Review - Jungle Hunt

Have you ever harbored. a secret desire to be Tarzan -- to swing through the treetops, wrestle alligators, battle cannibals and rescue a damsel from a boiling supper pot? Well, Atari has finally put their arcade game Jungle Hunt on a cartridge. Now you can brave the dangers of a tropical rain forest in the comfort of your rec room.

Jungle Hunt is just another version of Activision's Pitfall, and that's certainly not new to arcade gamers. Regardless, Jungle Hunt (though not as exciting or varied as Pitfall) is still fun for the novice player. Some arcade games are fascinating and addictive. The simplicity of play plus the game's ability to sustain its challenge have made them successful. It's what makes them so enduring in this world of instant fame followed by immediate oblivion. Pac-Man, Star Raiders, Missile Command, Donkey Kong, Tempest and the various editions of Jungle Hunt have the fascination to endure. Even if you're an old hand at these games, you won't be disappointed with repeated playing of them, simply for the sake of nostalgia.

For the uninitiated in arcade gaming, Jungle Hunt is a fine game through which to discover the thrills of video fun. Jungle Hunt has three levels of play: beginner, regular and advanced. It also has an option for two players, so you can share the fun. Its beginner level allows the newest of gamers the opportunity to develop playing skills. This level permits more "deaths" and a slightly slower pace, but the challenges are still tough enough for the novice. Once you're adept at the beginner's game, you can improve your score and timing before graduating to the next skill level. If you're new to this kind of fun, become a master of the beginner's level before moving on. (Warning: this kind of play can become addictive! My wife nearly forgot she was married when she started to get the hang of playing Jungle Hunt.) You'll really enjoy it and find yourself truly ready for the next level.

The thrill of victory

Just what are Jungle Hunt's challenges? The dangers of the jungle are presented in a pleasant, horizontally-scrolling display. As an intrepid explorer, you must first swing through the treetops on vines, timing your leaps and racing against the clock to rescue a fair maiden. Your journey through the branches brings you to the edge of an alligator-infested river. Holding your breath, you dive deep into the raging current and swim for the opposite shore. While you swim, you encounter hungry 'gators and most murky muck. You have to keep surfacing for air and stabbing at attacking alligators. The best strategy is to take a breath, dive under the gator and stab up into his soft belly. Once the opposite shore is reached, you're nearly home free.

Climbing out of the river, you jog up a hill while avoiding falling boulders of various sizes. Once past this obstacle, you will have to negotiate your way around hostile cannibals and time your leap onto the rope, now lowering your maiden into the boiling supper pot. If you leap too soon, you join her as an ingredient in the stew.

Civilized considerations.

The price for this game is a little steep! Yet it seems that every arcade game that finds its way to the home is overpriced. Truly advanced arcade gamers will find Jungle Hunt fairly tame. If you're a master at the joystick, then this game probably isn't for you. If you're a newcomer or a parent buying a birthday surprise, and your neighborhood toy store has Jungle Hunt on sale, then you will probably get your money's worth.