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| Pit-Fighter | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Atari Games |
| Publisher(s) | ArcadeHome |
| Designer(s) | Gary Stark Mark Stephen Pierce |
| Programmer(s) | Gary Stark Paul Kwinn |
| Artist(s) | Rob Rowe |
| Composer(s) | John Paul (Arcade) Earl Vickers (Genesis) Nick Eastridge (SNES) |
| Platform(s) | Arcade,Amiga,Amstrad CPC,Atari ST,Commodore 64,MS-DOS,Game Boy,Lynx,Master System,Genesis,SNES,ZX Spectrum |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | Fighting |
| Mode(s) | 1-3 players simultaneously |
| Arcade system | Atari G1 Hardware |
Pit-Fighter is afighting game developed byAtari Games and released as anarcade video game in 1990.[1][2] It was Atari's first fighting game. The Japanese release was published byKonami.[3] Home versions were published byTengen.
The game uses digitized live actors captured through abluescreen process, where the various poses and moves were performed by actors[4] in front of a video camera. The game's on-screen character animation is replays of the actual footage, not arotoscoped (redrawn) animation.Pit-Fighter is the second fighting game to usedigitizedsprites, afterHome Data'sReikai Dōshi: Chinese Exorcist.
The gameplay is similar toTaito'sViolence Fight andSNK'sStreet Smart. The player must punch and kick their opponents until their energy runs out. If the player presses all three of the buttons at once, the character will perform a "super move". The player begins by choosing one of the three playable characters, who each have different moves, speeds, and powers. Up to three people can play at a time, but there will be extra opponents to fight during any of the game's 15 different matches.
Every third fight is abonus round known as a "Grudge Match".[5] In a Grudge Match, the player must fight against aCPU controlled clone of the fighter if playing alone, or against the other players in a multiplayer game. Getting knocked down three times eliminates a player from the Grudge Match; the winner is the last one standing. Losing the Grudge Match does not eliminate a player, but the winner gets bonus money.
The final battle, the "Championship Match", is between the player and the mysterious entity that taunts between matches periodically, the Masked Warrior. If more than one person is playing the game before this match, they must fight each other to the death until only one becomes victorious and can fight him.
The crowd can interfere by attacking, dropping usable weapons, or pushing a stray player back into the fight. The "power pill"power-up makes the player temporarily stronger and take less damage from hits.
Pit-Fighter features 3 playable fighters:
Pit-Fighter has 8 unplayable opponents. Several of the characters share the names of the actors who played them:[4]
Others:
In 1991, versions of the game were released for theSuper NES,Mega Drive/Genesis,Master System,Amiga,Amstrad CPC,Atari ST,Commodore 64,MS-DOS, andZX Spectrum.[23] The Spectrum version was released as part of theSuper Fighter compilation withFinal Fight andWWF WrestleMania.[24] The Super NES version lacks the interactive audience, weapons, and three characters: Southside Jim, Heavy Metal, and Mad Miles.
Handheld versions were released for theAtari Lynx and theGame Boy in 1992.Tiger Electronics released its own dedicated handheld version.[25][26]
Anemulated version of the arcade game is in the 2004'sMidway Arcade Treasures 2 forGameCube,PlayStation 2, andXbox, and inMidway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition (2006) forMicrosoft Windows. This version runs at a faster speed than the arcade original.Pit-Fighter is in the 2012 compilationMidway Arcade Origins.[27]
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Computer and Video Games | 90% (Arcade)[28] |
| Nintendo Power | Graphics and Sound: 2.5; Control: 2; Challenge: 2; Theme and Fun: 2.5 (SNES) |
| MegaTech | 80% (Mega Drive)[29] |
| Your Sinclair | 28% (ZX Spectrum) |
Atari sold 5,500 arcade units in the U.S. and 1,000 in Ireland.[1] In North America, it was the top-grossing upright arcade cabinet on theRePlay arcade charts inOctober 1990,[30] and weekly coin drop earnings averaged $413.75 per arcade unit during November to December 1990.[31] In Japan,Game Machine listedPit-Fighter in its January 1, 1991 issue as the seventh most successful table arcade unit of the month.[32]
Julian Rignall ofComputer and Video Games rated the arcade version 90%, calling it a "thoroughly enjoyable beat 'em up which really packs a punch" and "one of the most enjoyable arcade fighting games in a long time".[28]Zzap!64 gave the game a more negative review, dubbing it an "anticlimactic beat'em up" and writing that theattract mode was the best part of the game. They criticized the limited frames of animation and compared it unfavorably toThe Combatribes andFinal Fight.[33]
David Wilson ofComputer Gaming World approved of the Amiga version, stating that it "is the arcade game teleported", and concluded that the game "offers the two-player option missing in many fighter games and enough roughhousing to suit the most violent gamer".[34]
George and Rob reviewed the Super NES version inNintendo Power.[35] George commented that game was "extremely difficult to control" and that Rob commented on the graphics using digitized people, stating "it doesn't matter if it uses new technology or not. The question is "is the game fun?" and I think the answer in this case is "no"." Rob and George rated Graphics and Sound with 2.5, Control with 2, Challenge with 2 and Theme and Fun with 2.5.
MegaTech magazine gave the Mega Drive version an 80% score.[36]Mega placed the Mega Drive version at #27 in its Top Mega Drive Games of All Time.[37]
In February 1993,Your Sinclair gave the ZX Spectrum version a 28% score.[24][23]
Electronic Gaming Monthly andGamePro had previews of a planned sequel namedPit Fighter II by Tengen, which the former magazine claimed was more than 75% finished and would be released for Sega Genesis in the fourth quarter of 1993.[38][39]
Kato, Buzz, and Ty were returning along with three new selectable fighters: Connor (Karate Champion), Tanya (Roller Queen), and Chief (Ex-bodyguard). Those are also three of the playable characters ultimately featured in Atari's subsequent game,Guardians of the 'Hood. Pictures show two CPU fighters, Helga (level 1) and Jay-Jay (level 2).[citation needed]
