Popeye is a perennial favourite, these Killer Tomatoes may come and go but the world's most famous sailorman lives on in these three games from Alternative. What a shame then, that they're not that good. Actually, that's a bit unfair 'cos Popeye is a bit of a laugh and Popeye 2 does have its good bits. Anyway, lets take a look at them one by one, shall we?

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This is undoubtedly the best of the bunch - it's big, it's blocky and it's a bit beaut! The sprites are massive and dead colourful yet, despite their bulk, they manage to move with ease. You play the part of our Pops and you have to collect enough hearts to convince the fickle Olive that you really love her. If you don't... well, she might just run off with that brute Bluto.

Popeye is kind of 3D; it's difficult to explain but you can take refuge in doorways and window alcoves. Y'see, even though they look exactly like the rest of the scenery, they are actually set back from the rest. As well as being very clever, this is also very useful and is therefore a very good thing. So whenever Bluto comes blundering towards you, or a vicious vulture vrooms straight for your jugular - find a doorway! Ah, talking of doorways, you need to collect keys too as these give you access to other areas of the game.

As for the baddies, they seem to have absolutely no connection with the game, or with each other - apart from the fact that they all knock you out. I mean, one minute you're fighting off a witch and the next a floating shark knocks you out! It's mad. It's also quite a laugh.

Overall: 80%

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Oh no, that silly sausage Olive has gone and fallen foul of Bluto's burly biceps! He's grabbed her and made a run for it and you've got to save your babe. Lucky ol' Olive, eh? Popeye 2 is a platform game and it looks lovely. The characters, the platforms, the ladders and the various bits and bobs are all beautifully drawn. It really does look like ifs going to be a complete treat to play.

But wouldn't you just know it - appearances are playing that old deceiving trick again. Popeye 2 plays like a particularly spoilt child losing at Frustration - badly! The little Popeye sprite is wonderful until you actually try moving him. It's at this point that you begin to realise that this isn't going to be the pleasant experience that you were anticipating.

Popeye insists on falling down gaps rather than jumping over them and sometimes refuses to get off the ladders when you want him to. What's more, he has a marked fondness for death. Death comes in many guises but, whatever the means, Popeye always falls flat on his back with a rather large pot-belly stuck in the air. This confuses me. Popeye, standing upright, looks like rather a thin little chap - where does this belly come from? Oh well, pot-belly or no pot-belly - it's still not a very good game.

Overall: 65%

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Popeye 3 isn't very good at all because the basic concept behind Popeye 3 is crap. It really does seem as if Alternative thought they should get in on the wrestling thang, and quickly. So they came up with the idea of some alien fiends called KRAGGS kidnapping Popeye and forcing him to save the earth by, erm, wrestling.

The gameplay was tied to this conceptual plot and it really shows. The main sprites are murky and undefined and the gameplay is simply dull. Popeye 3 doesn't work as a wrestling game. You could have fun with it, but not for very long.

Overall: 50%

Graphics 85%
Popeye 1 and 2 look pretty darn good. Both are pretty darn good, Popeye 3 has smart aliens.

Sonics 70%
We've got the Popeye theme tune and various blips and blops. Good, but not great.

Grab Factor 70%
These games are easy to grasp and quite easy to settle down with - but for how long?

Staying Power 50%
You'll play Popeye for ages. Popeye 2 for a while and Popeye 3 is only for serious wrestling fans.

Overall 60%
Popeye is the only game of the three that you should own. The other two are okay, but nothing special at all.