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- LOST CAVERNS -
Copyright 1983, 1984 by Activision
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FAQ/Walkthrough for the C64 Version
by A. Kleibrink (Corbon440)
===============================================================================
<TABLE OF CONTENTS>
===============================================================================
1. Updates
2. Introduction
3. Game / Game Controls
4. Enemies
5. Score Chart
6. Step-by Step Walkthrough
7. Credits
8. Legal Disclaimer
===============================================================================
1. UPDATES
===============================================================================
-Original Version 1.0, 27.12.03
-Translation 1.0, 05.12.08
-Minor Update 1.1. 29.12.08
===============================================================================
2. INTRODUCTION
===============================================================================
Pitfall Harry is back! The hero from the jungle adventure Pitfall is off to
visit the Lost Caverns and nabbing some treasures in the process. So the game
mainly features a cave ambiente instead of jungle and while there's no side
scrolling (the screens just switch) it does partially scroll when ascending
or dewscending long ladders or just falling down. Though Harry is only after
several goodies, the main (side) object of the game is to explore the entire
map and find as many treasures as possible (mainly gold bars). This walk-
through shall help you in not missing any objects and getting a "high" score.
This document is best viewed in Notepad.
===============================================================================
3. GAME / GAME CONTROLS
===============================================================================
On of the main aspects of Pitfall II and the difference between its predecessor
and other jump'n runs is that you cannot really "die". Everytime you touch
an enemy, a certain number of points will be deducted from your current score.
Even if your score reaches 0, the game won't end, it continues until every key
object - 3 overall - in the game has been found. The entire map is 8 screens
wide and roughly 8 screens deep, much smaller than Pitfall I with its 255
screens. Nevertheless, the quest is more varied, since Harry doesn't just move
left or right but may descent deep down, even enjoying some swimming and a
flight with a balloon.
All you need is a standard one-button joystick, like the original Atari 2600.
Left: Harry moves left (running, swimming, flying).
Right: Harry moves right (running, swimming, flying).
Up: Harry ascends a ladder or dives up.
Down: Harry descends a ladder or dives down.
Down-Left: Harry runs left or dives down-left.
Down-Right: Harry runs right or dives down-right (no pun).
Up-Left: Harry runs left or dives up-left.
Up-Right: Harry runs right or dives up-right (again, no pun).
Fire: Harry jumps on the spot.
Left+Fire: Harry jumps to the left.
Right+Fire: Harry jumps to the right.
In order to ascend / descend a ladder, position yourself close to it and then
press up or down. In order to leave a ladder, position yourself so that Harry's
waist is roughly in line with the platform and then move left or right.
While hanging on the balloon, press up to increase speed and down to reduce
speed. This also works while soaring left or right and is helpful to avoid or
deliberately hit a bat with the balloon in order to land on a certain ledge.
To start a new game, press F1.
To pause/resume the game, press Run/Stop.
===============================================================================
4. FEINDE
===============================================================================
None of the enemies may be killed, the only way to get past them is to avoid
them completely.
-Bat
The first enemy you'll encounter, and the msot abundant one. All bats are
moving from left to right in some sort of wave and they're exactly as fast as
Harry. After disappearing at the right side of the screen, they'll soon
reappear on the left side again. The usual method to get past it is to wait
until the Bat is at the highest point of its flight path and then quickly
run below it.
-Condor
Moves similar to the Bat, but is a bit faster and can't be outrun and its
flight path is a bit more stretched. The Condor always starts off from the
right side of the screen and moves left. After disappearing at the left side,
it will also reappear on the left side. In order to get past it, wait until
it reaches the highest point of its flight path and then run below it.
-Scorpion
A familiar critter from Pitfall I, The Scorpion is very slow, but has the bad
habit to follow you around, as long as Harry is located on the same level.
Watch out when jumping over it, the Scorpion will change its direction while
you're in mid-air. If it doesn't notice anything of interest, it will from the
left to the right, only to reappear at the left side of the screen again.
-Frog
Pretty annoying fellow. Always located near a hole in the ground, guarding
neuralgic points like ladders. It keeps jumping over the hole from left to
right, turns around and jumps back. Watch its pattern and use the time it
takes to turn around to get past it, whether you want to ascend or descend a
ladder.
-Electric Eel
Of course, the natural habitat of an Electric Eel is water. It's a relatively
fast enemy, swimming in a wavy motion near the surface, from the left to the
right, disappearing at the right side and resurfacing at the left side. Fairly
easy to avoid when diving a bit deeper.
===============================================================================
5. SCORE CHART
===============================================================================
Harry starts off with 4000 points as "backup", but even if score drops to 0,
the game goes on. The real goal is to finish the game with as many points as
possible. The maximum score is 199000 and is calculated as follows:
28 Gold Bars á 5000 Points = 140000 Points
Rhonda = 10000 Points
Raj Diamond = 20000 Points
Cave Rat = 15000 Points
Quickclaw = 10000 Points
Start Bonus = 4000 Points
--------------------------------------------
Sum = 199000 Points
============================================
The minimum score after finishing the game is therefore 10000 points. There's
no negative score and the game ends after finding the last key object in the
game (either Rhonda or Quickclaw, each worth 10000 points).
Dropping straight down from a certain height will cost you 100 points, no
matter whether you're falling for a minute or the minimum height. This does
not occur if you are LEAPING down a gap.
The score deduction after touching an enemy depends on your current position
and the position of the last activated checkpoint (cross). You'll be transpor-
ted to the checkpoint in the shortest possible way, roughly losing 350 points
per second in doing so.
===============================================================================
6. STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH
===============================================================================
Start (4 Gold Bars)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You start at the upper-left corner of the game. Underneath your position you
can see one of your main objects, your pet cat "Quickclaw". Guarded by an
aggressive Frog, it's so close, yet so far away. If you follow this FAQ, it
will be the last object in the game to pick up. After making yourself familiar
with Harry's controls, go right to the next screen. There you'll meet your
first enemy, a Bat. Since all Bats in the game ALWAYS flap from the left to
the right and you're standing just left of it, the Bat doesn't pose a threat
for you (for now). On the lower level you also a spot some kind of dog (it's
actually a Cave Rat) seemingly waiting for something. Ignore it for now and
follow the Bat to the next screen. There you'll meet a Condor for the first
time. All Conders always start at the right screen and fly to the left, only
to reappear on the left screen and so on. Wait until the bird is flying over
the hole and then quickly run below it and its flapping wings. Requires some
training and timing. Please don't drop into the water, otherwise you'll miss
out a Gold Bar and therefore the chance of a perfect run, probably wanting you
to start over. In the next screen there's a Scorpion creeping towards you.
Again, wait until it's positioned left of the hole anf then jump over it.
Don't jump too early though, since the Scorpion will change directions accor-
ding to Harry's position. Again, avoid dropping into the water, even though
the Gold Bar makes it tempting. There's not much going on in the next screen,
you can spot a nice little waterfall below you, which prevents you from acces-
sing the screen (and a Gold Bar) to the left by swimming. Jump over the hole
and go to the next screen. There you'll spot a Frog "guarding" a hole by
leaping over it, then turning around and leaping back. Inch towards the hole,
wait until the Frog lands on the right side of it, then press the joystick
down while standing right next to the hole to access the ladder. Position
Harry so that his head is on the same level of the Frog, so that you won't
touch it. Did I mention that you shouldn't drop down into the water? Now wait
until the Frog lands on the left side of the hole, then quickly move up a bit
and hold right to let go of the ladder, leaving the Frog behind you. In the
next screen you only need to jump over a hole (note the Scorpion in the
"sub-terrain" section). In the next screen on the right you'll earn some
points, in form of a Gold Bar. If you dropped into the water before, this bar
would be out of reach for you now. Now go back to the left, past the Frog,
the waterfall, and then, in the Condor screen, finally drop down into the wet
element. Make yourself familiar with the controls while swimming. You'll dive
up automatically if you don't do anything. Swim to the footbridge and enter
the screen where you saw the Rat earlier on. It will now charge at you at
near supersonic speed, not to greet you but to violently push you out of the
room. Don't even bother jumping over it, there's no way to get past it for
now. After realizing it, go back into the water and move right. There you'll
find your second Gold Bar. Dive down and score up. In the next screen drop
down the waterfall and say hello to to an Electric Eel. All Eels swim in a
wave-like motion near the surface from the left to the right and after dis-
appearing at the right side, they'll resurface on the left side again. Dive
down to the bottom to pick up the third Gold Bar. You can easily avoid the Eel
by holding the joystick down-left and diving through the screen. Wait until
the Eel is far away and then off to the next screen. Another Eletric Eel. Dive
through and leave the water by moving towards the "land". In the next screen,
jump over the Scorpion (you'll get the Gold Bar in a minute) and keep heading
right. Here's the next Gold Bar. Get used to climbing the ladders down instead
of just dropping down, it will save you 100 points everytime. Run over the
second checkpoint (red cross) to activate it. It will serve as a quick-save
point if you touch anything harmful. The first leg of the game is done.
Checkpoint 2 (11 Gold Bars)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From now on I will keep the descriptions of obstacles, directions and treasures
a bit shorter. Head left and collect the Gold Bar you saw earlier. Go down the
ladder and left. The next Gold Bar. Head right two screens. Here wait, until
the Frog is positioned on the right side of the hole and then quickly descend
the ladder tho the next "storage" below you, but watch out for the Bat. Posi-
tion yourself somewhat below the Bat, wait until it has moved past you and then
quickly step off the ladder, jump over the gap and move left to the next screen
(please DO NOT drop down, otherwise it's a very long way back to the top). Be
quick and patient, avoiding a Bat by not running below it is always worth it.
On the left lies the next Gold Bar. Go back and climb down 4 levels (storages)
altogether, on the same level where the next Bat is flying around. Again wait
until the beast has moved just past you and then quickly head left to pick up
the next Gold Bar. Back to the ladder and go down another 4 storages. Just like
before, avoid the Bat. Another Gold Bar. If you think that running below a Bat
is easier, enter the room through the top "entrance". Go back to the ladder and
grab the Gold Bar at the bottom right. Down via ladder to the next Bat platform
and left. Gold Bar! And another one in the next screen on the left! Back to the
neverending(!) ladder and down, where the next Gold Bar shines. Grab it and
position yourself a good bit above the Frog, roughly so you can see Harry's
legs hanging below the hole. Wait until the Bat is off-screen and the Frog is
sitting down and facing away from the hole. Now quickly climb down. The reward
is another Gold Bar. Now it's getting a bit tricky: Below there's a Frog, a Bat
and an Electric Eel in the water. The main problem is the Frog, however.
Position yourself like before, wait until the Bat has moved past you and then
climb down past the Frog, but don't drop into the water. Wait again until the
Frog and the Bat are on the right side and then get off the ladder and jump
over the gap to the left. Not that easy, since you often find yourself not
being able to leave the ladder because Harry's not exactly aligned to the floor
level. Frantically pressing left or right doesn't cut it here. But once you've
made it, keep heading left. Jump over the Scorpion and the hole to the next
checkpoint.
Checkpoint 3 (5 Gold Bars, *Rhonda*)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are no treasures hidden in the water, so don't drop down. Go left and
wait at the end of the path. You'll see a Bat flying towards you but high
enough to be out of reach. if you jump up, you'll notice that all of a sudden
Harry has gained a super-jump ability. You'll soon see the answer to that
oddity: After the Bat has moved past the screen, instead of a second one, all
of a sudden a balloon appears from the left instead. Make good use of Harry's
newly acclaimed (but stationary) super-jump ability and bounce towards the
balloon rope. You're now hanging on the balloon and drifting upwards. The
balloon will pop when touching a Bat or hitting the ceiling of the ravine, but
be careful, if Harry touches the Bat, you'll go back to the last checkpoint,
so watch out. Since you should avoid dropping into the water, move right in
order to let the first bat pop the balloon so that you'll drop onto the second
floor. Requires some timing. if you accidentally drop into the water, it might
be better to swim just below the checkpoint and get hit by the Eel. That way
you will only lose roughly 500 points but save yourself some annoying back-
tracking. After landing on the first platform, head right and pick up the two
Gold Bars. Back to the "balloon ravine", wait until the balloon "pops up"
again and grab the rope (ignore the left platforms, they are pointless for
now). Avoid the next Bat by flying towards the middle of the screen. This goes
for every Bat here. Ignore the next platform, there's nothing but a lone
Condor, so keep moving up instead. Hit the next Bat with the balloon so you'll
drop onto the platform. Two Condors are waiting here but you only need to get
past the lower one. Quickly ascend the ladder and grab the Gold Bar. Back past
the Condors to the ravine. The very next platform above you leads to another
Gold Bar, guarded by a Scorpion and a Condor. Grab it and get out. On the next
and top-most platform there's another Gold Bar, guarded by two Scorpions. And
how to make it down again in one piece? Just drop doooown into the water and
hope that you won't touch anything with wings. After splashing down, use the
Electric Eel shortcut to access the cross (obviously doesn't apply for a
perfect run) and go left again. After grabbing the balloon and soaring up,
just hold left until you hit the ceiling. There, in the next screen you'll see
a Scorpion creeping towards you, but you'll also spot your first "key object",
your niece Rhonda, only waiting here to get saved by you. You'll also notice
the next checkpoint. So get past the Scorpion, touch the girl (10000 points!)
and activate the checkpoint.
Checkpoint 4 (2 Gold Bars, *Raj Diamond*)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Left of the Scorpion there's another ravine, though without balloon access.
Ignore it and go down instead, past a Frog and another Scorpion on the left.
You're now standing on a "terrace". Now run and leap to the left down the
ravine and if done right, you'll be soaring and landing on a ledge on the left
side of the ravine. After the touchdown head left and you'll find the second
key object, the Raj Diamond worth 20000 points! Nice! Back to the outer ledge
and now it's time to leap to the right. You'll safely land on a lower ledge
on the right side. Go right and ascend the long ladder, past 4 Bats and to the
next Gold Bar on the right (the exits on the right side all lead to the
balloon ravine and can be ignored). Now descend the ladder down to the bottom
past hordes of Bats and Condors, grabbing the Gold Bar on your way. After
arriving at the bottom, DON'T drop into the water (of course). Head left
instead and avoid the Bat. The next checkpoint is near.
Checkpoint 5 (4 Gold Bars)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next Gold Bar is located two screens left of the checkpoint. What comes
next is a nerve-racking and tedious ascend that will piss you off. A whole
swarm of Condors and Bats awaits you. After the first Gold Bar go up and then
right. Bat and Condor. Up and left. Bat and Condor. Up and right. Bat and
Condor. Up and left. Bat and...the next Gold Bar on the right. Head back and
up by two storages. Bat, Condor, Bat (those critters get along very well).
Left and up, Bat and Condor. Go right, past the next Condor and up to the
Gold Bar. Head left and after activating the next check right to collect
another Gold Bar.
Checkpoint 6 (2 Gold Bars, *Quickclaw*, Cave Rat)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The hardest part lies behind you, the goal isn't very far away. Just follow
the path going up, avoiding the 2000 flying critters on the way. At the first
Scorpion, go left for the next Gold Bar. One storage higher and left to grab
the remaining(!) Gold Bar in the game. The only thing left is to avoid a Bat
and a Frog, before finally saying hello again to Quickclaw, your trusty pet.
BEFORE touching him however, head right into the room where the Cave Rat was
patrolling. It´s still there, zooming to the right (without pushing you out)
but stops at the right side of the screen, giving you the opportunity to pick
it up this time (a whopping 15000 points). Since it's not needed to finish
the game, you'd be missing out 15000 points when touching Quickclaw first.
You can now finish the game by going back to Quick Kitty or just walk around
for fun. Since the Rat is gone now, you can now leave its former room to the
right and come back. If you have collected every treasure and haven't lost
ANY points when touching an enemy or falling down a certain height, your score
should be 199000: 28 Gold Bars á 5000 + any Key Object (40000 points) plus Rat
and Start Bonus (15000+4000). Good luck in reaching that perfect score!
PS: My personal best is 193337 Points.
If you're having trouble finding everything valuable, check out the map I
created for the game. Direct link:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/c64/file/578577/55249
===============================================================================
7. CREDITS
===============================================================================
Thanks to...
-CjayC, the founder of GamefAQs.
-Sailor Bacon aka SBAllen for maintaining the best internet site concerning
video- and computer games FAQ's.
-Gerhard for everything regarding computers (and thanks for the writ of
execution, much appreciated).
-The creators of VICE64.
===============================================================================
8. LEGAL DISCLAIMER
===============================================================================
This document is copyright 2008 by A. Kleibrink. You may freely distribute
this FAQ for any non-profitable and non-commercial purposes, provided that
it remains unaltered. This FAQ can only be found at www.gamefaqs.com.
-EOF-
