Episode 10 - Die on this Hill: Popeye Saves the Earth

PodcastDec 25, 2023

Wedgehead Pinball Podcast

45 min

Summary

Podcast defends Popeye Saves the Earth against community hate, countering visibility and design critiques.

Alan from Wedgehead Pinball hosts Daniel Radin and Ty Ueda from Pop Spinball Boston in the second "Die on this Hill" episode, defending their passionate love for the 1994 Bally Williams Popeye Saves the Earth: a game widely panned by the community. The hosts discuss why casual players are drawn to the game despite its low Pinside ranking (247/286), examine specific negative reviews, and counter criticisms about art style, visibility, rules clarity, and mechanical design while defending the game's underdog status and unique design philosophy.

Highlights

Popeye Saves the Earth ranks 247th out of 286 solid state pinball machines on Pinside
When casual (non-pinball expert) players enter Pop Spinball, approximately 9 out of 10 will walk directly to Popeye over other well-regarded games like Attack from Mars, Haunted House, and The Shadow
Daniel Radin redesigned the center lock mechanism on Popeye to make it more consistent, addressing a major mechanical flaw, but received minimal community response
Python Anghelo, one of the Popeye designers, wrote an essay about the game's lore
Popeye Saves the Earth has a wizard mode that is extremely difficult to reach and rarely completed; only one known YouTube video shows someone achieving it
The 1994 Popeye machine is a Popeye Saves the Earth (widebody format) originally given as a wedding gift and used only for home play before Daniel acquired it from Long Island
Python (Popeye's artist) designed games with visual appeal and artistic intent for location play, using unconventional techniques like raw wood grain in the boat playfield
Gilligan's Island (another game discussed in the 'Die on this Hill' series) ranks 262nd on Pinside, making Popeye's 247th ranking slightly higher