is a 1986 side-scrolling

platform Platform may refer to: Technology * Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run * Platform game, a genre of video games * Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models * Weapons platform, a system or ...

video game for the

Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...

NEC PC-8801 The , commonly shortened to PC-88, are a brand of Zilog Z80-based 8-bit home computers released by Nippon Electric Company (NEC) in 1981 and primarily sold in Japan. The PC-8800 series sold extremely well and became one of the three major Japane ...

, and

TRS-80 Color Computer 3 The RadioShack TRS-80 Color Computer, later marketed as the Tandy Color Computer and sometimes nicknamed the CoCo, is a line of home computers developed and sold by Tandy Corporation. Despite sharing a name with the earlier TRS-80, the Color Co ...

published under

Activision Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one o ...

's license. Despite the title screen stating that it was developed by Pony Inc, the actual development of the NES version was handled by

Micronics Micronics (マイクロニクス Maikuronikusu) was a Japanese video game developer in 1980s and 1990s. It mostly ported arcade games to the Nintendo Entertainment System. Like many video game developers, Micronics didn't credit itself in its games ...

, with the PC-8801 version being developed by Pony Inc. while the CoCo version is credited as being "Programmed by Steve Bjork of SRB Software". The PC-8801 version released in November 1986, two months after the original release in September 1986, although this variant of the game was limited to single-screen platforming rather than side-scrolling. In addition to being a new entry in Activision's

Pitfall! ''Pitfall!'' is a platform video game designed by David Crane for the Atari 2600 and released by Activision in 1982. The player controls Pitfall Harry and is tasked with collecting all the treasures in a jungle within 20 minutes. The world con ...

series for the

Atari 2600 The Atari 2600, initially branded as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS) from its release until November 1982, is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977, it popularized microprocessor- ...

, ''Super Pitfall'' was the first game that Activision published as a third-party developer. A sequel titled ''Super Pitfall II'' — the localized version of

Sunsoft , stylized as SUNSOFT, is a Japanese video game developer and publisher. Sunsoft is the video games division of Japanese electronics manufacturer Sun Corporation. Its U.S. subsidiary operated under the name Sun Corporation of America, though, a ...

's Famicom title, '' Atlantis no Nazo'' – was planned, but was cancelled a short time later.

Gameplay

''Super Pitfall'' is a loose

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...

of '' Pitfall II: Lost Caverns'', in that the object is to move Harry through the mazes to find the Raj diamond, and rescue his niece Rhonda and sidekick Quickclaw, both of whom have become lost in the caverns. However, Pitfall Harry's quest becomes tougher when he sees that the faithful Quickclaw is imprisoned in a cage and a

key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (map ...

must be found – at which point Pitfall Harry finds that Rhonda has been turned to stone; it is here where he must locate a magic potion that will turn her back into a normal girl. The difference in ''Super Pitfall'', however, is that Harry must also return to his starting point after accomplishing these objectives. Like the original Pitfall, but unlike '' Pitfall II: Lost Caverns'', Harry has a limited number of lives. This time, Harry is also equipped with a gun with which he can shoot the various deadly creatures that inhabit the caverns, but he has limited ammunition and must find additional bullets scattered throughout the game. Arguably the most difficult enemies to beat are the three

cavemen The caveman is a stock character representative of primitive humans in the Paleolithic. The popularization of the type dates to the early 20th century, when Neanderthals were influentially described as " simian" or "ape-like" by Marcellin Bo ...

– which require more than one bullet to eliminate. Gathering gold bars results in extra points, which grants extra lives. Completion of this game requires the memorization (or mapping) of numerous hidden keys and warp zones to progress – the likes of which can only be reached by jumping at secret hidden spots in the game's levels. Extra lives, ammo, and other helpful items can also be found by jumping in specific zones.

Critical reception

The NES version was negatively received. A review in ''

Computer Gaming World ''Computer Gaming World'' (CGW) was an American computer game magazine published between 1981 and 2006. One of the few magazines of the era to survive the video game crash of 1983, it was sold to Ziff Davis in 1993. It expanded greatly through ...

'' derided the game as "a /nowiki> /nowiki>Super_Mario_Bros.">Super_Mario_Bros..html"_;"title="/nowiki>Super_Mario_Bros.">/nowiki>Super_Mario_Bros./nowiki>_rehash_that_most_NES_users_will_be_able_to_play_in_their_sleep._Certainly,_there_is_nothing_in_the_game_itself_to_keep_them_awake."_Further_complaints_were_directed_at_the_lack_of_any_credit_given_to_David_Crane_(programmer).html" ;"title="Super_Mario_Bros..html" ;"title="Super_Mario_Bros..html" ;"title="/nowiki>Super Mario Bros.">/nowiki>Super Mario Bros.">Super_Mario_Bros..html" ;"title="/nowiki>Super Mario Bros.">/nowiki>Super Mario Bros./nowiki> rehash that most NES users will be able to play in their sleep. Certainly, there is nothing in the game itself to keep them awake." Further complaints were directed at the lack of any credit given to David Crane (programmer)">David Crane, the original designer of ''Pitfall''. Brett Alan Weiss of the game database Allgame gave the game a rating of one star out of five, stating that "''Pitfall!, Pitfall'' is one of the best

games; ''Super Pitfall'' is one of the worst NES games".

Gamasutra ''Game Developer'', known as ''Gamasutra'' until 2021, is a website founded in 1997 that focuses on aspects of video game development. It is owned and operated by Informa and acts as the online sister publication to the print magazine '' Gam ...

criticized it for being "vague to the point of infuriating" and "a pure trial-and-error expedition of the underground", but noted that it had some early

sandbox A sandbox is a sandpit, a wide, shallow playground construction to hold sand, often made of wood or plastic. Sandbox or Sand box may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Sandbox (band), a Canadian rock music group * Sandbox ( ...

elements and could have been better if it had "a loose goal that couples true exploration with graphics and physics that are actually good" like its contemporary, ''

Metroid is an action-adventure game franchise created by Nintendo. The player controls the bounty hunter Samus Aran, who protects the galaxy from Space Pirate (Metroid), Space Pirates and other malevolent forces and their attempts to harness the powe ...

'', and the 2004 indie game ''

Cave Story ''Cave Story'', originally released as is a 2004 Metroidvania platform-adventure game for Microsoft Windows. It was developed over five years by Japanese independent developer Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya in his free time. ''Cave Story'' features 2D ...

''.Gems In The Rough: Yesterday's Concepts Mined For Today

References

External links

* {{Pitfall! 1986 video games Metroidvania games NEC PC-8801 games Nintendo Entertainment System games Pitfall (series) Platform games Pony Canyon games TRS-80 Color Computer games Video game remakes Video games developed in Japan