Overview and Gameplay
Popo and Nana scale frozen mountains by smashing openings in the ceilings above them. Each of the 32 selectable mountains has eight main floors followed by a timed bonus climb where vegetables and the summit condor award extra points.
Moving platforms, slippery floors, clouds, pillars, and wraparound screen edges complicate the ascent. Topis repair broken floors, Nitpickers cross several levels, and a Polar Bear forces slow climbers upward by pushing the screen down. Later mountain numbers generally provide a harder challenge.
Controls And Mechanics
- Move left or right with the directional pad.
- Jump to strike and break suitable ice blocks overhead.
- Swing the hammer horizontally to attack nearby enemies.
- Select chooses the player mode or mountain, while Start begins and pauses play.
- Two players climb simultaneously as Popo and Nana. They can cooperate, race, or interfere with each other while sharing the scrolling screen.
Version Notes
The international NES version replaces the Japanese Famicom edition’s seal-like Topi with a small white, yeti-like creature. Its floor-repairing behavior is unchanged.
Release And Credits
- North American release: October 1985
- Developer: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
- Publisher: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
- Original home platform: Family Computer
