Gameplay
The object of the game is for Popeye to collect a certain number of items, depending on the level—24 hearts, 16 musical notes, or the letters in the word "help"—while avoiding the Sea Hag, Brutus (originally Bluto) and other dangers. The player can make Popeye walk back and forth and up and down stairs and ladders with an 8-way joystick. There is an attack button, but unlike similar games of the period, no jump button. Conversely, Brutus can jump down a level and also jump up to hit Popeye if he is directly above.
Despite the feature of an attack button, Popeye cannot (normally) attack Bluto directly. Instead, the button is used for the following:
-The attack button destroys items that could hurt Popeye such as bottles, vultures and skulls.
-Each level has a can of spinach; attacking these cans will give Popeye invincibility and he can knock out Brutus just by running into him, although after a few seconds Brutus will swim back out and be ready for action again.
-In Round 1 (the dock scene) of each three-round cycle is a punching bag, which Popeye can use to knock loose a nearby barrel from its position near the top of the playing field. If the barrel falls onto Brutus' head, the player earns bonus points (based on where Brutus was attacked) and renders Brutus harmless for several seconds.
Other licensed Popeye characters in the game are Olive Oyl, Swee' Pea, and Wimpy, though they are mostly decorative and do not add heavily to the gameplay. Wimpy appears in Round 2 (the street scene) on one end of the see-saw in the lower left corner of the field, to act as a counterweight. Swee' Pea floats high above, with bonus points to be earned if Popeye can spring off the see-saw and touch him.
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