The iconic Pitfall Harry is in peril yet again, 30-years after his namesake Atari 2600 video game cemented ‘jump-and-run’ as a fixture in gaming history. Activision is celebrating the cherished franchise with the launch of a new Pitfall! App for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, available now on the App Store.
Inspired by the original 1982 classic, this modern incarnation features thrilling new environments and twists on classic Pitfall! gameplay that will appeal to fans of all generations.
Pitfall! has been in development at Activision’s recently revealed Leeds, UK-based studio The Blast Furnace. This newly formed studio team is led by veteran developer and former head of Rockstar London, Mark Washbrook, and Activision is now announcing the addition of Rockstar Leeds legend Gordon Hall, who will partner with Washbrook to oversee The Blast Furnace. Hall will also join Activision Mobile’s leadership team as Chief Creative Officer, and will focus on bringing AAA interactive experiences to the mobile space.
“The original Pitfall! on the Atari 2600 pioneered the action-platform/runner genre,” said Gordon Hall. “We loved Pitfall! then—along with millions of gamers around the world—and we still love it now. In fact, it was the game that inspired quite a few of us to seek a career in game development. This new incarnation delivers a best-in-class experience of the game for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The team has kept the elements that made the original so much fun to play, and merged them with a cool, retro HD art style, updated controls and play mechanics to keep both old-school fans and newcomers happy. We’re really excited to kick off Pitfall!’s 30th birthday by rebooting the franchise for the mobile audience.”
From the moment mobile gamers start playing Pitfall!, they’ll experience an ever-changing landscape with different environments and shifting camera perspectives, vehicles and mine carts, branching paths, and a wide range of hazards to overcome. With the iconic objects from the 2600 classic game – crocodiles, rope swings, gold bars, diamond rings, cobras and more, players will traverse a volcanic island carpeted in sweltering jungle and explore villages long since forgotten by time as they dodge danger in maze-like cave systems. Every level—crafted from the ground up exclusively for mobile—packs stunning 3D visuals, instinctive controls and engaging action-adventure gameplay. As players progress, they can sweep up loot, buy power-ups and earn experience, enabling them to advance through the leveling system and compete with friends for the best high scores. The excitement doesn’t stop there, as plans call for the game to evolve over time through future content updates.
The new Pitfall! App for mobile is available for purchase today from the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch for 69p. Additionally, The Blast Furnace is also working on a version of the game for Android devices planned to launch at a later date.
Have you played it yet? And do you have any memories of the original Pitfall you want to share? If so, leave us a comment below.
