Released in 1982 by Data East, BurgerTime was an unusual platform game starring chef Peter Pepper. The object of the game was to walk over hamburger ingredients until a hamburger was pieced together at the bottom of the screen. BurgerTime became an instant classic with gamers.
MonkeyPawGames, a game developer responsible for releasing Japanese PSone imports on the Playstation Network, has re-envisioned the Data East classic while keeping the core play mechanics intact. As chef Peter Pepper, you must navigate a 3D rotating environment filled with traps and floating platforms.
Hamburger ingredients are placed on separate levels of the environment, and you must walk across these ingredients and make them fall to the bottom of the screen to make a hamburger. This must be done repeatedly until the level is cleared.
Iconic enemies like Frank Furter (a hotdog), Ruthless (a pickle) and Sonny (a giant fried egg) are introduced early on to ramp up the difficulty. Other enemies are introduced later. When an enemy is introduced, it is presented by a stylish cinema.
The gameplay is your classic platform formula as you climb ladders, traverse platforms, and avoid enemies as you complete each objective. Hamburger ingredients are placed on separate ends of the level, separated by floating platforms, large gaps, crumbling walkways, and pesky enemies that will follow your every move.
Chef Peter Pepper’s only real defense is his pepper shaker, which stuns enemies when used. The pepper shaker has limited uses and it must be refilled by collecting Pepper Shaker boxes that are randomly placed throughout the level. Special drinks that make chef Peter Pepper run faster will also appear.
The other alternative is to pepper stun enemies on burger ingredients before pushing the food item(s) down a level. The more enemies you have standing on the ingredient, the further it will fall.
Aside from the standard hamburger, specialties like the ‘Italiano’ can be completed by using enemies as ingredients. This is achieved by pepper spraying an enemy on a burger layer and then walking across it. Once the burger is completed, a bonus is given.
Additionally, letters can be collected to spell out certain words relative to the game. Like the hamburger ingredients, they are placed randomly in the level. Collecting these letters, and completing the word, will garner a bonus.
BurgerTime World Tour is not an easy game to play. New elements like rolling barrels, drills, and falling platforms are just some of the obstacles you will face. The frustration factor is high during most of the levels, and it’s not uncommon to find yourself dying often. What makes the game difficult are the enemies; they don’t follow a set pattern. They will follow Peter Pepper’s every move if he gets too close.
BurgerTime World Tour is divided into four continents, each with ten levels. The final stage is a face-off against a rival chef. For added replay value, there are five characters to unlock along with local and online multiplayer features.
The online community for BTWT is limited, making it very difficult to find players. During this review, I spent the latter half of an hour looking for match ups and came up empty-handed. It’s a shame; BTWT really shines when additional players join in.
Developer MonkeyPawGames continues to push the bar of innovation. BurgerTime World Tour is a refreshing take on an arcade classic that will be forever engraved in video game history. Some of the best games come in small packages, but this one comes on a sesame seed bun grilled to perfection.
Mike Pittaro
Platform: Playstation 3 (Available on PSN)
Developer: Frozen CodeBase
Publisher: MonkeyPawGames
ESRB: E (Everyone)
Price: $9.99
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |  |
| Smooth 3D graphics and eye-popping colors. | |
| Sound | |
| Unique sound effects and music enhance the experience. | |
| Gameplay | |
| Classic gameplay that is at times frustrating, but very challenging. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Gamers looking for a challenge should look no further than BurgerTime World Tour. | |
