in other versions.