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Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure
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Graphics & Sound:
Of the launch titles we had for GBA launch, Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure was certainly one of the prettiest. It showcased a big color palette and didn't skimp on background art or animation. Lush jungle never looked so good, and what a change from the Atari2600 version I grew up with! So, we've got a nice setting to show off the new platform, right? Well, the graphics can be almost too much, detracting from a good focus on gameplay. There are nice touches in the environments like hidden items and secret areas you don't see unless you move behind a piece of scenery, plus the great animations of Harry (it's Harry, Jr.) and his enemies. The sound is good, with jungle atmosphere aplenty. Really, there's more than just jungle here, so you'll spend time around creepy characters that look like they belong in Tomb Raider, such as mummies or ghouls. Creatures and obstacles may remind you of the classic Atari version, but man have we come a long way! The PlayStation remake off Pitfall has already gone like water under the bridge of bad gameplay, and while I'll save my comments on how the GBA version really plays, it looks and sounds fantastic.
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Gameplay:
Remakes and sequels are really tough. How would you remake a movie like Birth of a Nation today? You could, but it wouldn't have the same affect on people, or be in the right context. Another example is Cleopatra with Liz Taylor. I remember hearing that it was the most expensive movie made up to that point in history, but how would it look compared to the tens of millions that any average director might spend on a movie these days? The people who saw these movies originally had an experience that probably just doesn't translate well to today's world. One might draw a parallel between these examples and the idea of remaking a complete videogame classic. Pitfall was a fairly unassuming game, even for its time. I remember playing it through most of a sleep-over and being amazed at the side-scrolling adventures of Pitfall Harry. At a time when most games were very focused on 'rooms', it was liberating to move across the screen facing danger both high and low. Swinging on the vines was awesome, the scorpions and snakes were scary, and Harry was just a Harrison Ford away from being on the cultural landscape. A good twenty years down the road, we've seen all the Indiana Jones we can stand, but what of Harry? Well, this latest installment in the story has Harry adventuring with his son, only to be captured by a powerful force in the Central American jungle. It remains for Harry Junior to pick up the whip (and I'll throw you the idol... ;) to rescue his father and complete the adventure. You spend the game in control of H.J., burning through level after level of platforming goodness to beat Zakelua and get old Dad back. The basics of your classic Pitfall are here, with vine swinging, jumping and climbing. Many, many extras made their way into the new game, like bungee cords and boomerangs, but nobody could really have expected a straight remake of the original. As I appreciate the technological marvel that is Pitfall for the GBA, I can't say I see much of the simple pleasure I remember from the old days. Really, the point seems to be that Pitfall was a fine adventure game that now translates to a fine platformer. The old game doesn't rank in my Top 10 for classic Arcade gaming, and this new version won't stand in the Top 10 of GBA titles. The action is frantic, the control is sometimes a bit convoluted and the difficulty doesn't inspire the fainthearted to return to the jungle. Level design in a Platformer is everything, and Pitfall runs into some of the obstacles of how to lead and direct without seeming to be on rails. A solutions comes in the form of a little jungle idol that not only serves as a waypoint to return to if you die mid-level, but also points the way to where you need to go. Lack of any save feature makes for a steep learning curve, and nobody should be forced to play a game in one sitting when password save is included with even the most rudimentary children's game. But, all difficulty issues aside, the progress of each level is nicely plotted and the intrigues of beating enemies and ascending or descending to conquer new areas may appeal to the adventurer in you. |
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Difficulty:
I generally have low tolerance for platforming games that try to throw everything at you too quickly. The first Rayman game for PlayStation had a tendency to do this, where the second Rayman followed a more leisurely pace and introduced gaming elements in a way that helped train your eye and hand. Pitfall really tries to jam everything into the first level, giving you a baptism by fire for not only basic controls but also fighting and exploring. No training mode and not much more manual than we usually get helps push Pitfall right over the edge of Hard into 'Just Plain Mean.' Novice platforming fans won't find anything but heartache, and even with solid examples of the genre under my belt (Crash, Sonic, Spyro, Rayman) I had a hard time putting together the logic behind how various areas were staged. Tricky challenges were introduced without so much as a whimper or hint, and if you say read the manual, I say it just has to work in the game. I don't remember a manual in the arcade, just some labels by the buttons and the need for smart programming and design. There's no denying the programming is smart, but design could have used a serious shot in the arm to make for more friendly gameplay.
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Game Mechanics:
Pitfall sports more variety of control than most GBA games up to now, both from how movements and fighting is executed and how interactive elements in the landscape are managed. Simple things like riding a vine or using the bungee cord will just take practice before you develop a feel, but the idea is jump, grab, swing and release. Mastering the timing is everything, of course. Fighting enemies is done by using various weapons, including Power-Ups. A boomerang well placed can wreak havoc with a band of enemies, but must be gathered again for reuse. Sling shot firepower is understandably limited, but more plentiful than the boomerang. Different attack styles can be used, and mid-air jump attacks or attacking from above and below while clinging to a vine mean Harry Junior can fight or be fought from just about anywhere. Moving around in the jungle entails anything from climbing ladders, riding mine carts or sliding down zip wires. Any of these can be fun, but always a big adventure before you know where you're actually going. The idea of learning by dying is an old Platform staple, but not one I especially enjoy. Pitfall employs the device frequently, and given the conspicuous lack of a save system, I can't understand why things had to be so spread out. Each screen is completely dense, so it wasn't like they were trying to avoid filling in negative spaces. After you realize there isn't much to kill you outright beyond jumping into a crevasse or falling repeatedly onto sharp spikes, trying new things with Harry isn't too bad. Plus, all items for travel regenerate automatically in case you try and need to try again. If you ever hear an old song redone on the radio and think it was overproduced, you know the emotional impact of picking up Majesco's new Pitfall on Game Boy Advance. Remakes of classic games that actually honor the form by extending it are rare as rare can be, and this is not of that variety. Instead, we have the intellectual property that holds a fond place in most people's memories being turned to a quick dollar as a proof-of-concept for Nintendo's new system. If you never played Pitfall before, you can come with fresh eyes and maybe feel some excitement over a good looking Platformer. But, with Rayman on the shelf and even Pinobee, I'm hard pressed to recommend this as more than a game you play when you've exhausted all the others in its genre. And, even then, I recommend it with reservations for all but the most skilled. You have been warned... ;)
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-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock |
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