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BurgerTime
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BurgerTime
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BurgerTime
Arcade flyer
DeveloperData East[a]
Publishers
SeriesBurgerTime
Platform
Arcade
Release
August 25, 1982
  • Arcade
    Intellivision
    2600
    TI-99/4A
    • November 1983[7]
    Apple II, Aquarius, IBM PC
    • 1983
    ColecoVision
    Adam
    • 1984
    Famicom/NES
    MSX
    Famicom Disk System
GenrePlatform
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer
Arcade systemDECO Cassette System

BurgerTime,[b] originally released as Hamburger[c] in Japan, is an arcade video game from Data East. It was published in 1982 for the DECO Cassette System. The player controls chef Peter Pepper, who walks across oversized ingredients in a maze of platforms and ladders, causing them to fall and stack on buns below, eventually creating complete burgers. Peter is pursued by anthropomorphic hot dogs, fried eggs, and pickles. A limited supply of pepper can be thrown at aggressors immediately in front of Peter, briefly stunning them.

The game's original title of Hamburger was changed to BurgerTime outside of Japan, which was also used for all ports and subsequent games in the series worldwide. In the United States, Data East USA licensed BurgerTime for distribution by Bally Midway in North America.[14] Data East also released 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 artwork; the game itself is identical.

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 the company's intellectual properties, including BurgerTime, BurgerTime Deluxe, Super BurgerTime, and Peter Pepper's Ice Cream Factory.[15][16]

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 and cheese) 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, with crushed enemies appearing on the edges and dropped enemies respawning at their landing point and climbing back up into the maze if necessary. Dropping enemies is much riskier, but it also awards more points and allows the levels to be finished faster.

At the start of the game, the player is given five 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. Food items (ice cream, coffee, fries) appear after a set number of ingredients have been dropped, awarding bonus points and an extra pepper shot when picked up.

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. The number of points required to gain extra lives varies between ports.

Ports

[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.[17] A version from Data East for the TI-99/4A was published in 1984.[18][19] A ColecoVision port was published by Coleco in May 1984.[20][21] Ports were released for the Famicom in 1985,[22] MSX in 1986,[23] Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987[24] and Famicom Disk System in 1988.[11]

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.[25] The magazine later listed it as the 23rd most successful table arcade unit of June 1983.[26]

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.[27]

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.[20] 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".[28]

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.[29]: 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
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000The Flintstones: BurgerTime in Bedrock
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007BurgerTime Delight
2008
2009BurgerTime Deluxe (iOS)
2010
2011BurgerTime World Tour
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019BurgerTime Party!
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024Chili’s Big Smasher BurgerTime
Super BurgerTime flyer

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 with similar gameplay to the original arcade game.[30] BurgerTime Deluxe was re-released for the Nintendo Switch through the Nintendo Classics service.[31]

A crossover with The Flintstones titled The Flintstones: BurgerTime in Bedrock was released on Game Boy Color in 2000.[32]

Namco released BurgerTime Delight for mobile devices in 2007. It includes "new graphics, characters and power-ups".[33] 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.[34] It was delisted from Xbox Live Arcade in April 2014.[35] 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.

In 2024, the Chili's restaurant chain obtained the license for BurgerTime to create a browser-based game called Chili's Big Smasher BurgerTime. In this version of the game, players control the franchise mascot Joe ChiliHead in a quest to create Big Smasher Burgers across six levels of gameplay. Players who participated also had the chance to win prizes such as free burgers for life.[36]

Re-releases

[edit]

The arcade version of BurgerTime has been included in various collections, including Arcade's Greatest Hits: The 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.[37][38] Although the cabinet comes with four games in one, its artwork features only the graphics of Burgertime.[37][38]

The NES and FDS versions were available on the Wii Virtual Console.[39][11] Its Game Boy counterpart BurgerTime Deluxe was released for the 3DS Virtual Console in 2011.[40][41][42] The NES version is also included in the 2017 compilation Data East All-Star Collection for the Nintendo Entertainment System.[43]

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

Clones

[edit]

Clones for home systems include Mr. Wimpy, Bear Bovver, Burger Chase, BurgerSpace, Chip Factory, Burger Boy!,[44] Basic Burger,[45] Barmy Burgers,[46] Burger Builder,[47] and Lunchtime.[48] BurgerSpace is a 2007 open source clone.[49]

[edit]

Elements of BurgerTime were incorporated into the episode "Gameboy" of the DIC Entertainment animated series Captain N: The Game Master. Peter Pepper appears in the movies Wreck-It Ralph and Pixels. A BurgerTime parody called "Burgerboss" appears in an episode of Bob's Burgers with the same name. There is a copy of BurgerTime in the front display window of the fictional store Blast From the Past in the movie Back to the Future Part II.

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.[50] According to Twin Galaxies, he improved it further to 11,512,500 points on September 19, 2008, at the Challenge Arcade in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.[51] 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.[52]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

BurgerTime

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
BurgerTime is a 1982 developed by Corporation for its hardware. In the game, players control the character Chef Peter Pepper, who navigates multi-level platforms to assemble oversized hamburgers by walking over and dropping ingredients such as buns, patties, and onto serving plates below. The objective is to complete four such burgers per level while evading anthropomorphic food enemies—including Mr. Hot Dog, Mr. Pickle, and Mr. Egg—that pursue the player across the screen. Originally released in Japan under the title Hamburger, the game was renamed BurgerTime for its international launch to avoid potential trademark issues and was distributed in North America by Bally Midway Manufacturing Company. Data East's innovative use of the DECO Cassette System allowed for easy updates and maintenance in arcades, contributing to the game's widespread adoption during the golden age of arcade gaming in the early 1980s. Gameplay emphasizes strategy, as players can stun enemies temporarily with a limited-supply pepper shaker or crush them by dropping burger components on top, adding layers of risk and reward to the platforming mechanics. BurgerTime achieved significant popularity, leading to ports on numerous home consoles such as the Atari 2600, ColecoVision, Intellivision, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and others, which helped extend its reach beyond arcades. The franchise expanded with sequels like Super BurgerTime (1990), a more action-oriented follow-up, and spin-offs including Peter Pepper's Ice Cream Factory (1984), though these were not as widely released. Following Data East's bankruptcy in 2003, Japanese mobile game developer G-Mode acquired the intellectual property rights, preserving the series for potential future revivals and compilations. The game's whimsical theme and challenging gameplay have cemented its status as a retro gaming classic, influencing later platformers with its unique food-based puzzle elements.

Development and release

Development

BurgerTime was developed by Corporation in and first released in arcades in 1982. The game was created for the company's , an innovative arcade hardware platform introduced in 1980 that utilized swappable cassette tapes to load game data, enabling operators to update cabinets cost-effectively without replacing entire circuit boards. This system featured a main processor based on a modified MOS 6502 running at 750 kHz, a sound processor using another 6502 at 500 kHz, and an Intel 8041 microcontroller at 6 MHz for cassette control, paired with two AY-3-8910 sound chips. Originally titled Hamburger (ハンバーガー) for its Japanese release, the game's name was changed to BurgerTime for international markets, reportedly to avoid potential trademark conflicts with existing food brands. Data East licensed the title to Bally Midway for distribution in North America, where it debuted in late 1982. The core design centered on a food-themed platformer, with players controlling the protagonist, a chef named Peter Pepper, who assembles oversized hamburgers by traversing platforms and ladders while evading anthropomorphic food enemies: the hot dog known as Mr. Hot Dog, the fried egg Mr. Egg, and the pickle Mr. Pickle. These whimsical antagonists were integrated to create chaotic, puzzle-like encounters within the burger-building mechanic, emphasizing evasion and strategic positioning in a single-screen environment.

Release

BurgerTime was initially released in Japan in August 1982 by Data East Corporation for its DECO Cassette System hardware, under the original title Hamburger. The game utilized Data East's innovative cassette-based system, which allowed arcade operators to swap game data via magnetic tape modules for easier updates and lower costs compared to traditional dedicated boards. In North America, Data East licensed the title to Bally Midway, which handled distribution and launched it later in 1982 on dedicated printed circuit board (PCB) hardware for greater reliability and performance stability over the cassette format. This version retained the core mechanics but adapted the presentation for Western audiences, emphasizing classic burger assembly while retaining unique elements like the egg enemy from the Japanese original—a nod to local cuisine where fried eggs often top hamburger steaks. Bally Midway produced the game in both upright cabinets, weighing approximately 235 pounds with a standard vertical monitor, and cocktail table variants to suit various arcade layouts. The dual releases marked an early international collaboration for , with the North American edition appearing in arcades by November 1982 and contributing to the company's growing footprint in the U.S. market through widespread placement in entertainment venues.

Gameplay

Mechanics

In the original arcade version of BurgerTime, the player controls the chef using a four-way to navigate platforms and ladders in a multi-level , with a single button to activate the pepper shaker. The primary objective is to assemble four giant hamburgers by walking across suspended ingredients—including top and bottom buns, beef patties, leaves, slices, and cheese slices—which causes them to fall and stack in the correct order on plates at the bottom of the screen; completing all four burgers on a stage advances the game. Enemies consist of three animated food characters: Mr. , Mr. , and Mr. Pickle, all of which relentlessly pursue the player by taking the quickest route across platforms and ladders. These enemies emerge from the edges of the screen, follow the player to cause contact damage and loss of a life, and can push or reposition ingredients to hinder progress. The pepper shaker serves as the main defensive power-up, temporarily stunning nearby enemies for a few seconds upon activation, allowing the player to escape or maneuver; it has a limited supply of eight shots that depletes with use. Additional pepper shots, along with bonus points, are obtained by collecting randomly appearing items such as an (500 points), a (1,000 points), or (1,500 points), which materialize in the center of the screen after a certain number of ingredients have been dropped. In the original arcade release, these bonus items primarily replenish the pepper supply without granting speed boosts or invincibility, though later ports introduced such effects. The scoring system rewards efficient play: each dropped ingredient yields 50 points, with higher values for completing full burger layers (up to 500 points per assembled burger). Bonus points are awarded for crushing enemies under falling ingredients: 100 points for a single , 200 for Mr. Pickle, and 300 for Mr. Egg, with escalating values for multiple enemies under one drop (500 for one enemy, 1,000 for two, 2,000 for three, 4,000 for four, doubling thereafter). Speed in completing stages can indirectly boost scores through more opportunities for enemy crushes and bonus item collection, while additional multipliers apply when multiple ingredients fall in sequence on grouped enemies.

Levels and objectives

BurgerTime features six main stages, known as rounds, where the player must assemble four burgers by walking over scattered ingredients on multi-tiered platforms, causing them to drop onto plates below. Each stage requires completing four burgers, with burgers consisting of multiple layers (typically 3 to 8, increasing in later stages) including a top bun, , , cheese slice, patty, and bottom bun; complexity heightens through taller burgers and more aggressive enemies. Players navigate these stages using ladders for vertical movement between platforms, and dropping ingredients not only assembles the burgers but also forms temporary platforms on lower levels, aiding traversal. Hazards include falling off edges, which results in the loss of a life, and pursuing enemies that grow more numerous and aggressive across stages. The sixth stage acts as a culminating challenge, featuring four burgers amid faster-moving foes, demanding precise timing to avoid collisions. Bonus items such as , , or appear during stages after dropping a set number of ingredients, allowing collection for points and extra pepper without dedicated interference-free rounds. The primary win condition is to fully assemble all four required burgers in a stage before losing all lives, with the game looping through the six stages indefinitely and difficulty escalating through faster enemy speeds and higher enemy counts in subsequent cycles. An extra life is granted every 10,000 points scored. The high score stands at 11,512,500 points, achieved by Bryan L. Wagner on September 19, 2008, and remains the verified record as of 2025.

Ports

Console and computer ports

The first home console port of BurgerTime was released for the Intellivision in 1983 by Mattel Electronics, adapting the arcade gameplay to the system's unique numeric keypad handset controller, which required simplified directional inputs and overlay cards for intuitive navigation. This version featured basic platforming mechanics where players controlled chef Peter Pepper to assemble burgers on multi-level platforms, but with downgraded visuals to fit the Intellivision's hardware, including blocky sprites and limited animation frames compared to the original arcade cabinet. In 1983, also ported the game to the and , both emphasizing core burger-building objectives while making concessions for 8-bit limitations; the version, published under M Network, used monochromatic sprites and only displayed up to three enemies simultaneously to avoid hardware overload, resulting in basic, abstract representations of foes like eggs and pickles as simple shapes. The port retained more detailed platform layouts but suffered from slower scrolling and reduced enemy pursuit logic due to the system's processing constraints. The port, released in April 1984 by Industries, closely mirrored the arcade experience with colorful sprites and smooth platforming, though it simplified enemy AI and pepper shaker mechanics to fit the console's cartridge-based hardware. The (NES) and Famicom ports, developed by with assistance from Sakata SAS, arrived later: the Japanese Famicom version in November 1985 via , followed by the North American NES release in May 1987. These iterations improved upon earlier adaptations with enhanced music tracks that looped dynamically during gameplay and supported two-player alternating modes, allowing competitive or turns without simultaneous action. Enemy behaviors scaled in speed across stages—slow for early levels, accelerating to fast paces by stage 24—while preserving the arcade's pepper-shaker weapon and ingredient-dropping tactics. Additional 1980s computer ports included the MSX version in 1986 by Dempa, which substituted the egg enemy with a pickle variant and boosted bonus scoring for completed burgers, alongside red-tinted bun graphics to match the platform's palette. The ZX Spectrum received a 1984 adaptation titled Mr. Wimpy by Ocean Software, structuring the second level as a direct BurgerTime homage with ingredient collection on ladders, though the first level introduced unique fast-food gathering mechanics; fidelity to arcade physics varied, with sluggish enemy movements attributable to the Spectrum's Z80 processor. BurgerTime appeared in limited compilations for personal computers in the and , bundled with other classics and emphasizing emulation of original controls via keyboard or joystick without the arcade's requirements. Key technical adaptations across these console and computer ports included reduced color palettes in 8-bit systems like the and NES, limiting visuals to 16 or fewer hues to prevent flickering and sprite clashes. Enemy AI was frequently altered for hardware efficiency, such as capping on-screen pursuers or simplifying algorithms to reduce CPU load, which made foes less aggressive than in the arcade. Unlike the original , which involved physical tape swapping by arcade operators to load games, ports eliminated this mechanic entirely, relying on fixed cartridges or disks for seamless play.

Mobile and digital re-releases

BurgerTime has seen several digital re-releases since the early 2000s, bringing the classic to modern platforms with enhanced emulation and accessibility features. The (NES) version was made available on the in on December 6, 2012, emulating the original while adding save states for mid-level progress and adjustable screen aspect ratios, including support. A Japanese release of the Family Computer Disk System (FDS) variant followed on the on July 12, 2011, published by G-mode, further expanding access to regional adaptations. In the late 2010s, Hamster Corporation's series provided faithful arcade emulations across multiple consoles. The BurgerTime Arcade Archives edition launched for on July 30, 2020, followed by on August 14, 2020, featuring high-definition visuals, rewind functionality to undo mistakes, customizable display options, and online leaderboards for global score comparisons. These versions preserve the 1982 original's mechanics while incorporating modern quality-of-life improvements like variable game speed and screen orientation adjustments. Mobile adaptations emerged in the , adapting the game for touch-based controls on and Android devices. Namco Networks released BurgerTime Deluxe for in 2009, supporting gestures for movement and pepper-throwing, with ad-supported options alongside paid upgrades to remove ads. Android ports, including emulated versions of the and NES variants, became available around 2010–2019, often through third-party developers like those offering APK files with virtual overlays for precise navigation on smaller screens. Physical digital re-releases extended to home arcade hardware with Arcade1Up's dedicated BurgerTime cabinet in 2020, a full-sized unit limited to 3,000 editions that includes the original arcade ROM alongside three bonus Data East titles (Karate Champ, Bad Dudes, and : Caveman Ninja) in HD resolution with no quarter requirements. Fan-driven ports have revitalized the game on retro platforms in recent years. Arlasoft released a high-fidelity Commodore 64 port in November 2023, emulating the arcade's platforming and enemy behaviors with enhanced sprite handling for the 8-bit hardware. For the , jotd666's BurgerTime500 conversion debuted on April 19, 2025, optimized for 68000/020 processors and delivering smooth 50Hz gameplay with authentic burger-building objectives. Earlier digital services like hosted a re-release through the 2010s, with Frozen Codebase's BurgerTime World Tour—an updated take on the original—launching in 2011 before being delisted in April 2014 due to expired licensing. Some modern versions, including , introduced online multiplayer modes for cooperative play, allowing remote players to assist in burger assembly against shared enemies.

Reception

Critical reception

Upon its 1982 arcade release, BurgerTime received positive reviews for its innovative gameplay and engaging elements. praised the game's "charm all its own," highlighting its catchy music, challenging maze-like levels, and comical characters, while comparing the structure to . In , where it launched as , Game Machine magazine ranked it the 11th highest-grossing of the year, reflecting strong player appeal. These early accolades underscored the title's blend of puzzle-solving and evasion mechanics as a fresh take on platforming. Home port reviews in the 1980s generally lauded faithful adaptations, though hardware constraints were noted. The version was called "one of the real surprises of 1983" by the , commended for capturing the arcade's essence despite graphical simplifications. Similarly, the NES port earned an 8/10 from Nintendo Life for its addictive , preserving the core fun of assembling burgers amid pursuits by antagonistic foods. However, some ports faced criticism for visual downgrades, such as smaller, less colorful sprites on the NES compared to the arcade original, and stiff controls on the that hindered ladder navigation. Modern retrospectives have affirmed BurgerTime's status as a classic. described the original as an enduring "arcade classic" in its 7.5/10 review of ports and remakes, noting the goofy maze-chase premise where players assemble oversized burgers while evading foes. It was also included in the 2010 book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by Tony Mott, recognizing its influential role in early platformers. Criticisms persist regarding repetitive level designs that cycle after a few stages and sudden difficulty spikes, particularly from level three onward, which can frustrate players despite the intuitive controls. The game garnered formal recognition with a 1984 Arkie Award Certificate of Merit for "Videogame of the Year (Less than 16K ROM)" from magazine, honoring its arcade excellence in innovation and playability.

Commercial success

achieved notable commercial success in the arcade market following its 1982 release. Developed by for its in under the title Hamburger, the game was licensed to Bally Midway for distribution in , resulting in a wide release across upright and cabinet formats that facilitated extensive placement in U.S. arcades. The game's popularity was reflected in operator-reported earnings, with RePlay magazine polls showing it peaking at the #10 position among the top 40 video games and maintaining strong performance with an average ranking of 7.1 over 8 months of charting, from August 1982 to March 1983. It ranked #22 in the 1982 annual top 40 and #18 in the 1983 annual top 40, underscoring its contribution to high quarterly revenue for operators during the early arcade boom. Home ports further extended its market impact. Mattel's 1983 Intellivision version was a standout success, often cited as one of the console's strongest arcade adaptations and a key driver of cartridge sales amid the system's competition with and . The Famicom port, released in 1985 by , supported Data East's expansion into the console sector alongside other titles, while sustained licensing for re-releases on various platforms preserved revenue streams into the late 1980s despite growing oversaturation in the genre. Overall, BurgerTime bolstered 's portfolio in the 1980s, with its arcade and home versions generating significant earnings through Bally Midway's distribution network and subsequent ports, though specific aggregate revenue figures remain undocumented in primary trade records.

Legacy

Sequels and spin-offs

Peter Pepper's Ice Cream Factory, released in 1984 by Corporation for arcades, is a spin-off where players control Chef assembling ice cream cones instead of burgers using similar platforming mechanics. The game features multi-level stages with dropping cone sections, scoops, and toppings while avoiding food enemies, and was ported to the NES in as part of compilations but had limited international release. Super BurgerTime, released in 1990 by Corporation for arcades, serves as a side-scrolling to the original , where players control Peter Pepper Jr. or his twin brother Pete Pepper Jr. in a two-player mode. The gameplay expands on the burger-assembly mechanic by introducing a world-based structure with four stages per world, culminating in boss fights where assembled burgers are used as weapons against oversized enemies. Innovations include power-ups such as a cape for temporary invulnerability and as projectile weapons, alongside the classic pepper shaker for stunning foes. Ports of the arcade version later appeared on platforms including the and PlayStation 4. BurgerTime Deluxe, developed and published by in 1991 for the , adapts the core platforming puzzle elements to a portable format with enhanced visuals and additional levels. Players guide chef through maze-like stages to stack burger ingredients while evading animated food enemies like hot dogs and eggs. The game introduces colorized graphics relative to the original monochrome arcade version, faster pacing, and new stage designs that build on the foundational mechanics without altering the objective of completing burgers to progress. BurgerTime World Tour, a 2011 digital release developed by Frozen Codebase and published by through MonkeyPaw Games, reimagines the series as a 3D available on , , and PlayStation 3. The premise follows traversing global-themed worlds, such as New York and , across 50 multi-tiered levels where ingredients rotate in a theater-in-the-round style to form burgers. Key innovations include full 3D environments with ladders and platforms, split-screen and online multiplayer support for up to four players, and cultural motifs integrated into level designs for varied challenges. BurgerTime Party!, launched on October 8, 2019, for by developer Marvelous USA, shifts the series toward a party-style spin-off emphasizing and competitive play. It features over 100 stages blending classic burger-building puzzles with mini-games, allowing up to four players in co-op modes where one team assembles burgers as while others control enemies to disrupt progress. The game retains the original's arcade action but adds local multiplayer twists, such as role-switching between builders and saboteurs, and vibrant, modernized visuals for group sessions. In 2024, introduced Big Smasher BurgerTime as a promotional mobile and web-based spin-off, modernizing the classic to tie into the restaurant chain's Big Smasher Burger menu item. Players control a character named Joe Chilihead through chain-themed levels, stacking burger parts while avoiding enemies, with high scores qualifying for real-world prizes like free burgers for life. The game launched on June 25, 2024, as a free online competition running through July 14, focusing on fast-food rivalry themes without altering the core assembly mechanics.

Clones and homages

One of the earliest notable clones of BurgerTime was Mr. Wimpy: The Hamburger Game, released in 1984 for platforms including the by . This game featured near-identical mechanics to the original, where players assemble burgers by dropping ingredients on multi-level platforms while evading enemies, but incorporated branding from the Wimpy fast-food chain, including its mascot and logos. In 2007, the open-source game BurgerSpace emerged as a faithful homage for and other systems, developed by Pierre Sarrazin. Players control a chef navigating platforms to drop burger ingredients into place, mirroring the core stacking mechanic of BurgerTime, with modifiable allowing community contributions and ports to additional platforms. The game emphasizes the original's puzzle-like enemy avoidance without commercial licensing. Numerous other imitations appeared in the 1980s across various home computers, such as Barmy Burgers (1983, ) by Blaby Computer Games, which replicated the ingredient-dropping gameplay in a burger-building scenario. Fan-made clones proliferated on platforms like , including BurgerTime Remake (2010s onward), a direct recreation emphasizing the arcade's platforming challenges. Modern homages include the 2023 Commodore 64 port by Arlasoft, released as a downloadable title that preserves the original arcade feel with enhanced graphics and controls, developed for charity without official licensing. These works highlight BurgerTime's enduring influence on platform-puzzle design, often echoing its mechanic of dropping platforms to assemble objectives and trap foes.

Cultural impact

BurgerTime has achieved iconic status within arcade gaming culture, frequently highlighted in retrospectives and documentaries that celebrate its role in the of video games. For instance, the 2025 YouTube documentary "BurgerTime: The Complete History | Retro Gaming Documentary" provides an in-depth exploration of the game's development, innovations, and lasting appeal, underscoring its place among classic arcade titles. The game has permeated broader media through references to its whimsical elements, notably its depiction of anthropomorphic enemies, which exemplifies the "Anthropomorphic Food" trope on . This trope highlights how BurgerTime's antagonistic ingredients, such as Mr. Hot Dog and Mr. Pickle, chase the protagonist in a playful reversal of culinary norms, influencing discussions on food-based humor in gaming. Official BurgerTime arcade cabinets have been preserved and displayed in museums dedicated to history, serving as tangible artifacts of arcade culture. The International Arcade Museum, for example, documents the original mustard-yellow upright and variants, emphasizing their design and historical significance. High-score tournaments featuring BurgerTime occur at retro gaming events, where enthusiasts compete to surpass records on authentic hardware, fostering community engagement with the game's challenging mechanics. BurgerTime contributed to the emergence of food-themed games by pioneering a culinary motif where players assemble meals amid chaotic pursuits, inspiring later titles with similar whimsical integrations of everyday food into . Its , chef , has become a subject of within retro gaming communities, with artists reimagining his design on platforms like to evoke nostalgia for the era's pixelated charm. In recent years, BurgerTime regained visibility through a 2024 promotional with Grill & Bar, which launched "Big Smasher BurgerTime," an arcade-style inspired by the original to market their new burger menu. The campaign, running through July 2024, allowed players to compete for prizes like free burgers for life, effectively bridging retro gaming with modern fast-food marketing to attract younger audiences.

References

  1. https://intellivisionrevolution.com/burgertime
  2. https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/burgertime
  3. https://bitvint.com/pages/burger-time
  4. https://thearcadearchives.com/2023/10/05/lets-talk-about-the-deco-cassette-system-lots-of-fun-in-120-seconds/
  5. http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/?mame=decocass
  6. https://www.arcadeclub.co.uk/games/burgertime/
  7. https://www.unico-usa.com/blogs/news/data-east-burger-time-a-classic-in-videogame-history
  8. https://www.mobygames.com/game/467/burgertime/
  9. https://www.giantbomb.com/deco-cassette-system/3015-9102/
  10. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/VideoGame/BurgerTime
  11. http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/dettaglio_mame.php?game_name=btimem
  12. https://strategywiki.org/wiki/BurgerTime/Gameplay
  13. https://www.arcade-museum.com/manuals-videogames/B/BurgerTime.pdf
  14. http://tips.retrogames.com/gamepage/burger.html
  15. https://strategywiki.org/wiki/BurgerTime/Walkthrough
  16. https://primetimeamusements.com/getting-good-burgertime/
  17. https://classicgaming.cc/classics/burgertime/
  18. https://history.blueskyrangers.com/mnetwork/burgertime.html
  19. https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/intellivision/566288-burgertime/data
  20. https://www.mobygames.com/game/467/burgertime/releases/
  21. https://strategywiki.org/wiki/BurgerTime/Versions
  22. https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/14857/ZX-Spectrum/Burger_Time
  23. https://www.oldschoolgamermagazine.com/atari-2600-encyclopedia-do-you-know-burgertime/
  24. https://forums.atariage.com/topic/299674-burger-time-enemy-ai/
  25. https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/arcade-archives-burger-time-switch/
  26. https://store.playstation.com/en-us/concept/10001117
  27. https://www.arcadearchives.com/en/title/aca-123/
  28. https://www.gamingnexus.com/News/14435/iPhone-Game-Review---BurgerTime-Deluxe
  29. https://archive.org/details/burger-time-com.adj.intellivision.burgertime
  30. https://download.cnet.com/burger-time/3000-2099_4-77995641.html
  31. https://us.amazon.com/Arcade1Up-Burgertime-Arcade-Machine-Games-Cabinet/dp/B08B4N3RH4
  32. https://arcade1up.com/blogs/buzz/arcade1up-s-burger-time-is-a-beautiful-collector-s-item-for-arcade-fans
  33. https://vitno.org/2023/11/05/burgertime-commodore-64/
  34. https://vitno.org/2025/04/19/burgertime500-commodore-amiga/
  35. https://delistedgames.com/burgertime-world-tour/
  36. https://www.nintendoclassics.net/2021/09/burgertime-playing-with-peter-pepper.html
  37. https://indiegamerchick.com/tag/burgertime-atari-review/
  38. https://www.ign.com/games/burgertime
  39. https://www.listchallenges.com/cyans-1001-videogames
  40. https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/arcade/583820-burgertime/reviews/20467
  41. https://www.reviewstream.com/reviews/?p=142910
  42. https://videogamegeek.com/geeklist/160520/electronic-games-magazine-1984-arcade-awards
  43. https://history.blueskyrangers.com/mattelelectronics/games/burgertime.html
  44. http://allincolorforaquarter.blogspot.com/2013/08/replay-magazine-chart-summary-part-1.html
  45. https://dataeast.fandom.com/wiki/Peter_Pepper%27s_Ice_Cream_Factory
  46. https://www.mobygames.com/game/46084/super-burgertime/
  47. https://www.flyingtigerentertainment.com/super-burger-time.html
  48. https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/gameboy/585652-burgertime-deluxe
  49. https://www.nintendolife.com/games/gameboy/burgertime_deluxe
  50. https://www.siliconera.com/our-first-stop-on-burgertime-world-tour-is-an-interview-with-monkeypaw-and-frozen-codebase/
  51. https://www.mobygames.com/game/55975/burgertime-worldtour/
  52. https://www.godisageek.com/2011/11/burgertime-world-tour-review/
  53. https://marvelous-usa.com/games/burgertime-party/
  54. https://www.metacritic.com/game/burgertime-party/
  55. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chilis-big-smasher-burgertime-video-game-levels-up-fast-food-face-off-with-the-chance-to-win-free-burgers-for-life-302181674.html
  56. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/chilis-video-game-fast-food-pricing-QSR-marketing/719736/
  57. https://www.mobygames.com/game/10265/mr-wimpy-the-hamburger-game/
  58. https://libregamewiki.org/BurgerSpace
  59. https://simon5986.itch.io/burgertime-remake
  60. https://arlagames.itch.io/burger-time
  61. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCZwQFJsSMw
  62. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AnthropomorphicFood
  63. https://www.thegameexpo.com/features/high-score-arcade/
  64. https://www.arcade92.com/post/serving-up-the-delicious-history-of-burger-time-a-classic-arcade-gem-at-arcade-92
  65. https://www.deviantart.com/warahi/art/Peter-Pepper-Burgertime-Designs-857803459
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