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As we reported last issue, there's a new Popeye game on the very near horizon from those talented Sheffield peeps Alternative (and their even more talented and wacky programmers Bizarre). Here at SU Towers, we're all big Popeye fans, and so we're getting very excited about the whole thing.

We immediately picked up the phone to book an appointment with him, but then we suddenly remembered that he's only a cartoon character so our chances of actually meeting him were seriously slim. Of course, this doesn't stop some people from pretending they've met him, but here at SU we don't like to pull the wool over our readers' eyes, so we got hold of a working demo of the game and now, before your very eyes, Marc Richards tells the story...

Poor old Popeye. He really does get into some tight situations, doesn't he? Not least of which is his current dilemma. Y'see, as we told you last month, the Klaggs are about. These Klaggs are a race of aliens, who happen to have a bit of an inferiority complex. As it happens, they want to prove to the universe that they're well 'ard tough nuts, and that they are the most powerful race in the galaxy. They intend to do this by taking over all the planets, one by one, starting with the weakest and working their way up.

To do this, one inhabitant from every planet is to be elected to represent their race in an intergalactic wrestling tournament against members of other galaxies. And guess who's chosen to fight for us on Earth? That's right - everybody's face sailorman, Popeye!

You control Popsy through the fighting, face the dastardly aliens one at a time, only progressing to the next if you manage to beat the one you're currently battling. The matches take place on intergalactic wrestling rings. The ring that our slice of the universe will compete on is located on the moon. (This tournament must've taken a fair amount of organising!)

Popeye is capable of a whole array of different fighting moves, from grappling to headlocks to leaping off the corner ropes (like Tag Team). Each alien is also capable of his, her or its (as the case may be) own special move, which may well come in handy. On the SU demo version, Popeye is up against the evil dragon-like Vantarg from the planet Giggocco (a popular holiday resort, I believe), who is feared by all for his vice-like grip! (Ooer, mummy!)

Both participants have energy bars which deplete as more damage is inflicted. Once it has completely run out, the player falls to the canvas ready for his opponent to pin him (her or it) to the floor. Keep the player pinned for a count of three, and you've won, and it's on to the next mutated, hideous smelling creature.

Oh, and you have to beat five aliens to win the contest and prove that Earth isn't just a big pansy-filled ball that's going to take orders from a load of Klaggs with attitude problems.

One particularly nice touch in Popeye 3 are the power-ups. When your energy is low, one of your friends standing around the ring - Olive Oyl, Wimpy and Brutus - will throw in a can of spinach or a hamburger. Get to these and your energy or strength will be boosted up by a rather worthwhile amount. Of course, the aliens won't let Popeye get away with such cheating and so they throw in goodies for their fighters too.

From what I've seen of Popeye 3, I like it! At this present moment in time I can't help but compare it to this month's Tag Team Wrestling. But I will tell you this! Popeye 3 looks well on the way to making mincemeat (or mashed spinach) out of certain other wrestling games on the Spectrum. The graphics are better, there's more sound, there are brilliant power-ups, plus some other clever touches. For instance, there's a neat graphical touch when Popeye is on the verge of unconsciousness - stars pop out of his eyes and start to whirl around his head just like in the cartoons!

Look out for a full review of the computer game Popeye 3 in the next issue of SU. It'll be a cracker! (And the game won't be bad either!)

Some say that Brutus isn't called Brutus, he's called Bluto. Well, let SU put it straight once and for all. He's only known as Bluto in America - in the rest of the world he's Brutus.

When the Popeye cartoons first started in 1933, Popeye and Brutus were real mates. It wasn't until the pin-striped Olive Oyl came along that they started beating each other up (presumably over her, though I can't imagine why!).

Spinach tastes like vomit.

Popeye has already appeared in two Speccy computer adventures - Popeye and Popeye2 (Surprise, surprise!), which were both completely different from this new beat-'em-up release. They were simple platformers, with Popeye traipsing up and down ladders from level to level, helping out his friends and avoiding his enemies...

1. Popeye
   The original and (so far) best Popeye game. This beauty came out at the end of 1985 and was a great, colourful platformer. The graphics even beat the sequel, and it was one of the best Spectrum releases of the game genre at the time.
2. Popeye 2
   Released in 1991 and earning only an average 73%, Popeye 2 had lovely big sprites but not a lot of colour. The control method was a bit dodgy and while it attempted to add a beat-'em-up element to the game, it didn't quite come off too well. As Steve Kenn rightly concluded at the time; not bad, but not great either.