Mr. Wimpy (video game)
Promotional platformer based on BurgerTime for Wimpy restaurants.
Mr. Wimpy (also called *The Hamburger Game*) is a platform game from Ocean Software, released in 1984 on the Oric-1, ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, and Commodore 64. It was created as a promotional tie-in for the Wimpy restaurant chain, featuring the chain’s logo, mascot, and theme tune. Its gameplay borrows from the 1982 Data East arcade title *BurgerTime*.
In the game, Mr. Wimpy must cross his kitchen while dodging moving manholes to reach the larder, where he collects ingredients for burgers. A character named Waldo adds to the challenge by trying to steal those ingredients. After the first level, the game shifts into a *BurgerTime*-style setup: the player guides Mr. Wimpy across platforms, walking over four different burger ingredients so they fall to the platforms below and eventually land on four plates at the bottom. Enemies must also be avoided. Mr. Wimpy can spray pepper at them, freezing them for a few seconds, or trap and squash them by walking over ingredients while the enemies are on a lower level.
The platform portion includes four enemies: Sid Sos (a walking sausage), Ogy Egg (a walking fried egg), Sam Spoon (a walking spoon), and Pam Pickle (a walking pickle). Their numbers increase as the player advances. Mr. Wimpy’s only defenses are trapping enemies under falling ingredients or freezing them with pepper. He can carry only up to four bottles of pepper at once; when low, more can be obtained by collecting a coffee cup or ice cream. Players start with four lives, which can be lost by falling into a moving pothole in the opening Larder level or by being caught by an enemy in the platform section.
A Mr. Wimpy Championship took place simultaneously in London and Manchester, won by fourteen-year-old Andrew Blackley.
- Release year
- 1984
- Developer
- Ocean Software
- Platforms
- Oric-1, ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, Commodore 64
- Genre
- Platform game
- Based on
- BurgerTime (1982 Data East arcade game)
- Promotional tie
- Wimpy restaurant chain
Lore & Background
In Mr. Wimpy, the player controls the titular character as he crosses his kitchen while avoiding moving manholes to reach the larder and collect ingredients for burgers. A character named Waldo attempts to steal these ingredients. After the opening level, the game becomes a BurgerTime clone where the player guides Mr. Wimpy across platforms, walking over four burger ingredients that crash down to plates below. The player must also avoid various enemies, including Sid Sos (a walking sausage), Ogy Egg (a walking fried egg), Sam Spoon (a walking spoon), and Pam Pickle (a walking pickle).
Mr. Wimpy can spray pepper at enemies, temporarily freezing them for a few seconds. Enemies can also be trapped and squashed by walking over burger ingredients while they are on the level below. The player can carry up to four bottles of pepper at a time; more pepper can be acquired by collecting a coffee cup or ice cream. Players start with four lives, which can be lost by falling into a moving pothole in the opening Larder level or by being caught by an enemy in the platform portion.
A Mr. Wimpy Championship was held simultaneously in London and Manchester, won by fourteen-year-old Andrew Blackley.
Reader's Guide
Mr. Wimpy is notable as a promotional video game tied to the Wimpy restaurant chain, a rare example of fast-food branding in early 1980s home computer gaming. Its direct adaptation of the BurgerTime arcade formula into a licensed product reflects the era's trend of leveraging popular arcade mechanics for commercial tie-ins. The game's release across multiple platforms—Oric-1, ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, and Commodore 64—demonstrates Ocean Software's strategy of broad distribution. The inclusion of unique enemies like Sid Sos and Ogy Egg, along with the pepper defense mechanic, adds distinct flavor while staying faithful to the source material. The Mr. Wimpy Championship, won by a fourteen-year-old, highlights the game's role in community events and competitive play. Though not a landmark title, Mr. Wimpy serves as a cultural artifact of 1980s British gaming and fast-food marketing, preserved in archives like SpectrumComputing.co.uk.
Did You Know?
- Mr. Wimpy was released in 1984 for the Oric-1, ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, and Commodore 64.
- The game includes enemies named Sid Sos (a walking sausage), Ogy Egg (a walking fried egg), Sam Spoon (a walking spoon), and Pam Pickle (a walking pickle).
- A Mr. Wimpy Championship was held simultaneously in London and Manchester, won by fourteen-year-old Andrew Blackley.
- The player can carry up to four bottles of pepper at a time, and more pepper is acquired by collecting a coffee cup or ice cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mr. Wimpy (video game)?
Mr. Wimpy, sometimes referred to as The Hamburger Game, is a 1984 platformer developed by Ocean Software. It was produced as a promotional title for the Wimpy restaurant chain and incorporates the brand's logo, mascot, and signature jingle into the experience.
What platforms can I play Mr. Wimpy (video game) on?
The game shipped in 1984 for four home computers: the Oric-1, ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, and Commodore 64. No other platforms are listed in its original distribution.
How does gameplay work in Mr. Wimpy (video game)?
Players guide Mr. Wimpy across a kitchen, jumping over shifting manholes to reach the larder and gather burger ingredients. A rival character named Waldo actively tries to snatch those ingredients, adding an extra layer of difficulty to each level.
What is the relationship between Mr. Wimpy (video game) and BurgerTime?
The 1982 Data East arcade title BurgerTime served as the direct gameplay inspiration for Mr. Wimpy. Ocean Software adapted its core mechanics into a home-computer platformer while swapping in Wimpy branding and characters.
Why is Mr. Wimpy (video game) notable in advergame history?
It stands as a clear early example of a brand-tied promotional game, using a recognizable restaurant identity to market the Wimpy chain through interactive play. Its 1984 release across multiple 8-bit home systems made it one of the more widely distributed advergames of that era.
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