Pitfall II (Atari 2600)

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GeoX
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Re: Pitfall II (Atari 2600)

Postby GeoX » August 7th, 2022, 6:18 am

A+ all the way!

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VideoGameCritic
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Re: Pitfall II (Atari 2600)

Postby VideoGameCritic » August 7th, 2022, 9:24 am

I am definitely updating my Pitfall reviews - and soon.

Thanks for the feedback guys. Keep it coming.

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noah98
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Re: Pitfall II (Atari 2600)

Postby noah98 » August 7th, 2022, 12:18 pm

Darrin wrote:I think the 2600 Pitfall 2 should get an A and the 5200 version should get an A+. They are both top-tier games for their systems. And probably one of the very first true sequels (with an actual "2" in the title). The 5200 version has this CRAZY second map after you clear the first. And it's FAR more complex. There is an even a fairly ellaborate ending when you clear it.

When I think of "A list" 2600 games I think of ones higher in memory, endings, or title screens. Some examples might include: H.E.R.O., Pitfall 2, California Games, Stargate, Solaris, Galaxian, Pengo, or even Crossbow (I actually prefer Galaxian on 2600 more than the arcade, and the title screen is stellar).

Pitfall 2 on 2600: A
Pitfall 2 on 5200: A+


The poor 5200 controller should keep the game at an "A" instead of an "A+", however, the Atari 8 bit version (computer) should get an A+ since it has the second map and also has a better standard controller.

matmico399
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Re: Pitfall II (Atari 2600)

Postby matmico399 » August 7th, 2022, 8:02 pm

Considering it's one of the best 2600 games of all time it should get an A+. When I first played it I could not believe how good it was. I was like this is a 2600 game? Even now I enjoy visiting it every so often.

ThePixelatedGenocide
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Re: Pitfall II (Atari 2600)

Postby ThePixelatedGenocide » August 7th, 2022, 11:32 pm

VideoGameCritic wrote:Been playing a lot of Pitfall II lately and really loving it. The graphics are gold, and that looping song never gets old. The checkpoint and scoring system are excellent, and I love the sense of exploration and discovery.

So I checked my review expecting an A+ or at least an A. What I found was an A-, with my main complaint being due to the lack of ducking.

Okay, that can be frustrating. But, once you get into the rhythm, running under the birds and bats is not so hard. Without that element, maybe the game would be too easy??

I'd like to hear your thoughts. What grade does this game deserve?


A bit docked for the long float back to the last checkpoint, and the fact that it's a bit too ambitious for the hardware. Anyone complaining about getting lost in Metroid should probably keep a map handy at all times. There's a lot of repeating assets, and very few landmarks. It's a game that's more famous for what it can do on the 2600, rather than what it actually did.

With all that said, it's still completely insane that this exists on hardware designed for Combat and Pong. And all the issues with the game's flaws vanish the second the song kicks in. Any game where it's a joy to play the game, whether or not you're not trying to beat it that session, deserves the highest letter grade possible. A-

Darrin
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Re: Pitfall II (Atari 2600)

Postby Darrin » August 8th, 2022, 8:12 pm

noah98 wrote:
Darrin wrote:I think the 2600 Pitfall 2 should get an A and the 5200 version should get an A+. They are both top-tier games for their systems. And probably one of the very first true sequels (with an actual "2" in the title). The 5200 version has this CRAZY second map after you clear the first. And it's FAR more complex. There is an even a fairly ellaborate ending when you clear it.

When I think of "A list" 2600 games I think of ones higher in memory, endings, or title screens. Some examples might include: H.E.R.O., Pitfall 2, California Games, Stargate, Solaris, Galaxian, Pengo, or even Crossbow (I actually prefer Galaxian on 2600 more than the arcade, and the title screen is stellar).

Pitfall 2 on 2600: A
Pitfall 2 on 5200: A+


The poor 5200 controller should keep the game at an "A" instead of an "A+", however, the Atari 8 bit version (computer) should get an A+ since it has the second map and also has a better standard controller.


Too true about the infamous 5200 controller! That's a very valid point. That controller pretty much lowers any game's score. It sounds like the Atari computer version is the definitive A+ version. It's nice to see noticeable touch-ups in the 5200/computer version when compared to the 2600 graphics as well, like additional detail in the trees and rocks. It etches a bit closer to the look and feel of an early NES game. I also like the parts in the second map where you can swim.

Robotrek
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Re: Pitfall II (Atari 2600)

Postby Robotrek » August 9th, 2022, 8:47 am

As owner of a genuine Pitfall 2 arcade PCB, I can tell you that it's the best way to enjoy the game. It was actually developed by Sega (who also created an excellent SG-1000 port that I used to emulate) and plays very well, and actually has some cool scenery you don't see in any other version.

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VideoGameCritic
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Re: Pitfall II (Atari 2600)

Postby VideoGameCritic » August 10th, 2022, 9:42 pm

Pitfall 2 was an arcade game?

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Stalvern
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Re: Pitfall II (Atari 2600)

Postby Stalvern » August 10th, 2022, 11:07 pm

It's pretty impressive. Would have been great on the Master System.

Robotrek
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Re: Pitfall II (Atari 2600)

Postby Robotrek » August 11th, 2022, 3:35 pm

VideoGameCritic wrote:Pitfall 2 was an arcade game?


It's really, really good. It contains some awesome new scenery and a wild (but brief) mine cart ride. The SG-1000 port was based off of it.


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