Review Date: February 20, 2021
Release Date: June 6, 1986
Platform: NES
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: ?
Anecdotes: Normally, I like to play the original versions of games. I like to play the games in their original forms. I made an exception here, but I can not remember why. This game is a rather ridiculous game that has a lot of the same elements as Donkey Kong.
Description: You play as Popeye. Popeye roams around a scene trying to collect letters, hearts, or musical notes. Popeye has to collect them all to advance to the next level. While he is trying to do that, the cheating jerk Brutus** will be chasing after him with the ability to do all sorts of cheap tricks. Like Donkey Kong, when he completes every level, he’ll loop back around to the first.
**There is some question as to whether it’s Bluto or Brutus, as the Popeye cartoons have used both. The manual, uploaded by gamesdatabase.org, refers to him as Brutus on page 5, so I’m going with that.
Positives: Spinach was included so Popeye can at least get a small amount of revenge on Brutus. Hearts (or notes or letters) aren’t “dead” the moment they hit the water; the game gives players time to try to figure out how to get to a sinking heart.
Negatives: First and foremost, I have to say that BRUTUS IS A BLEEPING CHEATER!!! He can do moves Popeye can only dream of like throwing things, jumping, diving down, etc. Worse yet, Popeye can’t do anything about him unless he punches a can of spinach.
Grade: C