Popeye Saves the Earth

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Popeye Saves The Earth
Popeye Saves the Earth pinball flyer.jpg
page 2 of advertising flyer
Manufacturer WMS Industries
Release dateFebruary 1994
System Midway WPC (DCS)
Design Python Anghelo, Barry Oursler
ProgrammingMike Boon
ArtworkPython Anghelo, Pat McMahon, John Youssi
MechanicsZofia Bil
MusicPaul Heitsch
SoundPaul Heitsch
VoicesTim Kitzrow [1]
AnimationScott Slomiany, Eugene Geer
Production run4,217 units

Popeye Saves The Earth is a 1994 widebody pinball game designed by Python Anghelo and Barry Oursler and released by WMS Industries under the Bally label. It is based on the Popeye comic/cartoon characters licensed from King Features Syndicate.

Contents

It is one of WMS' SuperPin line of widebody games; the tenth and final collaboration between Python Anghelo and Barry Oursler. [2] The playfield artwork was by Pat McMahon and Python Anghelo, and the backglass was designed by John Youssi. [3] It uses the DCS sound system. [4]

Most of the games sold outside the United States. [2]

Story

The game was set in the current day, with a middle-aged Popeye living on an island from residual cheques of his time as a cartoon star. Olive Oyl collects seashells on the beach, and Swee'Pea is nearly 30 years old and has a masters degree in marine biology. Wimpy still has a hamburger addiction. [2]

Bluto has formed an oil company, Brutus Oil, which was responsible for a large oil spill on Popeye's island. [5] [6]

Layout

The game has an upper playfield. [7]

Gameplay

The player launches the ball into a roulette style device. [8] [7]

Reception

Play Meter enjoyed the return to a cartoon theme, even with no movie tie-in. [9] Cash Box International couldn't see the reason for the choice of theme, and found the game to be slow. [10] At a seminar at Pinball Expo on October 27, 1995 it was "unanimously agreed" as being the worst game of recent memory. [11]

References

  1. ↑ IGN.com: Breaking into the Industry: Tim Kitzrow Retrieved on 5 January 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Ciaravino, Joe. "Part III of The Unauthorized Hagiography of Python Anghelo: Yes, The Part With The Pinball Sex". Nudge Magazine. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
  3. ↑ Shalhoub, Michael (2012). The pinball compendium: 1982 to present (revised and expanded 2nd ed.). Atglen, Pa: Schiffer Publishing. pp. 186–187. ISBN   978-0-7643-4107-6.
  4. ↑ "Popeye shoves off". Coin Cascade. May 1994. pp. 6–7.
  5. ↑ Anghelo, Python. Ciaravino, Joe (ed.). "Popeye Description". Nudge Magazine. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
  6. ↑ Anghelo, Python. Popeye proposed theme (PDF).
  7. 1 2 Popeye Saves The Earth operations manual (PDF). Midway Manufacturing Company. January 1994.
  8. ↑ US 5356141,Oursler, Barry; Bil, Zofia& Anghelo, Python,"Roulette scoring device",published 1993-11-12,issued 1994-10-18
  9. ↑ Reeves, Greg (June 1994). "Player's Perspective". Play Meter. Vol. 20, no. 7. pp. 115–116.
  10. ↑ "Popeye". Cash Box International. March 1994. p. 66.
  11. ↑ Bueschel, Richard M. Encyclopedia of Pinball: Whiffle to Rocket, 1930-1933. p. 243. ISBN   9781889933009.
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