Montezuma's Revenge
Tips and Tricks by Mark Androvich. Originally published in issue #21
In Parker Brother's contribution to adventure-type games for the Atari 2600, you are Panama Joe, a hero in the grand tradition of Pitfall Harry. Searching for the lost treasure of Montezuma, Joe encounters snakes, spiders, bouncing skulls, laser gates, disappearing floors that cover fire pits, and more along the way. Items such as a sword, torch, an amulet, and keys can help Joe in his quest. Jewels can be found for points.
The layout of rooms is identical in each of the three levels of the game, but the objects are placed in different locations. The speed of the spiders and skulls increases with each level. If you make it through level three, the game continues at that level until all your lives are lost.
Although not intensely challenging, Montezuma's Revenge is a great game. The graphics are creative, coloiful, and well-defined -- without a trace of flickering. Music and sound effects are minimal, but effective. The joystick controls take a little getting used to, as Joe makes shorter jumps than most adventure game characters (sort of like Pitfall Harry over scorpions). Panama Joe must also move diagonally off ladders. Split-second timing is required to pass most of the obstacles. Once you've played the game a few times, you'll be able to get the knack of the controls and timing down. If you like games such as Adventure (by Atari) and Pitfall! (by Activision), Montezuma's Revenge is a must.
Tips:
On screens where you must pass through laser gates, the checkerboard-square floor becomes quite helpful. Rather than watching the gates, focus on the checkerboard square past the gate immediatelv before the next gate. When you see out of the comer of your eye that the gate has disappeared, immediately move Joe until he comes to the square you are focusing on and stop him.
In the room with the disappearing steps, Joe will die if he falls down more than one step. Have Joe jump up two steps to the first platform and wait for the next steps to disappear. Jump before you see the next group of steps reappear. With a head start, Joe can keep on jumping until he reaches the top.
Always get the amulet last. It will protect Joe from the rolling skull as he crosses the disappering floor over the fire pit that leads to the treasure room.
Never unlock the left door in the room with the torch. Never unlock both doors in the first screen of the game. If you use up all the keys, you won't be able to finish the game because there are no extras.
On level one and three, begin the game by going right. On level two, you can go left to get your sword.
Keep the sword with you as long as possible. It may save your life if you encounter a skull or a spider later in the game. Spiders are worth more than skulls, but sometimes it's better to kill a bouncing skull in a room you must enter several times to get it out of the way.
Although you can complete the game without the torch, avoid it if possible. You will be able to see some obstacles in the dark rooms without the torch, but snakes will remain invisible.
Once Joe jumps down in the room with two chains, he will be unable to return the way he came. Joe must go down into the dark rooms. Notice that the passage at the top right side of the room is not blocked off. This would be an excellent place for a secret room. I haven't found a way to get across. Any ideas?
