Montezuma's Return!

Montezuma's Return! is a 1997 action/adventure video game and the sequel to the original Parker Brothers game Montezuma's Revenge.[3] While the original game was a 2D platform game, the sequel was a 3D first-person puzzle platformer.[1] According to Steve Bergenholtz, the Utopia Technologies spokesperson, the musical score was written by a TV and film veteran.[4] A port for Nintendo 64 was in the works[5] but was cancelled.

Montezuma's Return
CD box art
Developer(s)Utopia Technologies
Tarantula Studios (GB, GBC)
Publisher(s)WizardWorks(PC, US)
Take-Two Interactive (GB, GBC, PC EU)
Designer(s)Rob Jaeger[1]
Composer(s)Aaron Humphries
Dominic Messinger
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, Game Boy, Game Boy Color
ReleaseWindows
  • GER: December 1997
  • NA: October 27, 1998[2]
  • EU: December 1998
Game Boy
Game Boy Color
  • NA: December 1998
  • EU: 1998
Genre(s)Action-adventure game
Mode(s)Single-player

Plot

Max Montezuma is a soldier descended from an ancient Aztec emperor. Max stumbles across a deserted, uncharted island, and accidentally crashes his plane on it. Prior to Max's arrival, the island is undiscovered. Max only has a flashlight, canteen, and an entire lost Aztec civilization before him. He must restore the desecrated tomb of his ancestors, discover the link between the ancient Aztecs and a race of saucer-flying aliens, and more, in his adventure.

Gameplay

The main objective is to guide Max to the ending destination of the level. There are eight levels (nine in newer versions). In every level the player collects treasures and defeats enemies while maneuvering across moving platforms, trampolines, and climbing ropes, or through water, until reaching the boss room. The boss must be defeated to access the level exit. Not every boss can be defeated directly and may require a specific action to affect it (e.g. Using the Lava Lord's own exploding lava rocks against him). If the player has collected 100% treasures, the player can play the bonus level.

Max may be harmed by traps or by enemies. Traps may include deep pits, spikes, or enemies that cannot be harmed (like skulls). Max can attack enemies by punching and kicking, and can kill them by pushing them into water.

There are other collectable items as well as treasures. Max can collect bananas or watermelon chunks to heal damage and key artefacts to unlock barriers.

History

Development

Montezuma's Return debuted the UVision game engine, which was developed over more than two years.[6] The game engine and tools were programmed in C, from 1995 to 1998, by Atman Binstock,[7] Rich Geldreich,[8] and Rob Jaeger, designer of the original Montezuma's Revenge.[9] The game was developed by eight people.[10] It was showcased at E3 1997.[11]

The game features high-resolution 16-bit colour depth graphics. The object modelling takes into account physics such as gravity, reflection, and wind. The game is true 3D with movement in six degrees of freedom. Optional Fast Phong- and Gouraud shading, perspective mapping, light-sourcing, real-time shadows, bump mapping, z-buffering, MIP mapping combine with multiple movable-point and spotlight light sources, view ports, and cameras to make the graphics an outstanding visual treat. Weather effects and underwater sequences add to the effects.

Releases

There are versions of the game for Windows, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color, with the Game Boy Color version being the most common. These were developed by Tarantula Studios.

Reception

The game received average reviews on both platforms according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[12][13] GameRevolution gave the PC version a favorable review, over two months before it was released Stateside.[18] Next Generation, however, said that the same PC version "belongs in the 'nostalgia gone wrong' file", with the anonymous reviewer criticizing the game for having the concept of lives.[22]

Utopia Technologies expected to sell 200,000 PC units of the game within four months of its release.[25]

References
  1. Giovetti, Al (1997). "Montezuma's Return". The Computer Show. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
  2. GameSpot staff (October 27, 1998). "Montezuma's Return Ships [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 12, 2000. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  3. Fielder, Lauren (February 18, 1998). "Montezuma's Return Preview [date mislabeled as "February 27, 2004"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 20, 2004. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  4. Giovetti, Al (1997). "Montezuma's Return Interview". The Computer Show. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
  5. IGN staff (August 7, 1998). "Return to Nintendo 64". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  6. "NG Alphas: Montezuma's Return". Next Generation. No. 20. Imagine Media. August 1996. p. 83. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  7. Binstock, Atman. "History (1998-2000)". Electric Sheep Games. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  8. Geldreich, Rich. "Montezuma's Return". Google.
  9. Hardie, John. "DP Interviews Robert Jaeger". Digital Press.
  10. "Montezuma's Return! Interview". utopiatech.com. June 1997. Archived from the original on February 4, 1999. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  11. Fielder, Joe (June 23, 1997). "Whoa Montezuma!". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 24, 1999. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  12. "Montezuma's Return for Game Boy Color". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 22, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  13. "Montezuma's Return for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 30, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  14. House, Michael L. "Montezuma's Return! (PC) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  15. Royal, Anne (December 11, 1998). "Montezuma's Return". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on July 10, 2003. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  16. Clarkson, Mark (March 1999). "Montezuma's Return" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 176. Ziff Davis. p. 163. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  17. D'Aprile, Jason (1999). "Montezuma's Return! Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on September 21, 2004. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  18. Johnny B. (August 1998). "Montezuma's Return Review (PC)". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  19. Dulin, Ron (November 17, 1998). "Montezuma's Return Review [date mislabeled as "May 1, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  20. Harris, Craig (March 20, 2000). "Montezuma's Return (GBC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  21. Blevins, Tal (January 6, 1999). "Montezuma's Return (PC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  22. "Montezuma's Return (PC)". Next Generation. No. 50. Imagine Media. February 1999. p. 104. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  23. "Montezuma's Return". Nintendo Power. Vol. 116. Nintendo of America. January 1999.
  24. Poole, Stephen (December 1998). "Montezuma's Return". PC Gamer. Vol. 5, no. 12. Imagine Media. p. 230. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  25. "WITH A PUBLISHER IN THE WORKS, UTOPIA BANKS ON STRENGTH OF ITS GAME ENGINE". utopiatech.com. October 24, 1996. Archived from the original on February 2, 1999. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
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