Pit-Fighter

Infobox VG
title = Pit-Fighter


developer = Atari Games
publisher = Atari Games, Tengen
designer =
release = 1990
genre = Fighting
modes = Up to 3 players simultaneously
cabinet =
arcade system = Atari G1 Hardware
68000 @ 14.31818 MHz (CPU)
Sound CPU : ADSP2105 (@ 10 MHz)
M6502 @ 1.7895 MHz (CPU)
YM2151 @ 3.579 MHz (Audio)
MSM6295 @ 0.009037 MHz (Audio)
display = Raster resolution 336 x 240
input = Joystick; 3 buttons
platforms = Arcade, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, C64, DOS, Game Boy, Lynx, Master System, Mega Drive/Genesis, SNES, ZX Spectrum

"Pit-Fighter" is a 1990 arcade fighting game by Atari Games. It was revolutionary because it was the first fighting game ever to feature digitized characters using real life actorsfact|date=August 2007. This bluescreen technique would later be used in games such as "Mortal Kombat" and "NBA Jam".

Characters

"Pit-Fighter" features 3 playable fighters:
* Buzz: A big and strong ex-professional wrestler who sports a mullet.
* Ty: An agile kickboxing champion.
* Kato: A quick 3rd degree black belt.

"Pit-Fighter" also has 8 unplayable opponents:
(in order of appearance)
* Executioner
* Southside Jim
* Angel
* C.C. Rider
* Mad Miles
* Heavy Metal
* Chainman Eddie
* Masked Warrior

Gameplay

The player begins "Pit-Fighter" by choosing one of the three playable characters, who all have different moves, speed, and power. As many as three people can play at a time, but there will be extra opponents to fight during any of this game's 15 different matches.

Every third fight is known as a Grudge Match. In a Grudge Match, the player must fight against a CPU controlled clone of his or her fighter. The first person to get 3 "knockdowns" wins the Grudge Match. This match plays more like a bonus round, in that it doesn't have to be won for the player to continue through the game.

The final battle, the "Championship Match", is between the player and the mysterious entity that taunts between matches every once in a while, 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 player must jump, punch, and kick their opponent until his/her energy runs out. If the player presses all three of the buttons at a time, the character will perform a "super move".

Sometimes during matches the player will come across foreign objects such as knives, crates, sticks, motorcycles, and bar stools that can be thrown at you or your opponent. The player may also come across a power-up known as the "power pill". If the player or the opponent grab this item, one will become temporarily stronger and take less damage from hits.

Sometimes even the crowd will interfere in the fights. Two characters, known as Knife Man and Knife Woman, will come out of the crowd and stab the player with their daggers. The player can take these nuisances out with one hit. Sometimes there is also a fat bearded man with a stick. If the player knocks him down, the player can take the stick and use it against the current opponent.

The audience will also push any fighter that ends up among them, and stays there more than a few seconds. They will be forced back into the fighting area.

Ports

* Amiga (1991)
* Amstrad CPC (1991)
* Atari ST (1991)
* Commodore 64 (1991)
* Mega Drive/Genesis (1991)
* Sega Master System (1991)
* Sinclair ZX Spectrum (1991)
* Super NES (1991)
* PC (DOS) (1991)
* Atari Lynx (1992)
* Nintendo Game Boy (1992)
* Tiger (19??)

The arcade version of Pit-Fighter was also featured in the Midway Arcade Treasures 2 (2004) video game for GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, as well as Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition (2006) for PC.

A prototype of a "Pit-Fighter" game for the Atari 7800 exists.

Unofficial Sequel

In 1992, a fighting game called "Guardians of the 'Hood" was released by Atari Games. This game featured the same style of digitized characters seen in "Pit-Fighter" and the player could have 3 other players join simultaneously. The big difference this time around was it played like a scrolling fighter, beat 'em up game and had a completely new cast of characters. Despite its improved digitized graphics and unique gameplay, this game was overlooked in the arcades and never made it to the home consoles.

Trivia

* This game contains the same PCB as the game "Hydra".

Pit-Fighter Cast

* Buzz: Bill Chase
* Ty: Marc Williams
* Kato: Glenn Fratticelli
* Executioner: John Aguire
* Southside Jim: James Thompson
* Chainman Eddie: Eddie Venancio
* Mad Miles: Miles McGowan
* Heavy Metal: Kim Rhodes
* C.C. Rider: Rich Vargas
* Angel: Angela Stellato
* Masked Warrior: Bill McAleenan
* Knife Woman: Dianne Bertucci
* Knife Man: Milt Loper
* Finale Women : Tina Scyrater, Maria Lenytzkyj

External links

*
* [http://www.geocities.com/pitfighter_2/ PF2.org: The Voice of Pit-Fighter 2] A humorous "Pit-Fighter" fan site with false information for a fictional "Pit-Fighter" sequel along with some legit info for the original game.
*