While I am not a fan of LEDs, I get so happy when I see the ColorDMD. About a year after doing the coloring (and taking a lot of crap for doing it) I asked Randy (DMOD) how they are selling. I said I know you can't give me numbers, but are people buying them? He told me more than he had expected. I'm very happy.

Pinball Life have the Animal ramp in different colours.

This is essential if yours is missing the lane dividers on that upper playfield ramp - commonly broken/missing
https://www.pinballspareparts.com.au/parts-by-machine/bally-parts/popeye-saves-the-earth/a-17769.html

Pinball Spare Parts have quite a few Popeye parts available.

I sold Popeye a few months ago.

I really miss it

I got a nice Popeye for sale on here if anyone is interested Thanks

Tech help needed please. In test the left loop roll over switch testsfine. In game play it will not register. Any suggestions?

If it was me, I would replace micro switch and the diode. As neither cost much. The micro switches can be flakey sometimes and the diodes are to cheap to try to reuse.

Duh my mistake , it was the game rules that the loop light does not turn off when you go there it is a multiplier. Thank you

Popeye owners - would one of you kindly do me a favor please? I need photos of the 12 pin IDC connector to the ball trough opto board, showing the wires clearly in order with the connector. and the wires that jump off the rear opto trough board to its mate in the front side.

i purchased a new set, and the previous owner hacked and spliced and jumped at least two wires and i could use a visual aid please. using your photo to replace the idc and connector.

example attached

thanks!

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Friend - did you change the batteries out while it was turned off? If so it lost its settings and youll need to go into the menu and turn attract mode on, or to a higher setting if there is one. it will often lose free play and high scores when that happens also - any customized setting. Leave it on and carefully replace them and it wont happen in the future.

Here you go.

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Super helpful thank you! Can you also photo the 4 pin plug on the other trough opto so i can see how the two boards connect with the pass thru wires?

Thanks again!

NM on pic #2 i replaced them today. the replacement opto sets from Pinball Life are great btw - two red leds clearly tell you if they are all working.

Narrowing the issues down. Trough optos and IDCs replaced. controllee board repaired. ground issue removed. Still cant get it to launch a ball half the time (and now all of the time) even after snipping the old connectors and replacing the launch switch and button.

One favor to ask - im suspecting the repaired IDC wiiring on the Coin Door Interface board just inside the coin door to the left (A-17051-1). Cant get these boards either but appears fine. Switch test doesnt register the button anymore either.

Would one of you be kind enough to photo a top down view of the following two IDC connectors on the top of that board so i can see the correct wiring order please?

Will be a big help.
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Bump - can anyone help with the two connector photos please?

Nevermind - i took an educated guess and figured out one was in the wrong spot. Now i have a failing coin door switch next, and i think cold solder on the bluto popper. Just one issue after another..

Does anybody have a scan of the mini playfield or can scan it?

I have a mini playfield I could *maybe* have scanned.

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/ad/89913

Holy grail part there. NOS center scoop.

Neat.

It's SO nice to find more people who have a popeye
I got mine as a Christmas-present from a friend
It's in need of some love and attention, one thing breaks after the other (a wire there, a connector there and so on), but it works and plays well and the playfield is in great condition

I've seen the colorDMD for this game, and i really like it but can't afford it so i've started work colouring the game for pin2dmd Not gotten so far yet but i don't own a pin2dmd yet either

Here is my work thread if anyone wants to use it or contribute.
I've taken inspiration from some pictures i've seen of the colorDMD but it's not a copy and i think it will differ a lot as i've only seen a gif and some gameplay on youtube

Good luck. I'm looking forward to seeing how scenes like the Toxic Waste barrels comes out

What’s up, Popeye people!!

I just picked a Popeye up and that needs a little work. I’ve been able to find everything except for a new decal set. Does anyone have high resolution scans of the cabinet art they would be willing to share (I have a local decal printer I can use) or know of a place within the US to buy cabinet decals?

I only seem to only be able to find them sold in Europe. Any leads would be great appreciated. Thanks!

Just got a Popeye in nice shape . how do you raise the upper playfield ? Thanks

Remove Blutos head - 2 screws. You will then see another 2 screws to remove. Playfield can then be carefully tilted up and back - it's hinged at the rear. Great design - only thing to watch is plastics/ramp on the left side which *can* catch as you raise or lower. Exercise the usual caution.

Thank You

I'm way late with this reply, but I think Popeye is one of the best ColorDMD games overall, so kudos. It's especially nice with the LED version of the board.

Joined the club last Wednesday. Currently I have a DMD that takes a bit to warm up. Cab is very faded and some plastics are as well. Couple stickers need to be replace but she plays smooth. Bluto scoop is beat to sleep but still works fine.

I did however reset it somehow and it reverts to French language. I was able to get it back to English in adjustments. I wasn’t happy about loosing the high scores. Wanted to work towards beating them.

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Hello everyone. Loving my popeye but still unable to locate a 3D bluto head to purchase. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Just finished my new Popeye flipper topper design (for standard flipper bats only, NOT lighting bats): https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/ad/95190

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https://shop.mrpinball.com.au/product/bluto-popeye/

Don't forget to read the guide I wrote ( many hours of my life I'll never get back )

https://papa.org/wp-content/uploads/Popeye.pdf

Great guide! Read and printed the file when I first got my Popeye. Thanks for your work on it!

Thanks !

Popeye wheel issue. Used to be intermittent but after launch ball the wheel would instantly stop. I thought it might be a opto but they all appear to work. I took apart the assembly and couldn’t find any issues. An idea?

How does it perform in diagnostic test ?

Is it possible another unrelated switch is triggering somewhere so the machine thinks the ball is no longer in the wheel assembly ?

I was thinking the same thing it looks like the wheel test is performing fine. But the wheel eject seems to be spotty so I was thinking it’s possibly that switch but then I go into the switch matrix and Test that and it works fine unless somehow with the ball ejector the vibration is causing it to cut out?

Looks like there’s an extra Opto assembly board under the playfield where maybe there was a loose connector. Looks like it’s working OK now we’ll see how long it lasts.

Mr Tantrum's flipper toppers. My Popeye has regular sized bats on the lower flippers, but these IMO fit fine on lightning bats as well, just make sure to center them.

RM

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Does anybody have a spare scoop available?

Baby Popeye

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Im about to start pimping out my Popeye with new decals and white powder coated rails and legs will post pictures when complete

Hello Popeye owners. Just saw a nice update on EBAY. Its a sticker or decal kit. Right now he is working on adding the boat bow decals to the kit so it will be complete. Finally someone is working on a decal set. I am waiting for the addition of boat decals but here is the link.(soon) Popeye Saves the Earth Pinball Decal Set. . . EBAY #284013075901
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Years ago a made some target decals for my beloved Popeye too.
I did it in two colors because i was unsure.
I also found the skillshot boring or too easy, so I made alternative decals for it as well, to make the result (gift) random.

Still have a few sets in stock.

High quality vinyl with an laminated extra layer.
2 of each decal in the package for a backup.
You can choose your favorite color and skillshot decals

29,- $ inclusive shipping via envelope from germany.

Interested? Message me.

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He has added a second set of popeye decals on ebay.

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Great work - if I still had a Popeye I'd be getting these.

Covering up that ugly metal 'L' bracket was a must

I recently bought a Popeye and started to play it.. ok it's not the best game ever but I'm trying to learn the rules and appreciate it..

Lots of negative comments are about the large upper playfield, you loose sight of the ball almost the whole time.
I remember someone once made a clear acrylic upper playfield, but don't know how well it played then.

But this had me thinking - why can't you just play it with the whole upper playfield removed ?
Has anyone ever tried this ?

You loose some shots that give more points, but I think the game still is completely playable and you can even reach the wizard mode ?
The animal ramp can be reached from the left scoop (which now is more visible), and the escalator can be made so the ball drops nicely into the pop bumpers..

So, thoughts.. am I on to something ? Did anyone ever try it ? Or am I missing something ?

...yeah a lots of negative comments indeed, but may they never had the game nice working at home.
Great theme integration of that evergreen theme! Nice rulesheet, nice flow, and the performance of the upper playfield is top 3 in my eyes.
The blocked view bullshit is unsubstantially, what you want to see, ball in the bumpers?
You can see the OIL to switch and the shots in the 2 scoops left and right you can feel

I have a great collection of the last blockbuster pins but PPY is still one of my most loving titles, because of the quite easy mood without screeming, smashing and crashing action.

Of course to rebuid the upper PF is nonsense!

I have heard a lot of comments about Popeye but that is the craziest

The upper playfield is a blast - finding Swee Pea in the maze is one of the toughest and therefore most satisfying challenges in 90s pinball. Plus you can make the Wimpy shot into the Skill wheel for some useful awards.

I wrote a crazy long takedown and rulesheet on Popeye a few years ago at the height of my Popeye fixation ....

https://papa.org/wp-content/uploads/Popeye.pdf

I want to see the scoops to shoot at, not just the arrows. I want to see the ball enter the ramp left and see it go along the back onto the right.. not shoot something left and suddenly have it appear on the right.

I just wondered how it would feel and play then.

...sorry, still don't miss something.
But hey, try to convince me.
Take the mini PF off. May i'll need a 2nd PPY without mini PF.