Pitfighter by Atari on Sega Master System
A quick look at the title tells you this is some kind of fighting game, and it involves a pit, or not. OK it is definitely a fighting game like many others, one on one, mano a mano etc. and so on. The setting for the fight is a deserted warehouse (or maybe a pit?) which is a little drab and dreary with a blue shadowy crowd cheering on the fighters. Having picked your fighter from a choice of 3 each from a different discipline (wrestling, martial arts, or kickboxing) you enter this arena against a computer controlled opponent.The fighter sprites are detailed enough to see a difference in who you pick and who you fight but only just, so the graphics are at best described as adequate. Sound is nothing remarkable but the effects give you a little bit of a feeling of having hurt someone when you hit them. The fighting moves are a little too samey for each combatant though, punch or kick, and a special move which happens so fast you actually see very little, with the wrestlers body slam being my personal favourite over the flying kick of the kick boxer and combo punch of the martial artist though.
Considering how few buttons and moves there are to be had, the battles are very hard to win or maybe because of that, the first is difficult but the second opponent seems to be able to finish you off in a few hits as you carry through only the energy you have left after finishing the first fight if you make it. When you are beaten your sprite goes blue, presumably from lack of oxygen from being dead. Occasionally a power up appears which you hope will make it longer before your combatant is dead, but alas it isn’t much help.
As fighting games go, PitFighter is distinctly below average. Adequate graphics, OK sound but the gameplay is really quite poor and that’s what counts most.
Score 3/10