Line #20 VideoGame/Pengo


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pengo.png]]
2	''Pengo'' is a 1982 [[UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame arcade game]] published by Creator/{{Sega}} and developed by Coreland (later renamed Creator/{{Banpresto}}, before their video game division eventually merged into [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Bandai Namco Games]]).
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4	In this game, you control Pengo, a red penguin stuck in an overhead maze made of ice blocks, where Pengo must fight the blob-like things called Sno-Bees. The goal in each round is to destroy all the Sno-Bees, either by smashing them with blocks, crushing the blocks containing their eggs, or stunning them at the wall and then running them over. The more Sno-Bees you take out in one move, the more points you score. You can also rack up bonus points by finishing the round as quickly as possible and/or by lining up the three diamond blocks scattered across the screen. And while you're doing all this, the game plays a (very catchy) 8-bit rendition of Gershon Kingsley's 1969 instrumental "Popcorn."
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6	''Pengo'' was one of Sega's greatest hits at the time, and inspired tons of ports and clones for many systems. However, it's not well-known that ''Pengo'' had a few sequels, [[NoExportForYou albeit none leaving Japan]]. The first sequel, ''Ninkuu Gaiden: Hiroyuki Daikatsugeki'' (November 1995) for UsefulNotes/GameGear, was strangely released as a tie-in game to the manga/anime series ''Manga/{{Ninku}}'', starring that manga's Hiroyuki instead of Pengo. It takes many elements of ''Pengo'''s gameplay with its own additions. The next one, ''Pepenga Pengo'' (December 1995), was released for the [[UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis Genesis]] and completely re-structured to look like a ''VideoGame/{{Bomberman}}'' rip-off.
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8	The third (and currently last) sequel was simply named ''Pengo!'' (2010), which returns to the arcades and focuses on the competitive multiplayer. Here, up to eight people must play against each other for scoring under time limit, with killing each other giving one the highest score. It was later ported and included on Xbox 360 compilation ''Ge-Sen Love: Plus Pengo!'' in 2012. In 2019, this compilation was ported to the Nintendo Switch, with a physical cartridge release. It also never saw an official release outside of Asia, but is not region-locked, and is widely available through online retailers that sell to Western customers.
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10	!!''Pengo'' contains examples of:
11	* BlobMonster: Sno-Bees are a kind of this. Although ''Ninku Gaiden'' has actual animals, instead.
12	* BlockPuzzle: Well, more emphasis on "block" than "puzzle," unless you count lining up the diamond blocks for extra points (no mean feat).
13	* DifficultyByAcceleration: If you take too long in the stage, the Sno-Bees will keep moving faster and coming at you more aggressively.
14	* EndlessGame: As with most Golden Age arcade games, the game simply keeps going until the player loses all of their lives.
15	* HoistByHisOwnPetard: ''Ninku Gaiden'' introduces bumpers that redirect sliding blocks to other directions. If you've kicked your block toward it and didn't move out of its way... Yeah.
16	* {{Intermission}}: Every other round has a short, animated skit (a la ''VideoGame/PacMan'') before going on to the next round.
17	* OneHitPointWonder: As with most Golden Age arcade games, A single touch from the Sno-Bees is enough to kill Pengo.
18	* ProtagonistTitle: Appropriately enough. The only game that doesn't have "Pengo" in its title is ''Ninku Gaiden'', which stars Hiroyuki from the manga ''Manga/{{Ninku}}''.
19	* PublicDomainSoundtrack: The intermission theme in the original ''Pengo'' borrows the famous melody from [[Music/LudwigVanBeethoven Beethoven]]'s Symphony No. 9, Mvt. 4.
20	* ReplacedTheThemeTune: A later version of the arcade game featured original music to replace the under-copyright "Popcorn".
21	* ReReleaseSoundtrack: Some ports replaced the "Popcorn" music with original songs.
22	* ScoreMultiplier: The riskier your gameplay style is, the more points you rack up. Crushng one of the Sno-Bees with a block will give you 400 points, but the score quadraples if you crush them in succession. So if you take out three Sno-Bees at once, for example, you get 6400 points (400x4x4). By comparison, you only get 100 points for stunning a Sno-Bee and running into it.
23	* SetBonus: If you line up the indestructible diamond blocks, it'll give you a huge bonus and temporarily stun the Sno-Bees.
24	* SongsInTheKeyOfPanic: The original arcade game has two "hurry" variations of its theme tune along with DifficultyByAcceleration. However, this only applies to the arcade boards with "Popcorn" music; the ones with original composition never speed up.

Context VideoGame / Pengo