Pengo

From Sega Retro

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Pengo Title.png

Pengo
System(s): Custom arcade hardware, Sega Game Gear, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit Family
Publisher: Sega,
Atari 2600
Atari 5200
Atari 8-bit Family
Atari
Developer:
Genre: Puzzle

















Release Date RRP Code
Atari 8-bit Family
US 		RX8045
Atari 8-bit Family
EU
Sega Game Gear
JP 		¥2,9002,900 G-3102
Sega Game Gear
EU 		2202
Sega Game Gear
KR

Pengo (ペンゴ) is an arcade game developed by Sega and Coreland and published by Sega. It stars Pengo the penguin who must navigate a maze and defeat all the enemy "sno-bees" by pushing blocks of ice. It was released in 1982 and was a reasonable success.

In the original release, the main music track in Pengo extremely similar to the 1969 synthpop instrumental Popcorn. This was changed in a revised version (which also draws its maze instantly), and again in the many home ports and conversions. Also included is Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, third movement for the intermission screens.

Gameplay

Pengo intro.png

In Pengo, the main objective of the game is to eliminate all the snow-bees on-screen in the shortest time possible. Comparisons can be drawn with Hudson Soft's Bomberman franchise, though rather than laying bombs, Pengo must push blocks.

Every block in the level can be pushed in one of four directions, provided there is space for the block to move. If an "ice block" is aligned next to another block, Pengo will smash it. Pushing a block will cause it to slide across the screen until it hits a solid obstacle (i.e. a wall or another block).

In each stage, three "diamond blocks" exist, which cannot be destroyed. If the player can line them up in a row (or column) of three, a bonus is awarded.

Pengo is joined by a number of snow-bees, who typically wander around the stage acting as a hazard. If Pengo touches a snow-bee, a life is lost, but if a sliding block collides with a snow-bee, the snow-bee will be killed. More points are awarded for killing two or more snow-bees with the same block. Snow-bees can also be hit by Pengo when "stunned", caused by "wobbling" the edge of the stage (if a snow-bee is positioned on that edge of the screen) or by aligning the three diamond blocks.

Two types of snow-bee exist - a normal type, which simply wanders around the stage, following Pengo if it is close, and a more aggressive type, which can destroy ice blocks. Snow-bee "eggs" can also hatch from beneath ice blocks (which are highlighted at the start of each stage).

Similar to games such as Namco's Dig Dug, if only one enemy is left on screen, it will try and escape by running off to one of the corners.

Scoring

Crushing a snow-bee with an ice block awards the player 400 points. It is 1600 if two are crushed in one push, 3200 if three and 6400 if four. Walking over a stunned Sno-Bee awards 100 points. 10000 points are awarded for aligning the three diamond blocks together if at least one is not touching a wall, but only 5000 if all are against a wall.

Smashing an ice block will award 30 points, or 500 points if it contains a Sno-Bee egg.

A bonus is awarded upon round completion, depending on time elapsed:
5000 points for under 20 seconds
2000 points for between 20–29 seconds
1000 points for between 30–39 seconds
500 points for between 40–49 seconds
10 points for between 50–59 seconds
0 points for 60 seconds or more

By default, Pengo begins with three lives and a bonus life is awarded at 30000 points. These values can be changed (anywhere from 2 to 5 lives, and the bonus life can be awarded at 50000 instead) through DIP switch settings.

History

Ports

Pengo was ported to the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit computer line and Sega Game Gear (where it was one of three launch titles for the system in Japan, along with Columns and Super Monaco GP). There were also numerous clones, such as Pengi for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron. Capcom's Don't Pull (Donburu), a game which features as part of Wonder 3, is based on Pengo. Pengo was also released as part of Sega Ages Memorial Selection Vol.1 for the Sega Saturn.

An enhanced version of Pengo was later released for the Sega Mega Drive in the form of Pepenga Pengo. Papenga Pengo also contains a reproduction of this game to play.

A 2010 version of Pengo was released in 2010 for Sega RingWide arcade hardware, adding 8-player support and a higher screen resolution.

Pengo the Penguin was recently found as an unused model in Sonic the Fighters.

Production credits

Arcade version

In the arcade version, the credits screen can be accessed in the attract mode by holding Up on both joysticks, holding both action buttons, and pressing  START .

  • Directed by: Nobuo Kodera
  • Programmed by: Akira Nakakuma
  • Designed by: Shinji Egi

Coreland Technology Inc. 1982.9.1

Magazine articles

Main article: Pengo/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

  • Arcade US flyer

  • Arcade US flyer (alt)

  • Arcade JP flyer

Physical scans

Arcade version

Arcade, US
Pengo Arcade US Manual.pdf
Manual
Arcade, JP

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
65 №15, p110[2]
60 №4, p56[3]
80 №23, p61
54 №31, p34
70 №5, p20[4]
76 №19, p91
Sega Game Gear
 68
Based on
6 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
60
[5]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
70
[6]
Consoles + (FR)
75
[7]
Console XS (UK) PAL
79
[8]
FX (UK)
80
[9]
Game Power (IT)
80
[10]
Gamers (DE)
67
[11]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
50
[12]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
76
[13]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
48
[14]
Player One (FR)
65
[2]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
75
[15]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
54
[16]
Sega Pro (UK)
70
[4]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
79
[17]
Sega Force (UK)
60
[3]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
75
[18]
Zero (UK)
76
[19]
Sega Game Gear
 69
Based on
18 reviews

Pengo

Game Gear, EU
Pengo GG EU Box Back.jpgNospine.pngPengo gg eu cover.jpg
Cover
Pengo gg eu cart.jpg
Cart
Game Gear, JP
Pengo GG JP Box Back.jpgNospine-small.pngPengo gg jp cover.jpg
Cover
Pengo gg jp cart.jpg
Cart
Pengo GG JP Manual.pdf
Manual
Game Gear, KR

Pengo GG KR cartback.jpgPengo GG KR Cart.jpg
Cart

Atari 2600 version

Atari 2600, US
Pengo Atari2600 US Silver Box Back.jpgNospine.pngPengo Atari2600 US Silver Box Front.jpg
Cover
Pengo Atari2600 US Cart Silver.jpg
Cart
Atari 2600, EU

Pengo 2600 EU Cart.jpg
Cart

Atari 5200 version

Atari 5200, US
Pengo Atari5200 US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngPengo Atari5200 US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Pengo Atari5200 US Cart.jpg
Cart
Pengo 5200 us manual.pdf
Manual

Atari 8-bit Family version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
70 №34, p34[1]
Atari 8-bit Family
 70
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Computer & Video Games (UK)
70
[1]
Tilt (FR)
100
[20]
Tilt (FR)
100
[21]
Atari 8-bit Family
 90
Based on
3 reviews

Pengo

Atari 8-bit family, US
Pengo A8B US Box Front.jpg
Cover

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 File:CVG UK 034.pdf, page 34 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 034.pdf_p34" defined multiple times with different content
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 File:PlayerOne FR 015.pdf, page 110 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:PlayerOne FR 015.pdf_p110" defined multiple times with different content
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 File:SegaForce UK 04.pdf, page 56 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaForce UK 04.pdf_p56" defined multiple times with different content
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 File:SegaPro UK 05.pdf, page 20 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaPro UK 05.pdf_p20" defined multiple times with different content
  5. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 231
  6. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "February 1991" (JP; 1991-01-08), page 84
  7. ↑ Consoles +, "Janvier 1992" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 111
  8. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 149
  9. ↑ FX (UK) (+0:00)
  10. ↑ Game Power, "Dicembre 1991" (IT; 1991-1x-xx), page 71
  11. ↑ Gamers, "Februar/März 1992" (DE; 1992-xx-xx), page 20
  12. ↑ Hippon Super, "February 1991" (JP; 1991-01-07), page 42
  13. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Mayo 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 110
  14. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 143
  15. ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 61
  16. ↑ Sega Power, "June 1992" (UK; 1992-05-07), page 34
  17. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 74
  18. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 88
  19. ↑ Zero, "May 1991" (UK; 1991-0x-xx), page 91
  20. ↑ Tilt, "Juin 1984" (FR; 1984-xx-xx), page 40
  21. ↑ Tilt, "Novembre/Décembre 1984" (FR; 1984-xx-xx), page 86



Games in the Pengo series
Pengo (1982) | Pepenga Pengo (1995) | Ge-Sen Love: Plus Pengo! (2012)
Pengo (1982) | FL Pengo (No results?) | Ninku Gaiden: Hiroyuki Daikatsugeki (1995) | Hello Kitty no Magical Block (2000) | Pengo for Zaurus (2001) | Pengo (No results?) | Pengo (2009) | Pengo! (No results?)
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