"If it weren't for Harry, video games may never have taken off!"

Before I was born (probably in '79) my father bought my mother an Atari 2600 so that she would be able to keep herself entertained on the nights he worked late. Of all of her favorite games, one of them was a game known as Pitfall! As her only child, it's only natural that I inherited her video game genes, and after several years of playing Pitfall! and other games, I have come to the conclusion that if Pitfall! were never made, the gaming industry may have, indeed, died off in 1984!


Graphics: 10/10
Who can forget that scorpion which followed your movements underground? Or the way Harry looked like he were sitting on a swing when he jumped onto a vine? How about those gators whose mouths would alternate between open and closed? Nope, I can't forget 'em either, even if they are 18 years old!


Sounds: 10/10
Sure the sounds are 2-bit, but who can forget the sound of Harry's musical jungle yell as he swings from a vine? How about the Dragnet march when you die? Yup, them sounds are, indeed, classics, no matter how simple they are!


Controls: 10/10
Jump with the fire button, and move across the jungle terrain or climb ladders with your joystick. How much simpler can it be? Of course, if you know the secret of moving underground, then you can shortcut through the jungle! The secret? I'm not telling!


Replay: 10/10
Indeed, it's an Atari game, but it's one with a challenge that even I still haven't finished yet! Your objective: Get all of the treasures and then return to the starting point. The catch: There are twenty minutes, and you must do it within the time limit before it runs out, or you lose all your lives! No one-ups, no time extensions, nothing! Good luck!


Overall: 10/10
I often wonder what David Crane is doing now. I wonder if he would ever consider making a version of Pitfall! for the Dreamcast, or the PlayStation 2 even! OK, so that's wishful thinking. Either way, if you never tried the original Pitfall! then now is a good time to!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 08/21/00, Updated 07/16/01