Greetings, brave retro gamers!
Retro games can sometimes be tricky and puzzling – in a good way! But if you’re struggling, we are here to help with a new feature on the Antstream Arcade blog. Each Antstream Arcade guide will include tips and help on how to play and beat a particular game on the service. We have over 1500 brilliant retro games on Antstream Arcade – so we’d better get cracking!
The Game: Pirate Pete
Developer: Taito
Publisher: Taito
Year: 1982
System: Arcade
Background
Avid arcade fans will notice a similarity to the Taito classic Jungle King. Yes, Pirate Pete began life as a Tarzan-like hero, swinging wildly through the forests of Africa. However, when the custodians of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s estate objected to the likeness, Taito changed the lead character to a fearless explorer and the title to Jungle Hunt. Finally, a mere five months after its initial release as Jungle King, Taito changed the theme to the high seas and the world of Pirate Pete, swinging between masts on his ship, swimming through shark-infested waters and fending off rival buccaneers. There’s no change in gameplay from the earlier versions; graphically, ropes replace vines, sharks instead of crocodiles and the aforementioned pirates instead of hungry cannibals.
Did you know? Alongside Pac-Man, Berzerk, Centipede and Defender, Jungle Hunt received the board game treatment from Milton Bradley.
The Aim Of The Game
Pesky enemy pirates have kidnapped Pirate Pete’s girlfriend! Far across the choppy and shark-infested seas lies an island. The fair damsel is hidden somewhere here, ready to be cooked alive in a giant pot of boiling water. Guide our courageous pirate across the seas and plains of the island until he faces off against the leaders of this dastardly crew. But first, he has to swing his way across his ship.
Getting Started
Pressing the fire button has different results depending on which level Pete is negotiating. On level one, he swings from rope to rope by pressing fire; in the sea, he stabs sharks while he jumps over bouncing rocks and pirates on the last two levels.
The Enemies
There are no enemies on level one (unless you count the ropes!), but get past this stage, and Pete will soon be up against it. Having reached the ship's prow, Pete plunges into the depths as he chases after the pesky pirates who have stolen his missus. Here, ravenous sharks face off against our swashbuckling hero; make it past these, and there are rolling rocks and deadly snakes to contend with before a final battle against the pirates themselves.
Level One: The Pirate Ship
As you’d expect, this first stage is all about timing. Pressing fire thrusts Pete from one rope to (ideally) the next, and the ropes move at different speeds. Try and remain in the middle or lower part of the ropes, as this gives you the best angle for catching the next one. In most instances, the time to jump is when the next rope is about halfway back to Pete. After the game loops around, watch out for an oversized parrot that patrols the ropes – touching this annoying avian will result in Pete plummeting to the floor.
Level Two: The High Seas
Once the ship’s crossed, Pete dives into the deep blue, the island in his sights. The first time around, there’s a relatively light amount of easily dodged sharks. However, he’s armed with a razor-sharp knife for when things get a little close for comfort but must time his attacks between the shark’s chomping jaws. Take care to strike just before Pete touches the shark – you’ll get extra points if the shark is opening its mouth or deeper in the ocean. Further levels introduce fast-swimming swordfish and bubbles that are harmless but carry Pete to the surface, exposing him to the enemies.
Level Three: The Caves
The ascending path through the caves is initially the easiest part of Pirate Pete. Rocks bounce and roll downwards as nosey snakes poke out from above, curious as to who has ventured into their realm. Jumping over small rocks is easy; their larger versions less so. Pressing fire sends Pete into a medium jump; holding up and left/right launches him further into the air, vital for later runs through this increasingly dangerous cavern. Pete can also duck under some of the higher-bouncing rocks.
Level Four: The Cooking Pot
Ascend through the caves, and your girlfriend is right before you! Unfortunately, two armed pirates are in your way while another stands on the cliff, throwing knives at Pete. This tricky section requires perfect timing: wait until the two pirates are apart enough to jump between and their sabres lowered. Jump in the middle, then over the next one to your beau. She’ll be low enough to reach and cut down if you've timed it right. Further loops bring faster and meaner pirates for Pete to jump over.
High Score Chasing
Jumping between ropes, stabbing sharks, ducking under a rock or jumping over a pirate nets Pete 100 points. If a high score is what you’re after, try and knife the sharks just as they’re opening their mouths – this will earn an extra 100 points. Each time Pete passes one of the first three stages, there’s a 500-point bonus. The pirate king on Antstream Arcade is Das Iceman, with a score of 14,200 points – can you help Pete and knock him off the top spot?
We hope you’ve enjoyed our latest Antstream Arcade Guide – stay tuned for more helpful hints soon. If you’re still stuck on Pirate Pete, why not head to the Antstream Arcade Discord server and see if someone can help you? You can find us at: https://discord.gg/antstream.
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