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Kangaroo (arcade game)
Encyclopedia
is an arcade game
that was released in 1982. It was manufactured by Sun Electronics
but distributed by Atari
. The game bears a strong resemblance in terms of gameplay and plot to Donkey Kong as well as the Popeye video game. The player takes the role of a mother kangaroo
who is trying to rescue her son. She must climb through treetops, while disabling pink monkeys that attack her with apples. Points are scored for defeating enemies, eating the fruit scattered through the levels, as well as for punching out hostile monkeys (or by punching either whole apples that are thrown at the kangaroo, or apple cores, which are dropped dropped on her from above). Additionally, a bonus score is awarded for each level completed, with the size of the bonus determined by how quickly the level is solved.
s. Each of them basically consist of the mother kangaroo on the bottom floor trying to reach the top floor where her joey is being held captive. On each of the levels, there are monkeys who are throwing apple
s at Mother Kangaroo. Sometimes the apples are thrown so that she must jump over them and sometimes they are thrown so that she must duck. If she gets face to face with one of the monkeys, she can punch the monkey with a boxing glove. She can also punch and destroy apples if they're thrown in level with her gloves. Also, there are pieces of fruit that she can jump up and get for points. Additionally, there is at least one bell on each level that she can hit so that more fruits will appear. She must be wary of the big Ape, who will occasionally appear and try to take her gloves away from her. The level must be completed before the time runs out, otherwise the player will lose a life.
Levels 1, 2 and 4 consist of different platforms that the Kangaroo must jump onto or climb onto via a ladder. On the third level, the cage in which Kid Kangaroo is imprisoned is held up by an entire troop of monkeys and there is a horde of apples that the monkey will unleash if five of them climb up there. On this level, Mama Kangaroo must punch each monkey in the stack several times until the cage is lowered and when the cage has been lowered enough, Mama Kangaroo must climb to the next floor to get to Kid Kangaroo before the cage is raised again or before the monkeys have an avalanche
of apple cores unleashed.
(used during regular gameplay), "Oh! Susanna
" by Stephen Foster
(used as level completion fanfare), and Westminster Quarters (used when a bell is rung). Also, the music played during level intros is reminiscent of, if not directly inspired by, "Marcia Alla Turca" by Ludwig van Beethoven
.
and Atari 5200
. It was also made for the Atari 400/800 computers but never released.
replaced Pitfall Harry
& Frogger
as segments on CBS
' Saturday Supercade
cartoon lineup. The basic plotline involved kangaroos named Katy, Sidney, and Joey, who lived in a zoo terrorized by the mischievous Monkey Biz Gang.http://memorylab.deanlabs.com/CartoonDetails.aspx?ID=358 Saturday Supercade was cancelled after only 12 episodes of Kangaroo were produced. The series has never been officially released on DVD or VHS in any form.
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
that was released in 1982. It was manufactured by Sun Electronics
Sunsoft (company)
is a Japanese video game development company founded on April 16, 1971 as a division of Sun Corporation, itself a division of Sun Electronics, or in Japan is a Japanese video game development company founded on April 16, 1971 as a division of Sun Corporation, itself a division of Sun Electronics,...
but distributed by Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
. The game bears a strong resemblance in terms of gameplay and plot to Donkey Kong as well as the Popeye video game. The player takes the role of a mother kangaroo
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
who is trying to rescue her son. She must climb through treetops, while disabling pink monkeys that attack her with apples. Points are scored for defeating enemies, eating the fruit scattered through the levels, as well as for punching out hostile monkeys (or by punching either whole apples that are thrown at the kangaroo, or apple cores, which are dropped dropped on her from above). Additionally, a bonus score is awarded for each level completed, with the size of the bonus determined by how quickly the level is solved.
Gameplay
There are four different levelLevel (computer and video games)
A level, map, area, or world in a video game is the total space available to the player during the course of completing a discrete objective...
s. Each of them basically consist of the mother kangaroo on the bottom floor trying to reach the top floor where her joey is being held captive. On each of the levels, there are monkeys who are throwing apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s at Mother Kangaroo. Sometimes the apples are thrown so that she must jump over them and sometimes they are thrown so that she must duck. If she gets face to face with one of the monkeys, she can punch the monkey with a boxing glove. She can also punch and destroy apples if they're thrown in level with her gloves. Also, there are pieces of fruit that she can jump up and get for points. Additionally, there is at least one bell on each level that she can hit so that more fruits will appear. She must be wary of the big Ape, who will occasionally appear and try to take her gloves away from her. The level must be completed before the time runs out, otherwise the player will lose a life.
Levels 1, 2 and 4 consist of different platforms that the Kangaroo must jump onto or climb onto via a ladder. On the third level, the cage in which Kid Kangaroo is imprisoned is held up by an entire troop of monkeys and there is a horde of apples that the monkey will unleash if five of them climb up there. On this level, Mama Kangaroo must punch each monkey in the stack several times until the cage is lowered and when the cage has been lowered enough, Mama Kangaroo must climb to the next floor to get to Kid Kangaroo before the cage is raised again or before the monkeys have an avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
of apple cores unleashed.
Music
The game, like many others during its time, uses popular classical/folk songs for background music. These songs include: "American Patrol" by F. W. MeachamF. W. Meacham
Frank W. Meacham was an American composer and arranger of Tin Pan Alley.His most famous work is "American Patrol" , a popular march. Written originally for piano, it was then arranged for wind band and published by Carl Fischer in 1891...
(used during regular gameplay), "Oh! Susanna
Oh! Susanna
"Oh! Susanna" is a minstrel song by Stephen Foster . It was published by W. C. Peters & Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1848. The song was introduced by a local quintette at a concert in Andrews' Eagle Ice Cream Saloon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 11, 1847. Foster was said to have written...
" by Stephen Foster
Stephen Foster
Stephen Collins Foster , known as the "father of American music", was the pre-eminent songwriter in the United States of the 19th century...
(used as level completion fanfare), and Westminster Quarters (used when a bell is rung). Also, the music played during level intros is reminiscent of, if not directly inspired by, "Marcia Alla Turca" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
.
Ports
Like most of the games of its era, Kangaroo was ported to many different systems, including the Atari 2600Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
and Atari 5200
Atari 5200
The Atari 5200 SuperSystem, commonly known as the Atari 5200, is a video game console that was introduced in 1982 by Atari Inc. as a higher end complementary console for the popular Atari 2600...
. It was also made for the Atari 400/800 computers but never released.
Television adaptation
In 1984, Kangaroo and Space AceSpace Ace
Space Ace is a laserdisc video game produced by Don Bluth Studios, Cinematronics, and Advanced Microcomputer Systems...
replaced Pitfall Harry
Pitfall!
Pitfall! is a video game released by Activision for the Atari 2600 in 1982. It is the second best selling game made for the Atari 2600, with over 4 million copies sold.-Gameplay:...
& Frogger
Frogger
Frogger is an arcade game introduced in 1981. It was developed by Konami, and licensed for worldwide distribution by Sega/Gremlin. The object of the game is to direct frogs to their homes one by one. To do this, each frog must avoid cars while crossing a busy road and navigate a river full of...
as segments on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
' Saturday Supercade
Saturday Supercade
Saturday Supercade is an animated television series produced for Saturday mornings by Ruby-Spears Productions. It ran for two seasons on CBS beginning in 1983...
cartoon lineup. The basic plotline involved kangaroos named Katy, Sidney, and Joey, who lived in a zoo terrorized by the mischievous Monkey Biz Gang.http://memorylab.deanlabs.com/CartoonDetails.aspx?ID=358 Saturday Supercade was cancelled after only 12 episodes of Kangaroo were produced. The series has never been officially released on DVD or VHS in any form.