Montezuma's Revenge (video game)

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Montezuma's Revenge is a video game for Atari home computers, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Apple II, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, IBM PC, Sega Master System, and ZX Spectrum (as Panama Joe). It was created by Robert Jaeger and published in 1984 by Parker Brothers. The game's title references a colloquial American English expression for diarrhea contracted while visiting Mexico. Montezuma's Revenge is one of the first platform games: an action game combining treasure hunting, multiple rooms, and puzzle solving.

[edit] Gameplay

The player commands a character called Panama Joe (a.k.a. Pedro), moving him from room to room in the labyrinthine underground of the 16th century Aztec temple of emperor Montezuma II, filled with enemies, obstacles, traps, and dangers. The objective is to score points by gathering jewels along the way. Panama Joe must find keys to open doors, collect and use equipment such as torches, swords, amulets, etc. without losing his life. Obstacles are laser gates, conveyor belts, disappearing floors, and fire pits. Movement is achieved by jumping, running, sliding down poles, steps, chains, etc. Enemies are the skulls, snakes, and spiders. A further complication arises in the bottommost levels of each pyramid, which must be played in total darkness unless a torch is found.

The pyramid is nine levels deep, not counting the topmost entry room that the player drops into at the start of each level. The goal is to reach the Treasure Chamber, whose entrance is in the center room of the lowest level. After jumping in here, the player has a short time to jump from one chain to another and pick up as many jewels as possible. However, jumping onto a fireman's pole will immediately take the player to the next level; when time runs out, the player is automatically thrown onto the pole.

[edit] Sequels

A new 3D game for modern game systems has been developed by Utopia Technologies called Montezuma's Return, which is also the title of a 2D version for the Game Boy Color. There will be another sequel out for playstation3.

[edit] External links

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (February 2008)

• Montezuma's Revenge at MobyGames
• Montezuma's Revenge. Classic Gaming Game Museum.
• Montezuma's Revenge. GameSpy Hall of Fame.
• Panama Joe at World of Spectrum