The Video Game Critic

Here's a pair of new summer-themed reviews for your reading enjoyment.
Happy July 4th!

You never go underground in Pitfall? Jeez, that's the way to rack up the loot! I got a perfect score in the Intellivision version once, and you'd better believe I did a lot of climbing up and down those ladders and jumping over scorpions.

As I recall it's pretty much confirmed that it's impossible to get all the treasures without going down the ladder (IIRC it's something like 1 underground screen = 3 overworld screens). If there were no obstacles at all it might be barely possible, but of course you have to wait for those vines and disappearing ponds.

BTW you start with 2000 points in every version of Pitfall I've played -- that way, there's always a consequence to sloppy play, right from the beginning. I think you're misremembering on that front?

Also, the person who added the entire second level to Pitfall II had to make it an Easter egg because a marketing VP didn't want any version to have more content than any other. It's probably a safe bet that the suits at Activision are responsible for any failure to "spice things up", since it seems like the programmers sure wanted to.

It's certainly possible I'm "mimsremembering" about the starting score! Maybe I just never took note of it. But it does make sense.

As for the underground, it seems like whenever I take that route I run into a wall and have to backtrack! That's annoying! But you're right - professional player definitely need to utilize the underground shortcuts.

I went and checked out the Atari 2600, 5200, Intellivision and ColecoVision versions before I posted, and yeah, they all start with 2000 points. I guess it's just one of those things you don't notice until you notice, so to speak. It took me 25 years to figure out that the balloon enemies in TMNT had a big Foot Clan insignia on them.

I know you don't like making maps, but you might find it rewarding to look online for a Pitfall walkthrough and try playing the optimal route. It becomes a different game when you realize you have a real chance to get all the treasures (and a perfect score). It's 20 of the most intense video gaming minutes out there -- I don't think my heart has ever pounded harder during a video game than when I realized I was a few screens away from Pitfall perfection.

For some reason, I like this version of Pitfall best. I think the graphics have a more organic look compared with the other ones. The Colecovision one tried to look a little different, but I don't like it. Intellivision had slightly better vine animation, but nothing else. To me, the Atari computer version is the definitive one. Anyone like the 2600 graphics better?

love Atari xe/xl reviews and also C64 reviews..would like to see more if possible

XE and 5200 games are usually identical, I remember the scorpions are very difficult to jump on the 5200 version. Is the same true of the XE Pitfall?

I’ve always felt like Frogger II: Threedeep! is the most confusing game name ever. Why have the word “three” in the title for the second game in the series? Threedeep doesn’t even make much sense for the game- they couldn’t pick something else?? When I first heard of the game years back, I read the title quickly and thought it was the third Frogger game.

Well anyways.. stupid name aside, I enjoyed the reviews anyway. Thanks.

Cafeman wrote:XE and 5200 games are usually identical, I remember the scorpions are very difficult to jump on the 5200 version. Is the same true of the XE Pitfall?

I'd say they are probably harder to jump on the 5200 due to the lack of precision with the controller. AFAIK the 5200 version is a direct port of the 8-bit computer version.

djc wrote:

Cafeman wrote:XE and 5200 games are usually identical, I remember the scorpions are very difficult to jump on the 5200 version. Is the same true of the XE Pitfall?

I'd say they are probably harder to jump on the 5200 due to the lack of precision with the controller. AFAIK the 5200 version is a direct port of the 8-bit computer version.

It wasn't that, even on emulation, it feels like your jump is a pixel shorter and I had so much trouble jumping Scorpions on the 5200 version, I recall. I'll have to replay both versions soon and refresh my memory. The same would be true of the A8 version if the games are identical. Pitfall doesn't even run on my 2 port 5200!