History WesternAnimation / SaturdaySupercade

An hourlong AnimatedAnthology of shorts, produced by Creator/RubySpears for Creator/{{CBS}}, based on games from the UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames. As might be expected with the limited amount of plot in the games of that era, the stories diverged wildly from the games out of sheer necessity. The following games were featured:

* ''VideoGame/{{Pitfall}}''[[note]]featuring Pitfall Harry, his niece Rhonda, and their cowardly pet lion Quickclaw, all of whom [[CanonImmigrant later appeared in]] ''Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns'' for the UsefulNotes/{{Atari 2600}}.[[/note]]

* ''Donkey Kong Junior''

* ADayInTheLimelight: Stanley the Bugman from ''Donkey Kong 3'' appears in the "Greenhouse Gorilla" episode of the ''Donkey Kong'' segment.

* AdaptationExpansion:
** ''Q*bert'' was set in a 1950s-themed HighSchoolAU, with Q*bert as the letterman hero and Coily as his greaser SitcomArchNemesis. Both Q*bert and Coily had girlfriends in this version as well. They also [[PragmaticAdaptation gave everyone arms, even the snakes]].
** ''Frogger'' became an IntrepidReporter for the ''Swamp Gazette'' who investigates mysteries and fights crime, braving various dangers along the way.
** Probably the most notable example was the ''Pitfall'' segment giving Harry a couple of sidekicks, who actually appeared in later games.

** Q*bert's girlfriend Q*tee was added to ''Q*bert Rebooted'' as an unlockable skin 31 years after her last appearance.

** In ''[[VideoGame/QBert Q*bert]]'' (the video game) Sam and Slick are enemy characters, undoing Q*bert's work by changing the blocks back to their original colors. In the cartoon, they're good guys.

* CanonImmigrant: The new characters from the ''Pitfall!'' cartoon were then used in the game's first sequel, ''Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns'', and even showed up in some later games.
* CartoonPhysics: Frogger is flattened [[ObligatoryJoke in every episode]], and then reinflated, usually with a bicycle pump.

* AdaptationalJerkass: Mario in the ''Donkey Kong'' segments straddled the line between this and AdaptaionalVillainy, since his personality hadn't been fully established yet in the games. He's not evil, but he's presented as a closed-minded short-tempered antagonist rather than the unambiguously heroic figure he is now. Because of that, he's also likely to be the episode's ButtMonkey.

** All the characters from the ''Kangaroo'' game are given names. The mother (who was just "Mama Kangaroo" in the games) is named K.O. Katie, her son is named [[PunnyName Joey]], and the monkeys are named Bingo, Bango, Bongo, and Fred.

** ''Q*Bert'' was set in a 1950s-themed HighSchoolAU, with Q*Bert as the letterman hero and Coily as his greaser SitcomArchNemesis. Both Q*Bert and Coily had girlfriends in this version as well.

* AdaptationalVillainy: Mario in the ''Donkey Kong'' segments. He's not evil, but he's presented as a closed-minded short-tempered antagonist rather than the unambiguously heroic figure he is now. Because of that, he's also likely to be the episode's ButtMonkey.

%% * DeepSouth: The ''Frogger'' segments is set in this kind of a swamp. Also, the ''Donkey Kong'' cartoon "Mississippi Madness".

** All the characters from the ''Kangaroo'' game are given names. The mother is named K.O. Katie, her son is named [[PunnyName Joey]], and the monkeys are named Bingo, Bango, Bongo, and Fred.

* CanonImmigrant: The new characters from the ''Pitfall!'' cartoon were then used in the game's first sequel, ''Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns'', and even showed up in some later games.

** ''Frogger'' became an IntrepidReporter for the ''Swamp Gazette'' who fights crime, braving various dangers along the way.

* EarlyAdaptationWeirdness: The ''Donkey Kong'' and ''Donkey Kong Junior'' segments barely resemble either the ''Mario'' or ''DK'' universe we know today.

** Pauline was unnamed in the original ''Donkey Kong'' game, only referred to as "Lady". This show gave her the name Pauline, which was later made canon.

* BrattyHalfPint: Donkey Kong Jr. is basically [[WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo Scrappy-Doo]] turned into a powerful monkey.

* DayInTheLimelight: Stanley the Bugman from ''Donkey Kong 3'' appears in the "Greenhouse Gorilla" episode of the ''Donkey Kong'' segment.

* AdventureTowns: Frequently used in both ''Donkey Kong'' and ''Donkey Kong Junior''.
* BananaPeel / SlipperySkid: With Donkey Kong, of course.
* BoisterousBruiser: Donkey Kong.

* BusinessOfGenericImportance: The companies/businesses in the "Frogger" segment are always vague, i.e. "Big City College", "City Bus Co."

* DeepSouth: The ''Frogger'' segments is set in this kind of a swamp. Also, the ''Donkey Kong'' cartoon "Mississippi Madness".

* TheFifties: The ''Q*bert'' segments are set in this era.

* IntrepidReporter: Frogger's main profession is this.
* MischiefMakingMonkey: The Monkey Biz Gang in the ''Kangaroo'' segments.

* RoadrunnerVsCoyote: The ''Donkey Kong'' segments, with Mario as the Coyote.

* SouthernBelle: Miss Persimmon, owner of a banana plantation, in the Donkey Kong cartoon "Gorilla My Dreams".

%% * EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys

** Probably the most notable example was the ''Pitfall'' segment giving Harry a couple of sidekicks, who actually appeared in later games.

* SquashedFlat: Running gag with Frogger is him being squished, usually by a car.

* BoxingKangaroo: In Season 2, "K.O. Katie" Kangaroo in ''Kangaroo''. In her [[TrouserSpace Kangaroo Pouch Space]] she can hold lots of things, including her all-powerful boxing gloves. (In one lead-in bumper to ''Donkey Kong'', Katie pulled out Donkey Kong, who himself was wearing boxing gloves, while looking for the gloves.)

* CartoonPhysics: Frogger is flattened [[ObligatoryJoke in every episode]], and then reflated, usually with a bicycle pump.

* DayInTheLimelight: Stanley the Bugman from ''Donkey Kong 3'' appears in one episode of the ''Donkey Kong'' segment.

** All the characters from the ''Kangaroo'' game are given names. The mother is named K.O. Kangaroo, her son is named [[PunnyName Joey]], and the monkeys are named Bingo, Bango, Bongo, and Fred.

* RoadrunnerVsCoyote: The ''Donkey Kong'' segments.

* SquashedFlat: Running gag with Frogger is him being squished by a car.

* AdaptationExpansion: Most of the shows/segments.

* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys

* TheFifties: The ''Q*bert'' segments are set in this kind of period in time.

* OncePerEpisode: In the ''Donkey Kong'' segments, the titular character grabs Pauline, and it is up to Mario to save her. However, in some episodes, Pauline is captured by the BigBad of the episode, meaning that it's up to Donkey Kong to save Pauline.

* ThoseTwoBadGuys: Barnacle and Long John in the Donkey Kong cartoon "Gorilla My Dreams".

An hourlong AnimatedAnthology of shorts, produced by Creator/RubySpears for Creator/{{CBS}}, based on early 1980s video games. As might be expected with the limited amount of plot in the games of that era, the stories diverged wildly from the games out of sheer necessity. The following games were featured:

* EarlyAdaptationWeirdness: The ''Donkey Kong'' and ''Donkey Kong Junior'' segments barely resemble either the ''Mario'' or ''DK'' universe we know today. For example, Mario uses his original ''Donkey Kong'' design and is related to Pauline.