[img width=300 height=415]http://images.wikia.com/egamia/images/e/e4/MontezumasRevenge.jpg[/img]
SPECS:Game: Montezuma's Revenge: Featuring Panama Joe
Genre: Platformer (multi-screen)
Year: 1984
Publisher: Parker Brothers
Developer: Parker Brothers
Designer(s)/Programmer(s): Robert Jaeger
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 5 = Rare
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1
Average Cost: approx. $25-$30 loose depending on condition
Also Available On: Apple II, Atari 5200, Atari 8-Bit, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, Sega Master System
Tagline/Description: "Wherever there's mind-twisting mystery, hair-raising adventure, and non-stop action--PANAMA JOE is sure to be there. And in MONTEZUMA'S REVENGE, he's got more than he bargained for as you help him through 24 danger-filled chambers in the Aztec emperor's fortress. The stakes? Priceless treasure. And lots of it. But finding necessary keys, torches, swords, and amulets is no small feat as PANAMA JOE tries to avoid deadly snakes, menacing spiders, and bouncing skulls. But then disappearing floors, bridges, and laser walls are no picnic either! It's up to you to lead this undaunted adventurer through the labyrinth of chambers in an attempt to solve the riddle of the fortress and escape with the loot!"
Montezuma's Revenge might best be described as a "cave crawler." You control Panama Joe, fearless explorer and adventure seeker. Your mission is to explore the 24 chambers of the temple of the Aztec emperor Montezuma and loot it of all its valuables. Though there are multiple obstacles in your way (poisonous spiders and snakes, rolling and bouncing skulls, laser walls, conveyor belts, disappearing bridges, and fire pits), you are aided by various items hidden around the temple. Keys open doors, the torch lights darkened rooms, the knife will dispatch one spider or skull to save your life, and the amulet (which looks like a hammer) will grant you invincibility against creatures for several seconds. You begin Montezuma's Revenge with six lives, each represented by the five hats located just below your score, plus the current Panama Joe in play.
Montezumas Revenge reminds me quite a lot of the popular 2600 Activision titles, Pitfall! and Pitfall II - Lost Caverns. Though Pitfall! is much more linear than Montezumas Revenge, which allows for backtracking and re-exploration, the repetitiveness of enemies and screen designs are very similar. Also, instead of collecting gold bars, as in Lost Caverns, you collect jewels (1000 pts. each), which help increase your score. If you are successful in navigating the 24 chambers, you will enter a bonus room with a wealth of gems that will increase your score exponentially. Once the bonus scene is over, the game restarts; enemies are faster and in different locations and helpful items are also scattered at new points. If you're going to play this game and hope to get through each level, you'd better draw a map (like this) to guide you along the way, or else, have a great memory:
http://www.flickr.com/pho...itre/4715443843/lightbox/While the enemies throughout the game make it difficult, the room fixtures are just as challenging. Panama Joe can only fall or jump from certain heights, and any fall too great will cost you a life. However, deaths may be avoided by pushing up and grabbing a rope while in mid-air; some rooms actually require these types of long jumps in order to navigate the chambers. Jumping, whether over moving or stationary enemies, or navigating fixtures, requires great precision, which is only made more difficult with the clunky 2600 controller. For a good example of this difficulty, check out the 1:00 mark of this video:
(**video courtesy of Atari2600channel**)
Though the controls are a bit difficult, they don't take too much away from the gameplay. The graphics are sub-par at best and the sound effects are poor and repetitive (item grabs and jumps all sound the same). The concept of the game is good and fairly original, but the replay value suffers due to the lack of randomness of the room fixtures, enemies, and items. While Montezuma's Revenge is one of the rarer titles among the few games in the Parker Brothers 2600 lineup and should be a welcome addition to any collection, for the price, less serious 2600 collectors might be best to pass unless a great deal is to be had in the wild.
RATINGS:(on as scale of 1-4: 4 being the highest):
Controls: 3
Graphics: 2
Sound Effects/Music: 2
Concept: 4
Replay Value: 3
Overall Score:
2.8
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I only played the Sega Master System version 
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Lol, I love that map you linked too! I went to a little local concert last fall to see Night Seeker (Deaner from the move FUBAR) and before the show he was hanging out with the audience. When I went to get my picture taken with him he noticed my Atari hat and we started talking old games for a bit. Then out of the blue he screamed "MONTEZUMA'S REVENGE!!!!!". Made my night. Still looking for a copy though 
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@Crabmaster2000: I should have sent a pic of the map I actually drew out the other night. This map puts mine to shame. I should mention that if you look at the map, the rooms make a temple with rows of 3 rooms, 5, 7, and 9. I believe this is the same for each run through.
If I run across a copy of Montezuma, I'll let you know. I'm going to make you break out that Atari more one way or another Crabby.
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And in MONTEZUMA'S REVENGE, he's got more than he bargained for
Isn't that always the case with Montezuma's revenge? 
Anyhoo: Judging from your review, this is one of those good-but-not-great titles. None the less, I'll keep an eye out for it, just because you made it sound reasonably fun to play. 'Course, you've always been good at that...
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Nice read, singlebanana. Sometimes I think we all could use more Atari on this site (and C64, and Spectrum, and...).
In other words, more please.
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@Zagnorch: Exactly, not the best title, but fun none the less. I find that it's often hard for me to give games a bad rating (though I try to be honest and do it anyway). If it's too bad, I probably won't review it because that means I have to spend a good deal of time playing it. Ha!
@bombatomba: Thank bomba, I'll try and do more classic reviews as long as there is interest.
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of course there's interest... I personally find the 2600 to be one of the most interesting systems of all time. At any rate, I'm kind of amazed that this game never made it to any compilation disc on a later system.
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HOLY CRAP I remember this game!! I owned it for the Commodore 64. I think I bought it for like $5 lol. I owned other cheapo games for the C64, but most were total crap. This title stood out for me as one of the better cheapie games I owned for that computer, I literally played it for hours on end back in the day. I do miss my old C64. ;_;
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Alright, can't believe no one else has said it. How did you write the whole thing without putting in at least one diarrhea joke?
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@Duke.Togo:
How did you write the whole thing without putting in at least one diarrhea joke?
That's what happens when he doesn't consult me beforehand.
And I would have had a real blast helpin' him out, too.
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