Bally
Popeye Saves the Earth Pinside Rating
This game received 157 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.078 /10
Popeye Saves the Earth
Score breakdown
Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:
Game Design: 6.865
Artwork: 7.618
Sounds/Music: 7.132
Other Aspects: 6.847
Pinside staff rating
This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 1 of us has rated this game.
Found 99 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 99 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 4.
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7.592/10
5 months ago
Acworth, GA
Ivve owned it for several months now and and have enjoyed it more than I thought because of all the negative thoughts of it. Build quality is good, flippers feel great like other B/W games. The center Bluto mech takes a beating and usually needs repair. The flipper spring mod in the Bluto mech fixes the lost ball issues. Theme and sounds bring you back to childhood. Probably a 2 to 3 year keeper for me since I'm slow to learn code.
8.288/10
7 months ago
I have had Popeye for 12 years. I still love the; callouts, music, and the theme. The call out’s still make me smile. I like watching people’s face light up we they see all the things you can do, in this game. There is a map you follow on the on upper playfield to find sweet pee.
9.040/10
2 years ago
It’s criminal that this game is so maligned. It’s great. Awesome rules, layout, design. I think people hate on it because A) it’s a wide body and when these are setup poorly they play slow B) It features a large upper playfield and some people just hate uppers with no real reason B) Visibility is not wide open and the gameplay is challenging (I personally like this). Here are some reason why you SHOULD like the game A). The game is DEEP for its era B). The theming is on point and FUN. Awesome that it has a secondary theme and it’s not just flat out “popeye” C). It’s wildly different from most other games. And a great slept on Barry Ousler game! D). The art work is stunning throughout. The fact that entire playfield is a shipping boat is COOL! E) ITS FUN!
Get one, clean it, wax it and set it up properly. Learn the rules master the gameplay and you’ll appreciate it. One of the LAST affordable games from the best era of pinball. Prices won’t last once people catch on.
Get one, clean it, wax it and set it up properly. Learn the rules master the gameplay and you’ll appreciate it. One of the LAST affordable games from the best era of pinball. Prices won’t last once people catch on.
Curitiba
Osborne Park
7.556/10
2 years ago
I this this game gets a bad wrap from most people because of the upper playfield blocking the back part of the game, but I think it's perfectly fine. The loop shots are open and easy to hit and the ramp is nice. This game has a varied amount of things to do like the 4 main modes, collecting animals and items, and finding swea pea on the upper playfield. Accomplishing all that gives you the save olive wizard mode which is pretty fun and satisfying to beat. The hole shots make it a little slow at times and finding swea pea can be a grind so it's got it's flaws but it's definitely better than people give it credit for.
8.604/10
3 years ago
This game is really enjoyable, and I feel lucky to own it. The hidden shots, are annoying at first, but once you begin to understand where they are located, they are no longer an issue. I enjoy the animal ramp, and the upper playfield with the DMD maze that is associated is a lot of fun.
7.864/10
3 years ago
I've read both good and poor reviews of Popeye, and after putting a lot of playing time in I can honestly see both sides of the argument.
There is a lot to like about the game. A wide variety of shots compliment a diverse and interesting layout. It takes more than just one or two games to learn some of the objectives and rewards that can be achieved. Being a wide body SuperPin there is a lot of area to explore. I find this to be more of a thinking/strategy game vs. a super fast action type game. Some may like that aspect, others may not.
The artwork is very fitting for the theme; the playfield, translite, and cabinet all depict Popeye tastefully well. Sound is pleasant to the ears and once again relevant to the theme.
I think it is the overall theme that I cannot commit myself to. While I am not a Spinach Hater I've never really been on board with all things Popeye. This game is probably better suited to someone into boats and more of a marine theme. I'm more of a landlocked, till the fields on a tractor kind of guy. ;)
The music can get a bit repetitive at times and the upkeep on a machine this complex could have its frustrating moments. I do find myself wanting to continue playing/advancing thru the game's features but I think that is more due to the fact that I enjoy pinball vs. experiencing the world of Popeye.
I really do believe that if this layout had been themed something like Star Wars with the Millennium Falcon as the upper playfield (vs a boat) and the Death Star or Darth Vader's face front and center this pin would be beloved and raved about. Even a Battleship theme that still utilized the nautical vibe might be more appealing. Alas, it was themed after a spinach eating sailor and that is ok. The truth is Popeye is a fun game to play and I plan to keep mine around for awhile as I learn what more the game has to offer. It likely will not be a "keeper," but we cannot keep them all, can we? :)
There is a lot to like about the game. A wide variety of shots compliment a diverse and interesting layout. It takes more than just one or two games to learn some of the objectives and rewards that can be achieved. Being a wide body SuperPin there is a lot of area to explore. I find this to be more of a thinking/strategy game vs. a super fast action type game. Some may like that aspect, others may not.
The artwork is very fitting for the theme; the playfield, translite, and cabinet all depict Popeye tastefully well. Sound is pleasant to the ears and once again relevant to the theme.
I think it is the overall theme that I cannot commit myself to. While I am not a Spinach Hater I've never really been on board with all things Popeye. This game is probably better suited to someone into boats and more of a marine theme. I'm more of a landlocked, till the fields on a tractor kind of guy. ;)
The music can get a bit repetitive at times and the upkeep on a machine this complex could have its frustrating moments. I do find myself wanting to continue playing/advancing thru the game's features but I think that is more due to the fact that I enjoy pinball vs. experiencing the world of Popeye.
I really do believe that if this layout had been themed something like Star Wars with the Millennium Falcon as the upper playfield (vs a boat) and the Death Star or Darth Vader's face front and center this pin would be beloved and raved about. Even a Battleship theme that still utilized the nautical vibe might be more appealing. Alas, it was themed after a spinach eating sailor and that is ok. The truth is Popeye is a fun game to play and I plan to keep mine around for awhile as I learn what more the game has to offer. It likely will not be a "keeper," but we cannot keep them all, can we? :)
8.660/10
3 years ago
Underrated pin where there's more that meets the eye. Harder than it looks with a fun ruleset to get to wizard mode.
Bergen
7.736/10
3 years ago
I really enjoy playing this game any chance I get. It will make it on my wishlist!
7.412/10
4 years ago
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of love out there for Popeye. I can see why people aren’t a fan but I can also see why people like it. My wife really enjoys it so it’s a keeper for me.
Pros:
6 ball multi-ball
Wide body/Super Pin
Upper playfield
A fast game when tuned right
Reasonably priced
Easy to find clean examples
Cons:
Upper playfield hides a lot of the lower playfield.
Rule set is not that deep.
Connection between Popeye and saving the earth is a stretch.
A fun game if you don’t take the theme too seriously or look deeply into the rules.
Pros:
6 ball multi-ball
Wide body/Super Pin
Upper playfield
A fast game when tuned right
Reasonably priced
Easy to find clean examples
Cons:
Upper playfield hides a lot of the lower playfield.
Rule set is not that deep.
Connection between Popeye and saving the earth is a stretch.
A fun game if you don’t take the theme too seriously or look deeply into the rules.
7.077/10
4 years ago
Got a chance to play this one recently and enjoyed it. Not a Top Ten pin by any stretch, but still fun. I don’t understand the bad reputation for this machine; it’s not bad. The big boat was distracting, and the play rules were not apparent; you have to play several times to get an idea of what to do to earn points. But no more different than a lot of other pins. Good, solid pin.
7.607/10
4 years ago
Found a Popeye for sale, almost didnt get it because of all the bad stigma. Then I came across one at an arcade, I had a blast playing it! The table is so much fun! The music is great! The callouts are awesome and funny! I think its one of the best looking layouts ever, game play does suffer a little becuase of the blocked view under the lower play field. But after 2 games you start looking past it and you dont even think about it! I ended up buying one for sale afterwards.
After Owning it a year i have updated my rating. Its still fun to play though!
After Owning it a year i have updated my rating. Its still fun to play though!
7.412/10
4 years ago
Interesting layout but I find it difficult to keep track of the ball on the play-field, maybe just need to play it more. Otherwise, very fun game to play and would be a nice addition to a collection if you can pick it up for a reasonable price.
8.980/10
4 years ago
The saving the environment theme is a little weird but you're still basically fighting Bluto and trying to save Olive Oyl. The skill wheel is unique and offers great rewards that requires not much skill at all but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The play field layout is well designed and the upper play field doesn't really block anything once you know where things are. Once you get to know the rules they are pretty easy to understand though some objectives are not that obvious if you don't know the rules. No more so than any other pin? The game has some difficult shots but nothing that's impossible to make. The upper play field is a blast and even though it has it has some quirks it's still extremely fun to play. Not only does it have a maze to find Swee Pea but you can power up your animals and there are a bunch of awards to choose from. Loops can be fast as anything. The DMD animations are fun and really begs for a color DMD, something I would love to add in the future.
This game is a keeper for me. I keep coming back to it and it puts a smile on my face every time. I'm also happy that it is NOT well regarded, so currently prices are low and I was able to get a decent deal on it. It's also cool that it's a wide body!
This game is a keeper for me. I keep coming back to it and it puts a smile on my face every time. I'm also happy that it is NOT well regarded, so currently prices are low and I was able to get a decent deal on it. It's also cool that it's a wide body!
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