Sega8bit.com - Review: Montezuma's Revenge Featuring Panama Joe


	Review Information

	Reviewer Name:	Pixel Theif

	Game Difficulty:	Medium
	Difficulty Options:	False


	Game Information

	Full Title:	Montezuma's Revenge Featuring Panama Joe
	Year Released:	1989
	Game Type:	Platform
	Max Players:	1

Introduction

This game is possibly one of the oldest game I can remember playing. Granted I first played Montezuma on my old Atari, but finding an old Sega copy blew me away. Dusting off my old Atari copy I had quite a lot of fun comparing the two. I do have to say this version actually improved on an old Atari classic! It may not be much older but comparing the systems really showed me the power that the old SMS had.

Gameplay

The game and relatively Simple. Avoid monsters and traps well collecting treasures though-out the maze. Each of the eleven levels is a tomb of an old Inca King. More or less you try to collect as much as you can on your decent toward the treasure chamber. You can also find some other random objects that help you find your way, like Colour coded keys open offending doors or torches to light dark areas. And though a lot of the levels look the same, subtle differences will keep the game challenging as you make you way to the treasures of Montezuma!

Graphics

Alright, just about every level in the game looks about the same. Stick a wall here, have an exit there, move the trap there. It makes it seem almost easy but what you thought was the exit on level three is blocked off in level four! The game however has been worked on to look a lot more colourful from it's Atari title. Panama Joe looks more like an adventurer then a funny blood here. The game also gets some grace with how Panama Joe is animated, like when he falls to far and lands on his head. His leg is left twitching in the air! Hit a flame and you turn into a puff of smoke. Everything that made the first game entertaining and playful.

Sound & Music

The sound effects are still the same and they added a small into diddy, but there isn't really much here in the way of music. They do a good job with what they use though. Simple walking sounds, funny jump noise. Even a flaming poof noise when you hit the fire. They could have added some sort of music that was never in the original, but it is sort of fun listening to Panama Joe make his funny sounds!

Controls

This is your simple platform game so all you really have is your D-pad and jump button. As long as you have a decent controller controlling your timed jumps shouldn't be much of a problem. In fact a lot of the time a timed jump can mean gaining a free man of falling to your doom! If your a seasoned platform player this game shouldn't be much a problem for you. And even if your not the game isn't impossible to control.

Replay Value


	Scores

Being more of a points driven game you often spend a lot of time exploring what changes have happened in each level. The game does have an end though I've always just played around see what treasure are hidden. A cool thing about this game is before you start the game you can choose to start on any of the first six levels! So if you didn't want to start from level one, you can skip some and start of level four! He may not be Sonic or Alex Kidd, but don't let Panama Joe sit collecting dust!

Conclusion

If your looking of a classic game that isn't so well known, this is it! Though they could have done more with the sound the graphics outdid it's older counter-part. Laura Croft and Indiana Jones got nothing on Panama Joe! There is nothing like a good old treasure hunt to scare up old Inca Curses!