Popeye (1985)/Gameplay

Controls

 * Z and X: By default, the player has to use these two keys to make Popeye walk left and right; Q and A must also be used to make him walk into and out of the background (as well as make him climb up and down ropes, and walk up and down staircases!). You can also press H to pause the game - and if you push R on the start screen, you can redefine the keys (it's also possible to use a Kempston joystick instead of the keyboard).

Popeye
The protagonist of the game; due to technical limitations, he (and all other human characters) have yellow skin in all three versions of the game, making them look like precursors to Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation's Simpsons. As mentioned on the main page, he needs to show his love for Olive Oyl by collecting twenty-five scattered hearts (which are hidden in various places including a one-armed bandit), and taking them back to her house - and he also has to collect keys to open doors (each one opens a particular door), as well as his trademark cans of spinach to revive him when he gets knocked over (all moving characters except for Olive can do this if Popeye is on their "layer" of the screen and Brutus also possesses the ability to change "layers"), but he can only carry a maximum of eight items at a time. Popeye receives 1000 points for every heart he delivers to Olive along with a time bonus for delivering all 25; however, if Olive's loveometer should run out or he should get knocked over without a can of spinach to hand, the game will be over.