Pitfall: TMA is simply the run-of-the-mill platform game like many available on the Super Nintendo, for example. So in this sense, game reviewers who have played oodles of me-too platformers will probably be a little bored with Pitfall. For Atari fans, though, being able to relive Pitfall even in its very altered state, is exciting. Besides, as we all know, tons of platformers were not released on the Jaguar so a great game like Pitfall is a rare commodity and should be enjoyed by Jaguar owners.
The first thing that people will note about Pitfall is the beauty of the graphics. I'm not sure how Pitfall is on other systems but I would imagine the Jaguar version outshines its 16-bit competitors as the graphics are gorgeous. People in my dorm were blown away by the Jaguar version and said that they were unaware the Jaguar was the powerful. Of course, Jag aficionados will chuckle at this because there are many better examples and a platformer shouldn't tax the Jag. The simple fact is, though, that the graphics catch players immediately.
Things in the background move and the areas change dramatically on each level. This is one of those games were you might want to let the character set still for a little bit and enjoy the scenery. If you're concentrating on controlling the character and staying alive, you might miss out on some of the subtle, but very nice, touches to this game. Simply put, the graphics in this game thrilled me. They are impressive.
The movements of the character and other objects are very fluid. All of the actions are exaggerated to give it a cartoony-feel. Climbing, running, attacking and, yes, heading face first into a wall, are almost mesmerizing. Some of the impressive games for the SNES like Earthworm Jim really don't compare to this game. Adding to the beauty and smoothness of the graphics is that the system experiences very little slowdown from there being a lot of action on the screen at once.
The sounds in the game all have a jungle feel to them. Although not impressive, they are clear and they add to the game experience. There are some games that just seem to benefit from subtle music and this is one of them. A driving techno beat would just detract from the atmosphere of this game.
The sound effects are a little repetitive. Every once in a while Pitfall Harry Jr. will make an exclamation but most of the effects are resigned to whips and creatures exploding into smoke.
The controls on the game are necessarily tight. There are many of the standard timing routines like in so many other platformers and, thankfully, Pitfall Harry Jr. responds very quickly. The buttons are used for jumping, whipping, and special weapons and can be set to a player's preference. I cannot imagine not having the ability to set the buttons to my own style so I am thankful that it was included in the game. The defaults just never seem right to me.
Enemies are pretty varied in Pitfall. Unfortunately, some of them are just downright silly like statues that attack (sounds like a Fox special) and big butterflies. There are the memorable alligators in the water and, yes, you get to jump on their closed mouths. The varied enemies makes the game fresh. Some more thought could have gone into them, though. That said, there is little to complain about the enemies.
What Activision did get right with variety is the great amount of ways to transport your character around. Especially what I mean are the zip lines, trampolines, "bungi cords," and mining cars. These are all neat and, again, add some variety to the game. None of them seem out of place either. They all work well with the existing backgrounds and areas.
The difficulty of Pitfall is well-balanced. None of it is impossible for an experienced player but it isn't too easy. It took me a few weeks of playing to beat the game on easy level. Expert players might wish to collect the letters PITFALL hidden throughout the game. Especially hard, at times, are the bosses, especially the last one. The one thing that a player must learn quickly is to conserve the special weapons for the tough ones. Don't waste magic rocks especially.
One major disappointment with Pitfall is that it allows you to save only one game. That's it. Have a brother? Buy another copy. One flaw but a MAJOR one. I can't believe that they did this. Be warned of this before buying this game for your kids. Another smaller disappointment is the ending of the game. Kind of amusing but short. This is one of my complaints for most games.
Overall, I love Pitfall and would recommend it to anyone. It certainly puts Bubsy and Zool 2 to shame. It also showcases the Jaguar's graphical abilities. Most importantly, though, it is a fun game.
Graphics: 9
Sound: 7
Gameplay: 9
Overall: 9
If you have any comments, please mail them to me. Don't like Pitfall? Write a counter-review. Let's have some dialogue.