Pitfall II: Lost Caverns (arcade game)
{{Distinguish|text=the console title Pitfall II: Lost Caverns}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns
| image = Pitfall2-Arcade-Flyer.jpg
| alt =
| caption = European arcade flyer
| developer = Sega
| publisher = Sega
| series = Pitfall
| engine =
| released = {{vgrelease|JP|February 1985|NA|May 1985}}SG-1000{{Video game release|JP|July 1985{{cite web|title=70 Sega Home Software(Japanese, top-right)|url=https://retrocdn.net/images/b/ba/GameMachine_JP_283.pdf|work=Game Machine Magazine 1st May '86| date=1 May 1986 |issue=283|page=10|publisher=Amusement Press Inc., Osaka, Japan|accessdate=25 August 2023}}}}
| genre =
| modes =
| arcade system =
}}
Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns is a 1985 arcade game developed by Sega. It is based upon Activision's two home console games Pitfall! (1982) and Pitfall II: Lost Caverns (1984) for the Atari 2600. It has been described by historian Brett Weiss as a "rare occurrence" of an Arcade game being influenced by a console game.{{sfn|Weiss|2014|p=171}}
Gameplay
Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns focuses on Pitfall Harry locating three treasures hidden in large caverns. The player must maneuver the character within a time limit to earn extra points and additional playtime. When Pitfall Harry interacts with a key, a hole opens which allows the player to continue into a new cavern allowing for bonus points and more time allotted on the timer.{{cite book |title=Pitfall II - The Lost Caverns |format=arcade flyer |year=1984 |publisher=Sega|url=https://archive.org/details/arcadeflyer_pitfall-ii-the-lost-caverns/page/n1/mode/2up|via=Archive.org|accessdate=June 12, 2023}}
Production and release
Sega licensed the Pitfall name from Activision to develop Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns. The arcade combines elements of both Pitfall! and Pitfall II: Lost Caverns as well as introducing unique obstacles such as lightning and volcanic rocks.{{sfn|Weiss|2014|p=171}}
Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns was released to Japanese arcades in February 1985.{{cite web |url=https://mediaarts-db.bunka.go.jp/id/M731599 |website=Media Arts Database |publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs |access-date=June 12, 2023|language=Japanese|title=ピットフォール 2}} In Japan, Game Machine listed the Sega arcade remake of Pitfall II: Lost Caverns on their March 1, 1985, issue as being the most successful table arcade unit of the month.{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=Game Machine|issue=255|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 March 1985|page=21|lang=Japanese|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850301p.pdf#page=11}} It was released in the United States by Sega USA in May 1985.{{sfn|Akagi|2006|p=131}} The game was among Sega USA's earliest releases, which were games that were no longer turning a profit in Japan. It was not a significant hit in Sega USA's market.{{sfn|Horowitz|2018|p=86}} The game saw a home release on Sega's SG-1000 console in July of that same year in Japan.
Reception
From contemporary reviews, Computer and Video Games declared the game to be "as good as, if not better than" the original Atari 2600 games.{{cite magazine |title=Arcade Action |magazine=Computer & Video Games |issue=46|date=August 1985 |page=108 |issn=0261-3697 |url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-046/page/n107|accessdate=June 12, 2023|via=Archive.org}}
From retrospective reviews, Earl Green of AllGame stated that the game boasted more detailed and colorful graphics than either of the Atari 2600 Pitfall games, with enough twists to challenge console veterans.{{sfn|Green}}
References
{{reflist}}
=Sources=
- {{cite book|trans-chapter=Overseas Edition|chapter=海外編|title=アーケードTVゲームリス 国内 • 海外編 ( 1971 - 2005 )ト|trans-title=Arcade TV Game List Domestic/Overseas Edition (1971-2005)|last=Akagi|first=Masumi|publisher=Amusement News Agency |language=Japanese |location=Japan |isbn=978-4990251215|year=2006}}
- {{cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=10725&tab=review|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115044721/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=10725&tab=review|title=Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns|last=Green|first=Earl|accessdate=January 8, 2024|publisher=Allgame|archivedate=November 15, 2014}}
- {{cite book|title=The Sega Arcade Revolution: A History in 62 Games|last=Horowitz|first=Ken|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc.|isbn=978-1-4766-7225-0|year=2018}}
- {{cite book|title=The 100 Greatest Console Video Games 1977-1987|last=Weiss|first=Brett|year=2014|isbn=978-0-7643-4618-7|publisher=Schiffer Publishing}}
{{Pitfall games}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pitfall 02 - The Lost Caverns}}
Category:Arcade-only video games
Category:Video games developed in Japan