NOTE - edit 8/14/06 by Robert T Mruczek

Breaking News - New World Record TIE on Atari 2600 \"Perfect Pitfall\"
As reported on August 13th, 2006

Hello fellow gamers:

Douglas Korekach, who hails from Munhall, Pennsylvania in the USA, contacted me awhile back on June 14, 2006 with news of an incredible achievement. He said he had beaten the new world record on a \"Perfect Pitfall\" for the Atari 2600 set by Daniel Vignes of the USA. This was an understatement.

A few days earlier, Rodrigo Lopes, who hails from Brazil, had also submitted an as-of-yet unverified run of 1:42 remaining which I have only just recently accepted. Thus the two players effectively share the new world record achievement using their own particular styles and path choices.

To achieve what is known as a \"Perfect Pitfall\" is not an easy achievement. While many gamers have attained the maximum possible score of 114,000 points, Douglas is one of an elite cadre of gamers in the history of Twin Galaxies to submit a verified recording with all 32 treasures collected on a single life.

Even more impressive is the fact that both players are one of four gamers in history who have done so with more than one minute remaining on the game clock.

After careful observation by both myself and Twin Galaxies worldwide Atari referee Todd Rogers, we are in agreement that Douglas' performance is genuine and is definitely going to be hard to top. As for Rodrigo's run, that was watched way back in June and only now has TG verified the score. The new Atari 2600 \"Perfect Pitfall\" shared world record is an astounding 1:42 remaining (one minute, 42 seconds).

Douglas believes that it is not possible to achieve a faster run without intentionally and strategically losing at least one life, and possibly two, and even then he believes that no better than 1:46 remaining can be achieved. To acheive 1:46, you have to intentionally lose both lives in the last scorpion tunnels, since you can only gain 2 seconds for each time you get hit by a scorpion. Only gaining 4 seconds will enable you to catch the final vine to keep you ahead of the 1:42 pace by 4 seconds. However this will not qualify you for a ?Perfect Pitfall? due to the loss of one or more lives.

Todd Rogers, a former world record holder with 1:01 remaining, concurs that it will be exceptionally difficult if not impossible to top this world record completion time. And if Douglas' assessment is correct, the best any gamer can hope to do will be to tie him for the world record.

But wait...there's more to Douglas' story. In addition to submitting this incredible new world record, Douglas also submitted several other new Atari 2600 world records, including these amazing scores...

\"Frankenstein's Monster\" - 4,900 points
\"Eggomania\" 1,038,670 points
\"Canyon Bomber\" (1B) - 5,053 points

As for Rodrigo's recent world record achievements, they include...

\"Tazmania\" - 1,000,000 points
\"Star Trek\" - 2,031,100 points
\"Atlantis\" - 10,604,840 points

And so, the Twin Galaxies proudly proclaims Douglas Korekach and Rodrigo Lopes as the new co-world champions on Atari 2600 \"Pitfall\". Congratulations, gentlemen !!

Special Note - a second performance exists, pending verification, of 1:42 remaining. This performance was done by Rodrigo Lopes who hails from Brazil, and was submitted Jun09/06. Due to the verification process and an ongoing discussion concerning the split of the 2600 platform, the performance had yet to be formally verified as of press time. However, as this record is now verified, the two gamers share the existing world record of 1:42 remaining.

Robert

Hi QBert:

Douglas has actually done the 1:42 several times now, always in an effort to find an elusive extra second to shave off. Additionally, he has achieved several 1:46 runs using intentional deaths.

Robert

Hi Douglas:

With twenty minutes of gameplay, it is difficult to calculate on paper anyway what the best time is, but yours is by far the fastest without exception. I wonder if there are any Mensa members in TG's gamer roster who could take up the challenge and have the skill to pull it off, but you seem so strong that 1:42 is the best time, maybe getting even one second faster would be like the 67,360 thought to be possible on arcade \"Pole Position\" !! There, at least, they think it is possible on paper anyway.

So what's next on your agenda...\"Pitfall 2\" ?

Robert

Originally Posted by RMRUCZEK

Hi Douglas:

With twenty minutes of gameplay, it is difficult to calculate on paper anyway what the best time is, but yours is by far the fastest without exception. I wonder if there are any Mensa members in TG's gamer roster who could take up the challenge and have the skill to pull it off, but you seem so strong that 1:42 is the best time, maybe getting even one second faster would be like the 67,360 thought to be possible on arcade "Pole Position" !! There, at least, they think it is possible on paper anyway.

So what's next on your agenda..."Pitfall 2" ?

Robert

In Pitfall, using my pattern, gaining 1 second is impossible. You can only gain (or lose) 4 or more seconds.

Yes, Pitfall II for the 5200 is my current challenge. And I'm not talking about simply reaching 199,000. I'm talking about a complete perfect game. Finishing the first maze and the second "bonus" maze without losing points, and acheiving a maximum score of 504,000 points.

This, in my opinion, is tougher for me than 1:42 in Pitfall. And I am using the stock 5200 controller to boot. I've eclipsed 500K, but with only one "death" I lost over 3,000 points. So, I was that close to doing it!

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index...=post&id=58512

I can't wait to see the rest of my scores updated in the database, along with the Pitfall 1:42 record 8)

There are a few TI-99 4a scores, and the rest are 2600 scores.