BurgerTime

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This article is about the video game. For the restaurant, see Burger Time.
BurgerTime
Arcade flyer
Developer(s)Data East[a]
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)Arcade, Apple II, Aquarius, Atari 2600, BBC Micro, Coleco Adam, ColecoVision, IBM PC, Intellivision, MSX, NES, TI-99/4A
Release
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)1-2 players alternating turns

BurgerTime,[b] originally released as Hamburger in Japan, is a 1982 arcade video game from Data East released initially for its DECO Cassette System. The player is chef Peter Pepper, who must walk over hamburger ingredients in a maze of platforms and ladders while avoiding anthropomorphic hot dogs, fried eggs, and pickles which are in pursuit.

In the United States, Data East USA licensed BurgerTime for distribution by Bally Midway as a standard dedicated arcade game.[7] Data East also released its own version of BurgerTime in the United States through its DECO Cassette System. The Data East and Midway versions are distinguished by the manufacturer's name on the title screen and by the marquee and cabinet artworks, as the game itself is identical. The game's original Japanese title Hamburger changed outside of Japan to BurgerTime, reportedly to avoid potential trademark issues. In addition to all releases in the Western world, BurgerTime also became the title used for the Japanese ports and sequels.

The first home port of BurgerTime was released for the Intellivision console in 1983, followed by versions for other systems. There have been multiple sequels for both the arcade and home.

When Data East went bankrupt in 2003, G-Mode bought most of Data East's intellectual properties, including BurgerTime, BurgerTime Deluxe, Super BurgerTime, and Peter Pepper's Ice Cream Factory.[8][9]

Gameplay[edit]

The first level of the arcade version, with Peter Pepper at center, climbing a ladder.

The object of the game is to build a number of hamburgers while avoiding enemy foods. The player controls the protagonist, chef Peter Pepper, with a four-position joystick and a "pepper" button.

Each level is a maze of platforms and ladders in which giant burger ingredients (bun, meat patty, tomato, lettuce) are arranged. When Peter walks the full length of an ingredient, it falls to the level below, knocking down any ingredient that happens to be there. A burger is completed when all of its vertically aligned ingredients have been dropped out of the maze and onto a waiting plate. The player must complete all burgers to finish the board.

Three types of enemy food items wander the maze: Mr. Hot Dog, Mr. Pickle, and Mr. Egg. The player can score extra points by either crushing them under a falling ingredient or dropping an ingredient while they are on it. In the latter case, the ingredient falls two extra levels for every enemy caught on it. Crushed or dropped enemies return to the maze after a short time.

At the start of the game, the player is given a limited number of pepper shots to use against enemies. Pressing the button causes Peter to shake a cloud of pepper in the direction he is facing; any enemy touching the cloud is briefly stunned, and Peter can safely move through them. Ice cream, coffee, and French fries appear on occasion, awarding bonus points and one extra pepper shot when collected.

There are six boards of increasing difficulty, with more burgers/ingredients, more enemies, and/or layouts that make it easier for Peter to become cornered. After the player completes the sixth board, the cycle repeats. One life is lost whenever Peter touches a non-stunned enemy, and the game ends once all lives are lost.

Home conversions[edit]

Mattel Electronics obtained the rights to BurgerTime from Data East and released the Intellivision version in 1983. That year, they also released versions for the Atari 2600, Apple II, Aquarius, and, as a self-booting disk, the IBM PC.[10] A version from Data East for the TI-99/4A was published in 1984.[11][12] A ColecoVision port was published by Coleco in May 1984.[13][14] Ports were released for the Famicom in 1985,[15] MSX in 1986,[16] Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987[17] and Famicom Disk System in 1988.[18]

Reception[edit]

BurgerTime in a Dartmouth, Nova Scotia pub

In Japan, Game Machine listed Hamburger as the 11th highest-grossing arcade video game of 1982.[19] Game Machine later listed Hamburger on their June 15, 1983 issue as being the twenty-third most-successful table arcade unit of the month.[20]

Following its North American debut at the Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) show in November 1982, it was reviewed by Video Games magazine, which listed it as the show's fourth best game, while saying it was the "stupidest, silliest game ever, and that's why you couldn't get people off the Burger Time games with a crowbar!" The review praised the "music, challenging mazes, and comical" characters.[21]

Computer and Video Games gave it a positive review, comparing the level structure to Donkey Kong (1981), stating that BurgerTime has "a charm all its own" and praising the controls.[4] The Deseret News called BurgerTime "one of the real surprises of 1983 for the Intellivision" and gave the ColecoVision version three-and-a-half stars out of four.[13] Computer Games magazine gave the ColecoVision and Coleco Adam versions a positive review, stating that "the terrific flavor" of the arcade game remains but "the playfield has been greatly reduced".[22]

BurgerTime received a Certificate of Merit in the category of "1984 Videogame of the Year (Less than 16K ROM)" at the 5th annual Arkie Awards.[23]: 40 

Legacy[edit]

Sequels[edit]

Release timeline
1982BurgerTime
1983
1984Peter Pepper's Ice Cream Factory
1985–1986
1987Diner
1988–1989
1990Super BurgerTime
1991BurgerTime Deluxe
1992–1999
2000The Flintstones: BurgerTime in Bedrock
2001–2006
2007BurgerTime Delight
2008
2009BurgerTime Deluxe (iOS)
2010
2011BurgerTime World Tour
2012–2018
2019BurgerTime Party!
Flyer for Super BurgerTime

An arcade spin-off, Peter Pepper's Ice Cream Factory (1984), and an arcade sequel, Super BurgerTime (スーパーバーガータイム) (1990), were not widely released. Super BurgerTime stars Peter Pepper Jr. and allows two players to play at once. It is fairly true to the original, but with many added features and a different style of graphics.

A console-only sequel, Diner, was created after the 1984 purchase of Intellivision from Mattel by INTV Corp. It was programmed by Ray Kaestner, the programmer of the Intellivision version of BurgerTime. In Diner, Peter Pepper must kick balls of food so that they roll off platforms and down ramps to land on a large plate at the bottom of the screen, while avoiding or crushing enemy food items that are trying to stop him.

BurgerTime Deluxe was released for the Game Boy in 1991 featuring similar gameplay to the original arcade game.[24] BurgerTime Deluxe was re-released for the Nintendo Switch through the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy service.[25]

A crossover with The Flintstones titled The Flintstones: BurgerTime in Bedrock was released on Game Boy Color in 2000.[26]

Namco released BurgerTime Delight for mobile devices in 2007. It includes "new graphics, characters and power-ups".[27] There are six "arcade levels" and eight enhanced mode levels with perils of falling ice and rising fire from the grill. Besides the pepper of the classic game, there is now a salt shaker, that when collected stuns all enemies on the screen.

A 3D update, BurgerTime World Tour, was released in 2011 for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, and in 2012 for WiiWare.[28] It was delisted from Xbox Live Arcade in April 2014.[29] G-Mode and XSEED Games released a re-imagining of the game on October 8, 2019, titled BurgerTime Party!, for the Nintendo Switch, with new modes and redesigns.

Re-releases[edit]

The arcade version of BurgerTime has been included in various collections, including Arcade's Greatest Hits: Midway Collection 2 for the PlayStation and Data East Arcade Classics for the Wii. In late 2019/early 2020, it was released with fellow Data East titles Karate Champ, Caveman Ninja and Bad Dudes in an arcade cabinet for home use by manufacturer Arcade1Up.[30][31] Although the cabinet comes with four games in one, its artwork features only the graphics of Burgertime.[30][31]

The NES and FDS versions were available on the Wii Virtual Console.[32][18] Its Game Boy counterpart BurgerTime Deluxe was released for the 3DS Virtual Console in 2011.[33][34][35] The NES version is also included in the 2017 compilation Data East All-Star Collection for the Nintendo Entertainment System.[36]

The 1982 arcade version was released through the Arcade Archives series for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on July 30, 2020.

An updated version of the game has been announced for release exclusively for the Intellivision Amico.[37]

Clones[edit]

Clones for home systems include: Mr. Wimpy, Burger Chase, Burger Time (Interceptor Micros), BurgerSpace, Chip Factory, Burger Boy!,[38] Basic Burger,[39] Barmy Burgers,[40] Burger Builder,[41] and Lunchtime.[42] A modern open source variant exists called BurgerSpace.[43]

In popular culture[edit]

Scores[edit]

On September 5, 2005, Bryan L. Wagner of Turbotville, Pennsylvania achieved a record score of 8,601,300 and improved to exactly 9,000,000 on June 2, 2006.[44] According to Twin Galaxies, he improved it further to 11,512,500 points on September 19, 2008, at the Challenge Arcade in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.[45] The MAME world record was verified by Twin Galaxies on December 2, 2016, as 7,837,750 by Roger Edwin Blair III of Mountain City, Tennessee.[46]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ According to a former Data East programmer, the game was designed in-house but development of its arcade version was outsourced to an external software company from Akihabara.[5]
  2. ^ Japanese: バーガータイム, Hepburn: Bāgātaimu

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Manufacturers Equipment". Cash Box. Cash Box Pub. Co. 5 February 1983. p. 35.
  2. ^ Akagi, Masumi (13 October 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. p. 47. ISBN 978-4990251215.
  3. ^ "BurgerTime (Registration Number PA0000148985)". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Burgers Have You in a Pickle: Burger Time". Computer and Video Games. No. 15 (January 1983). 16 December 1982. p. 30.
  5. ^ @reddrag64988892 (March 19, 2023). "アーケード版ハンバーガーは実はデータイースト内製ではなく、外注でした。今でも秋葉原に存在する、とあるソフトハウスによるもので、そのメンバーの一人は私の専門学校時の同級生です。企画はデータイースト社員の権藤裕二さん。権藤さんの代表作は、他にラッパッパやzaviga/b-wings、魔境戦士等。" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved December 5, 2023 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "Video Game Flyers: BurgerTime, Data East (EU)". The Arcade Flyer Archive. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  7. ^ "Overseas Readers Column: Deco "Burger Time" License - Midway For Coin-Op, Mattel For Home Video". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 199. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 November 1982. p. 34.
  8. ^ "G-Mode Buys Up Data East Catalog (Archived)". 2007-08-28. Archived from the original on 2007-05-01. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  9. ^ "VC バーガータイム". www.nintendo.co.jp.
  10. ^ "M Network Titles for Computers". Intellivision Lives. Intellivision Productions. Archived from the original on 10 January 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  11. ^ "Burgertime". Pixelatedarcade. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  12. ^ "Burgertime". TI-99/4A-Pedia. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  13. ^ a b Holyoak, Craig (1984-05-30). "Here are ColecoVision's jewels". Deseret News. pp. 4 WV. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  14. ^ "Year-End Index" (PDF). Computer Entertainer. Vol. 3, no. 10. January 1985. p. 156.
  15. ^ "バーガータイム (FC)の関連情報 | ゲーム・エンタメ最新情報のファミ通.com". www.famitsu.com.
  16. ^ "Burger Time". Generation-MSX. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  17. ^ "Availability Update" (PDF). Computer Entertainer. February 1987. p. 14.
  18. ^ a b "VC バーガータイム". www.nintendo.co.jp.
  19. ^ ""Pole Position" No. 1 Video Game: Game Machine's "The Year's Best Three AM Machines" Survey Results" (PDF). Game Machine. No. 207. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 March 1983. p. 30.
  20. ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 214. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 June 1983. p. 27.
  21. ^ "Top Ten Hits". Video Games. Vol. 1, no. 7. Pumpkin Press. March 1983. p. 66.
  22. ^ "Conversion Capsules: Hit Games in New Formats". Computer Games. Vol. 3, no. 4. December 1984. pp. 62–3.
  23. ^ Kunkel, Bill; Katz, Arnie (January 1984). "Arcade Alley: The Arcade Awards, Part 1". Video. 7 (10). Reese Communications: 40–42. ISSN 0147-8907.
  24. ^ "Gameboy Burgetimer Deluxe 1991". Church of BurgerTime.
  25. ^ "New update adds Game Boy™, Super NES™, and NES™ classics to the Nintendo Switch Online games list". www.nintendo.com. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  26. ^ "The Flintstones: BurgerTime in Bedrock Release Information for Game Boy Color - GameFAQs".
  27. ^ "BurgerTime Delight". Namco. Archived from the original on 2009-01-06.
  28. ^ "Burger Time World Tour". Burger Time World Tour. Archived from the original on 2012-11-07. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  29. ^ Cowan, Danny (April 15, 2014). "BurgerTime World Tour discounted ahead of delisting on April 30". Engadget (Joystiq). Yahoo. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  30. ^ a b "King of Fighters, Burger Time Cabinets Appear on Japanese Arcade1up Website - IGN". November 2021 – via www.ign.com.
  31. ^ a b "Arcade1Up's BurgerTime Cabinet Pays Worthy Tribute To An All-Time Classic".
  32. ^ "BurgerTime". www.nintendo.com. Archived from the original on 2018-11-18.
  33. ^ "Burger Time Deluxe". www.nintendo.com. Archived from the original on 2019-02-13. Retrieved 2018-11-17.
  34. ^ "Burger Time DELUXE". Nintendo of Europe GmbH.
  35. ^ "バーガータイムデラックス - ニンテンドー3DS - 任天堂". 任天堂ホームページ.
  36. ^ "Retro-Bit Lifts The Lid On Its Multi-Cart Collections For The NES And SNES". Nintendo Life. 27 October 2017.
  37. ^ "Iraqi_Iowan on Twitter: "@TommyTallarico @Intellivision I was desperately waiting to hear something about old Intellivision games that i like to see again in Amico, games like Burgertime and lock 'n' chase, you will attract more of your loyal Intellivision lovers if you made a modern version of these games". / Twitter". Twitter.
  38. ^ "Burger Boy!". Atari Mania.
  39. ^ "Basic Burger". Atari Mania.
  40. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Barmy Burgers ZX Spectrum". YouTube.
  41. ^ "Burger Builder - TI-99/4A Home Computer". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2016-03-10.
  42. ^ Boyle, Curtis L. "Tandy (TRS-80) Color Computer Games - Arcade Clones Index".
  43. ^ "burgerspace: a free clone of the classic arcade game Burgertime". Debian Package of the Day. 2007-08-29. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
  44. ^ "bryan wagner burgertime world record". spyhunter007.com. Retrieved 2011-03-19.
  45. ^ "Twin Galaxies - Arcade BurgerTime World Records". Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  46. ^ "Twin Galaxies - MAME BurgerTime World Records". Retrieved 2016-12-02.

External links[edit]

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