Saturday Supercade: Difference between revisions

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{{quote box|[[File:Saturdaysupercade.png|frame]]}}
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{{quote| ''Saturday Supercade! Gather 'round, we'll get your video friends together.''}}
{{quote|''Saturday Supercade! Gather 'round, we'll get your video friends together.''}}


An hourlong [[Animated Anthology]] of shorts, produced by Ruby-Spears for [[CBS]], based on early 1980s video games. As might be expected with the limited amount of plot in the games of that era, the stories diverged wildly from the games out of sheer necessity. The following games were featured:
An hourlong [[Animated Anthology]] of shorts, produced by Ruby-Spears for [[CBS]], based on early 1980s video games. As might be expected with the limited amount of plot in the games of that era, the stories diverged wildly from the games out of sheer necessity. The following games were featured:
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* ''[[Frogger]]''
* ''[[Frogger]]''
* ''[[Kangaroo]]''
* ''[[Kangaroo]]''
* ''[[Qbert|Q*bert]]''<ref>the closest the show came to faithfully reproducing elements from the original game, with its trademark block hopping (complete with the original sound effects), "swear" bubbles and flying discs.</ref>
* ''[[Q*bert]]''<ref>the closest the show came to faithfully reproducing elements from the original game, with its trademark block hopping (complete with the original sound effects), "swear" bubbles and flying discs.</ref>
* ''[[Pitfall]]''<ref>featuring Pitfall Harry, his niece Rhonda, and their cowardly pet lion Quickclaw, all of whom [[Canon Immigrant|later appeared in]] ''[[Canon Immigrant|Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns]]'' for the [[Atari 2600]].</ref>
* ''[[Pitfall]]''<ref>featuring Pitfall Harry, his niece Rhonda, and their cowardly pet lion Quickclaw, all of whom [[Canon Immigrant|later appeared in]] ''[[Canon Immigrant|Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns]]'' for the [[Atari 2600]].</ref>
* ''[[Space Ace (Video Game)|Space Ace]]''
* ''[[Space Ace]]''


This series was unusual in that it collected characters from different video game companies. The character most obviously lacking, of course, was [[Pac-Man]], who already had his own competing show<ref>which premiered the previous year</ref> on [[ABC]].
This series was unusual in that it collected characters from different video game companies. The character most obviously lacking, of course, was [[Pac-Man]], who already had his own competing show<ref>which premiered the previous year</ref> on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]].


Each game appeared to exist in its own universe, with the exception of the ''[[Donkey Kong]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong Jr]]'' stories, which shared one.
Each game appeared to exist in its own universe, with the exception of the ''[[Donkey Kong]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong Jr]]'' stories, which shared one.
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{{tropelist}}
=== Tropes ===
* [[Adaptational Heroism]]:
** In Q*bert (the video game) Sam and Slick are enemy characters, undoing Q*bert's work by changing the blocks back to their original colors. In the cartoon, they're good guys.
** Donkey Kong was at least upgraded to [[Anti-Villain]], being a lovable shnook who had no animosity towards anyone, least of all Mario and Pauline, and who can blame him for wanting to escape the circus?
* [[Boxing Kangaroo]]: In Season 2, "K.O. Katie" Kangaroo in ''Kangaroo''. In her [[Trouser Space|Kangaroo Pouch Space]] she can hold lots of things, including her all-powerful boxing gloves. (In one lead-in bumper to ''Donkey Kong'', Katie pulled out Donkey Kong, who himself was wearing boxing gloves, while looking for the gloves.)
* [[Boxing Kangaroo]]: In Season 2, "K.O. Katie" Kangaroo in ''Kangaroo''. In her [[Trouser Space|Kangaroo Pouch Space]] she can hold lots of things, including her all-powerful boxing gloves. (In one lead-in bumper to ''Donkey Kong'', Katie pulled out Donkey Kong, who himself was wearing boxing gloves, while looking for the gloves.)
* [[Bratty Half Pint]]: Donkey Kong Jr. is basically [[Scooby Doo|Scrappy-Doo]] turned into a powerful monkey.
* [[Bratty Half-Pint]]: Donkey Kong Jr. is basically [[Scooby Doo|Scrappy-Doo]] turned into a powerful monkey.
{{quote| '''DK Jr:''' "Monkey Muscle!"}}
{{quote|'''DK Jr:''' "Monkey Muscle!"}}
* [[Canon Immigrant]]: The new characters from the Pitfall! cartoon were then used in the game's first sequel, Pitfall! 2, and even showed up in some later games (such as Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure).
* [[Canon Immigrant]]: The new characters from the Pitfall! cartoon were then used in the game's first sequel, Pitfall! 2, and even showed up in some later games (such as Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure).
* [[Chaste Toons]]: According to this show, [[Did Not Do the Research|Pauline is Mario's niece]]. This becomes [[Hilarious in Hindsight]] when you realize that this would make Luigi her father.
* [[Chaste Toons]]: According to this show, [[Did Not Do the Research|Pauline is Mario's niece]]. This becomes [[Hilarious in Hindsight]] when you realize that this would make Luigi her father.
* [[Hey Its That Voice]]: Bob Sarlatte at Frogger, [[Jana of the Jungle|B.J. Ward]] as Fanny Frog and Marvin Kaplan as Shellshock "Shelly" Turtle in ''Frogger'', Soupy Sales as Donkey Kong, [[Frank Welker]] as Donkey Kong Jr., [[Peter Cullen]] as Mario and, in the ''Space Ace'' segments, [[Nancy Cartwright]] as Kimberly and [[Richie Rich|Sparky Marcus]] as Space Ace/Dexter.
* [[Hey, It's That Voice!]]: Bob Sarlatte at Frogger, [[Jana of the Jungle|B.J. Ward]] as Fanny Frog and Marvin Kaplan as Shellshock "Shelly" Turtle in ''Frogger'', Soupy Sales as Donkey Kong, [[Frank Welker]] as Donkey Kong Jr., [[Peter Cullen]] as Mario and, in the ''Space Ace'' segments, [[Nancy Cartwright]] as Kimberly and [[Richie Rich (comics)|Sparky Marcus]] as Space Ace/Dexter.
* [[Keep Circulating the Tapes]]: Considering that the games adapted for this show were all licensed by different companies, it'd be hard to see this in full form on TV again, or on DVD. It doesn't help that the segments are all individually owned by different companies (but Warner Home Video has recently said [http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Saturday-Supercade-DVDs-Planned/14789 it has plans]...)
* [[Keep Circulating the Tapes]]: Considering that the games adapted for this show were all licensed by different companies, it'd be hard to see this in full form on TV again, or on DVD. It doesn't help that the segments are all individually owned by different companies (but Warner Home Video has recently said [http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Saturday-Supercade-DVDs-Planned/14789 it has plans]...)
* [[No Celebrities Were Harmed]]: In the ''Q*bert'' segments, Julie Dees revived her Mae West impression for Coily's girlfriend, Viper.
* [[No Celebrities Were Harmed]]: In the ''Q*bert'' segments, Julie Dees revived her Mae West impression for Coily's girlfriend, Viper.
* [[Obligatory Joke]]: Frogger was [[Squashed Flat]] every episode, and then re-inflated, usually with a bicycle pump.
* [[Overly Long Tongue]]: Frogger has one, and it comes in handy more often than one would assume.
* [[Road Runner vs. Coyote]]: The ''Donkey Kong'' segments.
* [[Road Runner vs. Coyote]]: The ''Donkey Kong'' segments.
* [[So Once Again the Day Is Saved]]:
* [[So Once Again the Day Is Saved]]:
{{quote| '''Mario:''' "It's not easy when you're dealing with..."<br />
{{quote|'''Mario:''' "It's not easy when you're dealing with..."
'''DK:''' "DONKEY KOOOOOONG!!" }}
'''DK:''' "DONKEY KOOOOOONG!!" }}
* [[Spin-Off]]: The ''Donkey Kong Jr'' segments are this to the ''Donkey Kong'' ones; Junior's goal is to find his dad, who is, naturally, running from Mario and Pauline. Unfortunately, Junior gets sidetracked a lot.
* [[Trademark Favorite Food]]: Donkey Kong's appetite for bananas made its first appearance here.
* [[Trademark Favorite Food]]: Donkey Kong's appetite for bananas made its first appearance here.


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[[Category:Saturday Morning Cartoon]]
[[Category:Saturday Morning Cartoon]]
[[Category:Western Animation]]
[[Category:Western Animation]]
[[Category:Saturday Supercade]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Latest revision as of 15:33, 13 September 2021

Saturday Supercade! Gather 'round, we'll get your video friends together.

An hourlong Animated Anthology of shorts, produced by Ruby-Spears for CBS, based on early 1980s video games. As might be expected with the limited amount of plot in the games of that era, the stories diverged wildly from the games out of sheer necessity. The following games were featured:

This series was unusual in that it collected characters from different video game companies. The character most obviously lacking, of course, was Pac-Man, who already had his own competing show[3] on ABC.

Each game appeared to exist in its own universe, with the exception of the Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr stories, which shared one.

Tropes used in Saturday Supercade include:
  • Adaptational Heroism:
    • In Q*bert (the video game) Sam and Slick are enemy characters, undoing Q*bert's work by changing the blocks back to their original colors. In the cartoon, they're good guys.
    • Donkey Kong was at least upgraded to Anti-Villain, being a lovable shnook who had no animosity towards anyone, least of all Mario and Pauline, and who can blame him for wanting to escape the circus?
  • Boxing Kangaroo: In Season 2, "K.O. Katie" Kangaroo in Kangaroo. In her Kangaroo Pouch Space she can hold lots of things, including her all-powerful boxing gloves. (In one lead-in bumper to Donkey Kong, Katie pulled out Donkey Kong, who himself was wearing boxing gloves, while looking for the gloves.)
  • Bratty Half-Pint: Donkey Kong Jr. is basically Scrappy-Doo turned into a powerful monkey.

DK Jr: "Monkey Muscle!"

Mario: "It's not easy when you're dealing with..."
DK: "DONKEY KOOOOOONG!!"

  • Spin-Off: The Donkey Kong Jr segments are this to the Donkey Kong ones; Junior's goal is to find his dad, who is, naturally, running from Mario and Pauline. Unfortunately, Junior gets sidetracked a lot.
  • Trademark Favorite Food: Donkey Kong's appetite for bananas made its first appearance here.
  1. ↑ the closest the show came to faithfully reproducing elements from the original game, with its trademark block hopping (complete with the original sound effects), "swear" bubbles and flying discs.
  2. ↑ featuring Pitfall Harry, his niece Rhonda, and their cowardly pet lion Quickclaw, all of whom later appeared in Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns for the Atari 2600.
  3. ↑ which premiered the previous year
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Saturday_Supercade?oldid=1928654"