Did Pengo have more then once Type of Game Play Music?

Magister

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Did Pengo have more then once Type of Game Play Music?

Last time I played Pengo was years and years ago. Oh I would say maybe 20 years. When I first got on here and looked it up, its mentioned that the game music was from the song "Popcorn". I know this song and don't remember it being in the game. So, I looked the game up on youtube and watched the game play, and sure enough the music is "Popcorn". But damn it, I know this can't be true for the one I played as a kid. Hell, I can still play the music in the head, and its nothing like "Popcorn". And yes, I know it was Pengo I was playing. Did they make two different sound tracks for this game? I tried finding the music for Penta but had no luck.

Mike
 
Ugh, bad spelling in the topic header. What I meant to say was "Was there more than one type of game play music in Pengo?". :D

Mike
 
There were two versions of the Pengo tune; "Popcorn" and something else. I believe that the "something else" one came first, but I'm not sure. I've attached a recording of it.
 

Attachments

  • pengo_original.zip
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OMG....Thats the one. I love that tune compared to the Popcorn song. Thanks for finding that. I guess my only other question is, What music does the game have on the 60-in-1 pcb? And I wonder how you can tell if a pcb has that music or the Popcorn music? Damn, thought I was going crazy there for a minute.

Mike
 
I think the 60 in one has the popcorn version. I thought the popcorn version came first then they changed it due to a lawsuit by whoever owned the rights to popcorn. Don't know a way to tell between the two versions but sound on an original board could probably be changed with a rom swap. Personally I hate the popcorn version. That song repeating over and over is enough to drive me mad.
 
I thought the popcorn version came first then they changed it due to a lawsuit by whoever owned the rights to popcorn.

Wikipedia agrees with you:

The first version of the game used "Popcorn" as theme music and took a few moments to draw the maze at the beginning of each level. The final version of the game drew the maze instantly and used its own distinctive theme music due to licensing issues.[citation needed]

Link
 
Anyone have a MP3 File with the full version of the other music?

Mike

By "other music", do you mean the Popcorn tune or the other tune? The full version of the other tune is a 31 second loop. I have it, but it is too large to attach as a single file. I've attached it as a split archive. However, after downloading the three files you will have to change their filenames before you can extract the MP3; as follows:

Change pengo1.zip to pengo.zip.001
Change pengo2.zip to pengo.zip.002
Change pengo3.zip to pengo.zip.003
 

Attachments

  • pengo1.zip
    80.1 KB · Views: 9
  • pengo2.zip
    80.1 KB · Views: 7
  • pengo3.zip
    78.8 KB · Views: 7
Says the files are bad. Oh well thanks for trying. I'll just have to do some research and find them on the web.

Mike
 
Says the files are bad. Oh well thanks for trying. I'll just have to do some research and find them on the web.

Mike

The files aren't bad. You have to follow my renaming instructions; and you also have to know how to extract a split zip archive. Here is one way to do it:

After you rename the files as I specified (and make sure they are all in the same folder), install 7-Zip if you don't already have it (other compression utilities such as WinZip may work too); right-click the first file (pengo.zip.001), point to 7-Zip in the context menu, and then click on Extract Here.
 
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I think the latest version (4?) of the MAME ROMS has the non-popcorn version. One of the two versions is also said to be harder.

I am firmly in the "alternative" camp. All the Pengos I spent my allowance fortunes on played the alternative music. I...DO...NOT...LIKE the popcorn version.

A year or two ago I also searched for the alternative version online, but had no luck. I can now get to my Pengo (which plays alternate), so maybe I'll Youtube a play vid.
 
I never saw one with the popcorn music either. Also, in MAME, set 2 (both encryped and unencrypted) uses the regular music. That's the version I prefer, although with the popcorn one, you get a few extra seconds to scope out the location of the diamond blocks while it's drawing everything, which is nice :)
 
There were two versions of the Pengo tune; "Popcorn" and something else. I believe that the "something else" one came first, but I'm not sure. I've attached a recording of it.

Dang, Pengo has some many different versions of cool. From its marquees, side art to music that game is cool. (no pun intended)
 
I take it back, it doesn't give you a heads-up on the diamond blocks. They don't appear until the blocks are finished drawing. I've also heard one version is easier, I think it's the popcorn music version. I know playing a few games of each in MAME, the regular music one seemed to get hard alot quicker. The popcorn one didn't really get hard until about level 10. (with both set to Medium in MAME)
 
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