Montezuma's Revenge - for C64
You play as Panama Joe; fearless explorer and treasure hunter. You have decided to brave the trap-filled pyramids of the ancient Aztecs in search of Montezuma's treasure.
Game Basics
- The game consists of 9 pyramids that must be explored from top to bottom to reach a treasure room at the bottom of each pyramid.
- Each pyramid gets progressively harder and each pyramid (while similar to the others) is unique:
- Walls are moved around from stage to stage
- Enemies are added
- Traps are added
- More dark rooms are added
- Once the 9th stage is beaten, the game loops on Stage 9
- Various items/tools can be collected
- Gold Coins - Add points only
- Amulet - Turns enemies grey and unable to harm you for a limited period of time. Activates upon pickup.
- Sword/Dagger - Kills either a skull or spider. Once used it is lost. Snakes cannot be killed with this item.
- Torch - Lights up rooms that would otherwise be dark.
- Keys - Used to open doors of like color
- Only 5 of these items can be held at any one time.
Pertinent Version Differences
We currently have a publication of this game for the Sega Master System. The following are differences in the C64 port.
- Graphics
- SMS has 11 pyramids, C64 only has 9
- Treasure rooms
- SMS are singular rooms; C64 are multiple screens wide and theoretically infinite screens vertically
- SMS contain traps; C64 do not.
- SMS can be finished by death or by exiting either side of the room.
- C64 can be finished by reaching a pole on either extreme left or right side of the room.
- There is also a time limit in the C64 version. Exceeding the time limit in the treasure room causes Joe to jump directly to the pole, finishing the stage.
TAS Notes
- This submission uses a similar ladder glitch to that seen the current SMS publication.
- Glitch differences
- In SMS the glitch is triggered by pressing U+D simultaneously at the top of a ladder; this submission the glitch also uses U+D but can only be accomplished at the bottom of a ladder.
- SMS goes immediately from the starting room to the treasure room; C64 has one extra screen which must be climbed through to reach the treasure room.
- SMS allows for movement after entering treasure room; C64 only allows downward movement (no lateral movement is possible). Moving down off the screen in C64 just enters another treasure room.
- As no lateral movement is possible upon entering the treasure room in the C64 version, a boring stationary position is forced upon us as we wait for the timer to kick us to the pole.
- Thought there are not normally enemies in the treasure rooms in this C64 port. The glitch allows them to be there and numerous skulls will be present in the treasure rooms of this run.
Potential Improvements
- Finding a way to initiate the glitch at an earlier position on the ladder, or at a higher position in the room not on a ladder.
- Finding a way to move laterally in the treasure rooms - allowing for earlier completion of these rooms by avoiding the timer wait.
- Starting on level 3 instead of level 1. (as allowed at the game's title screen)
- While the easiest of these possibilities to implement, this one is a bit of a stretch in my opinion. Even though very little of each pyramid is seen in this run due to the glitch. All the pyramids are, in fact, unique; and Stages 1 & 2 should be played in my opinion.
Other notes
Special thanks goes out to NYMX:
I had posted a WIP of a couple stages of this game EZgames69 pointed out that NYMX was also working on a port of this game. I contacted NYMX regarding his work (which was on the Coleco port). We discussed things briefly and decided to work on our individual ports and attempt to submit around the same time. I completed my entire run. While waiting on NYMX, I discovered the ladder glitch for the C64 port. I quickly re-did my run, drastically shortening the movie. NYMX expressed concern that he had a lot of work yet to do on his port, and was concerned he was holding up my submission. It was decided to work together on the Coleco port...see this submission. Without the communication with NYMX, I would likely have not found the C64 glitch.
I had posted a WIP of a couple stages of this game EZgames69 pointed out that NYMX was also working on a port of this game. I contacted NYMX regarding his work (which was on the Coleco port). We discussed things briefly and decided to work on our individual ports and attempt to submit around the same time. I completed my entire run. While waiting on NYMX, I discovered the ladder glitch for the C64 port. I quickly re-did my run, drastically shortening the movie. NYMX expressed concern that he had a lot of work yet to do on his port, and was concerned he was holding up my submission. It was decided to work together on the Coleco port...see this submission. Without the communication with NYMX, I would likely have not found the C64 glitch.
Recommended Screenshot
Frame 2882 - Title Screen
fsvgm777: Processing.