Super Pro KotM: K2 - Review (Updated)

[+DZ-Jay]

UPDATE JUNE 1, 2021:  I've edited my initial review to reflect the many changes implemented by @intvdave based on mine and other players' feedback.  The review is now focused on the final release of the game, and represents my personal views from my experiences playing that edition.  The original review of the initial prototype is reproduced in full at the bottom, for historical purposes.

 

 

 

I've had the pleasure of getting an early copy of the latest game from @intvdave, Super Pro KotM: K2, in early April.  He asked me to play-test the game and offer my honest and sincere opinion.  I accepted and played the game extensively for several days, providing feedback along the way.  Throughout the next few weeks we went through various iterations of the game, as it evolved into its final edition.  The following game review is based on my honest assessment of this version.

 

For those who don't care about the details and just want to know whether to purchase the game or not, skip to the end and check out my ultimate recommendation under the heading, "The Final Verdict."

 

Game Play Description

In Super Pro King Of The Mountain: K2 you play an inveterate mountain climber in pursuit of the ultimate glory: that of successfully reaching the world's highest summit and being crowned King Of The Mountain.  As you prove your mettle climbing mountain after mountain, you must balance speed with efficiency in order to reach the top.  Each successive mountain in your path is higher than the previous one, posing a greater danger to your constitution.

 

At the base of each mountain, you start off with a basic set of supplies:  food, water, and matches for building fires; all essential items for survival in the crude and unforgiving wilderness.  Available to you is also a tent to serve as shelter from occasionally severe weather conditions, a raft to cross any rivers blocking your path, and bullets to defend yourself from the savage wildlife.  Pack carefully, for the more you carry, the heavier your load, and the more resources you consume.  A heavy burden also slows down your progress, exposing you even more to the harsh elements.

 

The main challenge of the game, therefore, is to find the right balance of supplies, in order to carry the bare minimum and keep your hike up the mountain at a brisk pace.  The varying height and formation of each mountain keeps this challenge fresh, as each one requires a different strategy.

 

There are also some various random natural elements, such as falling rocks, bear attacks, and the occasional rainstorm, that enhance the realism and add depth to the challenge of reaching the top.  You can shoot charging bears to gain additional food and sell their pelts for money on your next stop at a hiker's shelter along the path.

 

Once you make it all the way to the summit, you get to plant your flag and enjoy the pure air and the view from the top, as you reflect on your accomplishment.  Then it's back to the old country road, and on your way to the next mountain, to do it all over again.

 

Initial Impressions

First of all, let me just get something out of the way:  I really like this game.  Super Pro King Of The Mountain: K2 feels old-school enough to hearken back to early Mattel days, yet modern enough to offer rich and complex game-play mechanics in a streamlined, read-to-play manner.  As such, to me, it waffles between the excitement of childhood nostalgia and the draw of progressive arcade, almost casual, gaming.

 

Moreover, K2 is a welcome improvement over its original 2013 IntelligentVision release.  The original King Of The Mountain, with all its blocky charm, had many flaws; some of which made the game unwinnable, and at times, almost unplayable.  With K2, @intvdave set out to correct the most egregious problems and to improve and expand on the best features.  I must say with absolute sincerity that he succeeded.  Some of the good things are now better, and most of the bad things are severely diminished or gone entirely.  Along the way, exciting new features were added; and sadly, some charming and cool ones were lost.  Nonetheless, the improvements and enhancements more than make up for any deficiencies.

 

So, let us start with the good stuff first.

 

The Good

As I noted at the outset, this is one game I really like.  I enjoyed playing it and I will certainly play again in the near future.  The game offers a good mixture of strategy and action, resulting in a playing experience that feels both clever and exciting.  It employs a varied set of complex mechanics, but never feels contrived or complicated.  Initially, all that potential complexity can give an impression that the game is difficult, but if one is able and willing to put some effort into playing, then one is in for a challenging and rewarding experience.

 

Fortunately, the user's manual does an excellent job at demystifying the complexity of the game, and provides many useful tips and techniques to lead you to success.  Everything from the effects of environmental hazards and how to deal with injuries, to scoring details, to hints on how to optimize your resources; is explained in simple and succinct language.  @intvdave did a great job in making sure players can easily pick up and play the game with minimal fuss.

 

In spite of its potential for complexity, Super Pro King Of The Mountain: K2 never feels like it is trying to prevent one from winning.  It is challenging, for sure, but it always feels like reaching the top of the mountain is attainable -- if only I would have packed a little more water, or if I were quicker at killing that bear, or avoiding the falling rocks.  Moreover, it is packed with frenetic action: climbing the mountain feels very much like an old arcade game level, with a clear beginning and an obvious end goal; with lots of obstacles and hazards, and plenty of enemies coming at you from every corner.

 

Yet, it doesn't overwhelm with neither action nor stress.  The occurrence of events such as rock slides, rainstorms, and bear attacks, may sometimes randomly coincide in a perfect storm of doom; but this is very rare, and most of the time you only have to contend with at most one critical event or another.

 

More importantly, for the most part, K2 feels fair.  Not only is this evident in the way that the events evolve, but each mountain includes various shelters along its path that serve as welcomed resting points where you can take a respite from the action.  These shelters also provide an opportunity to purchase and sell supplies, and re-assess your strategy before continuing your trek.

 

This is an exceedingly good aspect of its design, and it splits what could be a frustratingly stressful and long stretch of play, into smaller achievable goals:  You clearly do not have to tackle that huge mountain in one go; you only need to survive the wilderness from one shelter to next, as you try to make your resources last you to the summit.  It is this sort of dynamic and thoughtful approach to its design that, to my eyes, elevates the game and adds to its allure.

 

Another positive aspect of the game is its variety.  Clearly @intvdave spent considerable time and effort into expanding the game, yet he did not just make the mountains longer -- he made them diverse.  As you climb ever taller mountains, the paths and the scenery continue to be interesting and varied.  This is a game which could easily devolve into repetitive and mechanical play, yet it always feels fresh -- every mountain is different, and feels different.  Add to that the relentless action elements, and K2 is never boring.

 

Plus, it must be stressed, the feeling of reaching the summit and planting your flag after a long and arduous hike, is exhilarating and rewarding.  Not many games offer this sort of celebratory satisfaction at the end of one level -- and K2 lets you do it all over again on the next mountain!

 

All that brings me to one of the best aspects of the game:  the persistence of your progress.  Failing to climb a mountain does not really end the game; it merely sends you back to your car at the foot of the mountain, from which you can make another attempt, or drive off to any other mountain available to you.  Your past successes are still marked and your next climbing attempt starts anew with refreshed resources and supplies.  Failing in this manner does cause your score to be reset, but you still have the opportunity to go back to the previously climbed mountains to regain or improve it.

 

Even better, if you find yourself with dwindling resources and increasing injuries, and contemplating serious doubts about your success; the game provides an easy way to escape the mountain early, which allows you return to the foot of the mountain with your score intact.  Just select exit at the next shelter and try again later.

 

I cannot overstate how wonderfully reassuring this aspect of the game is when you play:  knowing that no matter how many times you fail, you can always retreat, try again, or choose a different mountain, and never lose your progress.  This is part of the reason I felt compelled to keep trying after failing so many times:  I could always take a rest, go get some coffee or do something else, and as long as I left the console on, I could continue at a later time.  I wish more games were so considerate of your progress.

 

I'm King Of The (fourth) Mountain! Yay!!!

 

With all that in mind, let us now explore the things that are, if not really bad, at least less than stellar.

 

 

The Not So Good

In my opinion, the inordinate difficulty of the original game released in 2013, stemmed from three main factors.  First, there is the ever-present slow, and sometimes wonky, response of hand-controller input -- a staple of old EXEC-based Mattel games, and the primary reason the Intellivision disc controller gets such an undeserved bad reputation.

 

Second, there were severe bugs that caused your resources to deplete prematurely, almost randomly, preventing you from completing each mission.

 

Third, and perhaps more pernicious, was what looked like an imbalance in the internal game mechanics and difficulty parameters.  Add to this an obscure set of internal game mechanics and an inadequate user's manual that failed to clarify them, and you end up with a frustratingly difficult game that is nigh impossible to play.

 

I am quite happy to report that @intvdave has succeeded in excising the worst of the bugs -- including some new ones we discovered during testing -- and has managed to improve on practically all of the other complaints.  K2 feels considerably more responsive than its predecessor, and its difficulty feels much more fair and balanced.  There is still a somewhat steep learning curve to master the full complexity and strategy of the game, but the mountain difficulty progression and the tips in the user's manual do a great job to initiate the player without overwhelming him.

 

One potentially frustrating aspect of the game -- this one a personal bugbear of mine, elicited by many Intellivision games, especially those from the Mattel days -- is that the controls can be a little wonky sometimes.  I admit that @intvdave did a great job of making the disc a lot more responsive than in the original version, but I still get trampled by a rampaging bear more often than I wished, because in the heat of action, my man refuses to turn at a junction, or rotate to face the attacking animal before shooting it down.

 

I know that a lot of people just shrug off this sort of thing as some Intellivision idiosyncrasy, and I would too, if it wasn't for the fact that some games -- even some of the original 125 set from the 1980s -- have proven categorically that this is not so.  The Intellivision disc controller can be a smooth, intuitive, and highly responsive input device, but it does take effort and care from the programmer to account for it especially.

 

Then again, I won't fault @intvdave too much for this on K2, for I'm sure that there is just so much you can do when hacking away within the constraints of game code originally programmed some 40 years ago, by someone else.  Controller handling could definitely be better, but it used to be much worse, so this is perhaps a wash.  More importantly, any issues I may have encountered with the controls did not detract too much from an enjoyable play experience.

 

 

Other Niggles

Apart from the occasionally wonky control, I noticed also some presentation changes, some of which were not always for the better.  For instance, the new game has no title screen.  From the moment you start the Intellivision Master Component, you are dropped right into the main menu screen.  The title of the game is shown at the top, so I can see how it may feel unnecessary to have a separate dedicated screen for no apparent additional gain.  However, it is sort of like a tradition of Intellivision games, and so it loses that extra kick of nostalgia.  Plus, an attractive and exciting title screen can be a compelling invitation to play.

 

 

The title screen is now the main game screen.  Meh.

 

There is also no title card introducing each mountain when you go in.  Each mountain still has a name, but this is only mentioned in the map screen when you select it.  The momentary interstitial screen telling you the name of the mountain you are about to climb, has been removed, in favor of dropping you straight onto the supply store menu screen.  Again, this may not seem like much, but I find it diminishes the experience if only slightly.

 

Another change I found a little disappointing, is that the map for each mountain used to describe the path itself, whereas now it only shows the shelters and rivers, looking much more generic.  The old version looked like a hiking map, enhancing the experience, and gave you an idea of how the sinuous path ahead of you unfolded.  This added to the stress and excitement of your upcoming climb.  Now, the map just shows a zig-zag line from shelter to shelter, with what I imagine are horizontal distance markers in between.

 

The new map screen is a strange beast in that it tries to convey more information than the old one -- such as clear shelter locations and distance markers -- but the end result is an ersatz check-list of things to know, presented in a more or less generic format, with little commitment to the theme.  I personally find this lessens the immersion into the game world, treating it less like an expansive adventure, and more like a mere collection of action mini-games to complete.

 

To be clear, I welcome the new information the updated map screen provides, but I sorely miss the winding path preview, and wonder if there could have been a more diegetic way to incorporate the new details without compromising the commitment to its theme.

 

Before and after.  I find the new map screen a little less .. mappy.

 

Other changes, like the background color switch from yellow to tan, are less consequential, but I can't really say they are better, just different.  I sort of liked the quintessential "Mattel-look" of green on yellow, but I really do not mind the tan.  To me it just shows that some changes in the interface are merely arbitrary and not germane to enhancing the experience.

 

Some of these changes, like the removal of the title screen and the more generic map screen, could be the result of severe trade-offs in ROM space to allow for the new additions and the great diversity of mountain designs.  I strongly suspect this is the case.

 

This is a fine position to take and I respect @intvdave for having to make such hard choices to begin with.  However, I can't help but wonder if perhaps some of that extra variety could have been sacrificed for the sake of a more polished and focused experienced.  After all, if one's enjoyment and immersion of the game is fostered throughout, and one's excitement so intense as a result of it; why would one care if the final, tallest, hardest mountain repeats one or two screens?

 

In the end, these are some very minor quibbles on what is already an excellent game.  K2 is replete with features and details that enhance the experience and improve upon its predecessor, and make for a wonderfully satisfying and challenging game.

 

 

The Final Verdict

Super Pro King Of The Mountain: K2 is a wonderful addition to any Intellivision collection.  Whether you played the unreleased prototype version included in the Intellivision Lives! set, or the previous IntelligentVision release from 2013, or none at all; this is the definitive version of the game.  It is challenging, addictive, interesting, and great fun.

 

K2 calls back to classic early Mattel titles, while offering a modern gaming feel:  it is part arcade-action, part role-playing strategy, and all joy!  It has some minor flaws, and it can seem intimidating at first, but overall the game is fair and even-handed, and a pleasure to play.  Plus, the feeling you get when you conquer each mountain is greater than what the typical game offers:  perhaps it's the archetypal metaphor that inspires elation when you reach the proverbial summit.

 

I can recommend this game unreservedly to anyone who loves playing Intellivision games:  to the hard-core veteran gamer-collector, or to the casual retro-gamer like myself.  You won't be disappointed -- but even if you are, do not fret, for you get plenty of chances to try again.

 

So, pack your gear, grab some matches, pick up sticks and roll up your tent -- and let's go climb a mountain.  The crown of the King Of The Mountain awaits on top of the K2!

 

       -dZ.

 

 

 

 

The original review of the first K2 prototype provided by @intvdave is reproduced below, in full, for historical purposes.

Spoiler

I've had the pleasure of getting an early copy of the latest game from @intvdave, Super Pro KotM: K2, just this week.  I spent some time on the week-end playing it and I will share my impressions with you below.

 

Game Play Description

In Super Pro King Of The Mountain: K2 you play an inveterate mountain climber in pursuit of the ultimate glory: that of successfully reaching the world's highest summit and being crowned King Of The Mountain.  As you prove your mettle climbing mountain after mountain, you must balance speed with efficiency in order to reach the top.  Each successive mountain in your path is higher than the previous one, posing a greater danger to your constitution.

 

At the base of each mountain, you start off with a basic set of supplies:  food, water, and matches for building fires; all essential items for survival in the crude and unforgiving wilderness.  Available to you is also a tent to serve as shelter from occasionally severe weather conditions, a raft to cross any rivers blocking your path, and bullets to defend yourself from the savage wildlife.  Pack carefully, for the more you carry, the heavier your load, and the more resources you consume.  A heavy burden also slows down your progress, exposing you even more to the harsh elements.

 

The main challenge of the game, therefore, is to find the right balance of supplies, in order to carry the bare minimum and keep your hike up the mountain at a brisk pace.  The varying height and formation of each mountain keeps this challenge fresh, as each one requires a different strategy.

 

There are also some various random natural elements, such as falling rocks, bear attacks, and the occasional rainstorm, that enhance the realism and add depth to the challenge of reaching the top.  You can shoot charging bears to gain additional food and sell their pelts for money on your next stop at a hiker's shelter along the path.

 

Once you make it all the way to the summit, you get to plant your flag and enjoy the pure air and the view from the top, as you reflect on your accomplishment.  Then it's back to the old country road, and on your way to the next mountain, to do it all over again.

 

Initial Impressions

First of all, let me just get something out of the way:  I really like this game.  Super Pro King Of The Mountain: K2 feels old-school enough to hearken back to early Mattel days, yet modern enough to offer rich and complex game-play mechanics in a streamlined, read-to-play manner.  As such, to me, it waffles between the excitement of childhood nostalgia and the draw of progressive arcade, almost casual, gaming.

 

All that being said, the game is not without its flaws, which brings me to my second of all:  This game is hard.  Brutally hard.

 

The original King Of The Mountain, with all its blocky charm, had many flaws; some of which made the game unwinnable, and at times, almost unplayable.  With K2, @intvdave set out to correct the most egregious problems and to improve and expand on the best features.  I must say with absolute sincerity that he mostly succeeded.  Some of the good things are now better, and some of the bad things are severely diminished or gone entirely.  Along the way, exciting new features were added; and sadly, some charming and cool ones were lost.  I will express my views on these and describe what I found to be The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

 

Let us start with the bad stuff.

 

Success at last!  I am King of the Mountain #1

It only took me several dozen tries ...

 

The Bad

In my opinion, the inordinate difficulty of the original game stemmed from three main factors.  First, there is the ever-present slow, and sometimes wonky, response of hand-controller input -- a staple of old EXEC-based Mattel games, and the primary reason the Intellivision disc controller gets such an undeserved bad reputation.  Second, there were severe bugs that caused your resources to deplete prematurely, almost randomly, preventing you from completing each mission.  Third, and perhaps more pernicious, was what looked like an imbalance in the internal game mechanics and difficulty parameters.

 

I am quite happy to report that @intvdave has succeeded in excising the worst of the bugs and has managed to improve on most of the other complaints.  K2 feels considerably more responsive than its predecessor, and its difficulty -- at least on the early levels -- feels much more fair and balanced.  There is still a rather steep learning curve, and the controls can still act a bit wonky at times, making the game feel somewhat unforgiving; but overall, none of it detracts too much from an enjoyable play experience.

 

Still, the game is hard.  I must have played that first mountain, deceptively labeled "Beginner's Bluff," some 15 or 20 times before I managed to reach the summit.  It felt brutal and yet achievable -- never frustrating -- and this motivated me to persevere.  Every set back on my hike upon that very first mountain felt like a challenge I could overcome, and when I finally did, it was exhilarating.

 

I cut my teeth as a mountain climber on Beginner's Bluff, and it was worth it, for I managed to successfully climb the second mountain, and then the third and fourth, in only a few more tries.  In all I spent the better part of three hours on those four mountains, most of it on the first -- purportedly introductory -- one.

 

And then I reached the fifth mountain, and it all fell apart.

 

I must have spent at least three more hours trying that fifth mountain with no success.  I tried many different combinations of supplies, and various paths and strategies, all to no avail.  It seemed that whatever I tried did not matter, and I always ended up running out of some supply, typically water or fire, at roughly the same spot.  Which brings me to what I consider to be the ugly aspect of my experience.

 

The Ugly

For all its successes and enhancements, K2 still has some rather nasty bugs.  Moreover, it is not clear, from playing alone, what is the direct effect of various events, such as unsheltered rain exposure or a vicious bear attack; nor what is the rate of resource consumption as you continue your trek in various state of health or stress.  Intuitively, it seems obvious that such things incur a cost (and indeed, the buy/sell screens at the various shelter huts around the path, evince that resources are being lost to disaster or consumed in survival), but the blatant opacity of their magnitude and their causality -- which I consider one of the most critical aspects of game-play -- can impair your ability to prepare a winning strategy.

 

This opacity of the game's simulation mechanics may result in frustration, as the exasperated player attributes to his own fault what could have been a calculation bug or some other critical defect in the game.  (I strongly suspect that such a bug is partly to blame for my inability to complete mountain #5, evinced by the wildly varying resource consumption rates I noticed in my many, many tries, and the various visual and mechanic glitches I encountered in that mountain.)

 

Another ugly aspect -- this one a personal bugbear of many Intellivision games, especially those from the Mattel days -- is that the controls can be a little wonky sometimes.  I admit that @intvdave did a great job of making the disc a lot more responsive than in the original version, but I still get trampled by a rampaging bear more often than I wished, because in the heat of action, my man refuses to turn at a junction, or rotate to face the attacking animal before shooting it down.

 

I know that a lot of people just shrug off this sort of thing as some Intellivision idiosyncrasy, and I would too, if it wasn't for the fact that some games -- even some of the original 125 set from the 1980s -- have proven categorically that this is not so.  The Intellivision disc controller can be a smooth, intuitive, and highly responsive input device, but it does take effort and care from the programmer to account for it especially.

 

Then again, I can't fault @intvdave too much for this on K2, for I'm sure that there is just so much you can do when hacking away within the constraints of game code originally programmed some 40 years ago, by someone else.  Controller handling could definitely be better, but it used to be much worse, so this is perhaps a wash.

 

Apart from the rare bug and the occasional wonky control, I also experienced some problems with the general balance of game-play difficulty factors.  Some of these may be due to the fact that @intvdave is a prolific and dedicated gamer, so he might be biased toward harder games; while I consider myself (especially the older I get) a most casual among casual gamers.  That being said, I personally think that K2 -- with its expanded levels and enhanced challenges -- could use a more linear, and perhaps shallower, difficulty progression.

 

Also, sometimes it feels like the game relies too heavily on hunting bears as an intrinsic part of game-play, which to me detracts from the overall theme of hiking for challenge and glory (*ahem* the title is King Of The Mountain, not King Of The Hunters).  I seem to recall @intvdave mentioning something to this effect in the forum.  Hunting bears should be an important part of the game (after all, they provide both food and money), but I think that turning it into a critical factor for success feels a little like adding difficulty for its own sake, and makes the game appear arbitrary -- more action, less adventure.

 

(Perhaps it is early enough during its production that @intvdave will consider adjusting the difficulty parameters.  If it is still at all possible, I would strongly suggest so.)

 

To say that "Beginner's Bluff" is misnamed, is an understatement.  In my opinion, the very first mountain should be a breeze to climb.  I say this not because I want the game to be easy, or because I do not enjoy a challenge, but because learning the mechanics of the game -- and the critical interplay between resources, speed, and ability -- is challenging enough to the utter beginner.  Let him get acquainted with the game and acclimated to the environment first, before you throw him to the bears, as it were.  There are still nine more mountains left to climb, and that very first success can be a very powerful motivator -- a call to action -- to continue all the way to the last one.

 

Of course, the skill and strategies I learned on that first mountain were key to my subsequent successes, but they came at a high cost:  I spent several hours with obsessive perseverance, resolved to complete that first challenge, and tried over and over and over, until I managed to succeed.  I can't but imagine that a less devoted or patient player would have quit in frustration much earlier -- a great pity in itself.

And that's not to mention my bane, mountain #5, which completely obliterated my progress, and shook my confidence, just when I felt I was starting to hit my stride.

 

Out of fire?! Again???  I blame the bugs.

What's that crazy rock doing outside the path?

And how does one go from 8 to 1 food in just a few feet?

 

Other Niggles

Other than faulty game-play mechanics, I noticed also some presentation changes, some of which are not always for the better.  For instance, the new game has no title screen.  From the moment you start the Intellivision Master Component, you are dropped right into the main menu screen.  The title of the game is shown at the top, so I can see how it may feel unnecessary to have a separate dedicated screen for no apparent additional gain.  However, it is sort of like a tradition of Intellivision games, and so it loses that extra kick of nostalgia.  Plus, an attractive and exciting title screen can be a compelling invitation to play.

 

Moreover, not really knowing what to expect (for I hadn't played the original game in several years), I was taken aback by this new starting point -- it took me a few hits to the "Restart" button, some cable jiggling, and eventually going into my first mountain, to actually realize that the constant humming the console emitted right from the start was not line noise, but the hum of my in-game car's motor.  Perhaps a preceding title screen would have made this more clear.

 

The title screen is now the main game screen.  Meh.

 

There is also no title card introducing each mountain when you go in.  Each mountain still has a name, but this is only mentioned in the map screen when you select it.  The momentary interstitial screen telling you the name of the mountain you are about to climb, has been removed, in favor of dropping you straight onto the supply store menu screen.  Again, this may not seem like much, but I find it diminishes the experience if only slightly.

 

Another change I was not pleased about, is that the map for each mountain used to describe the path itself, whereas now it only shows the shelters and rivers, looking much more generic.  The old version looked like a hiking map, enhancing the experience, and gave you an idea of how the sinuous path ahead of you unfolded.  This added to the stress and excitement of your upcoming climb.  Now, the map just shows a zig-zag line from shelter to shelter, with what I imagine are horizontal distance markers in between.

 

The new map screen is a strange beast in that it tries to convey more information than the old one -- such as clear shelter locations and distance markers -- but the end result is an ersatz check-list of things to know, presented in a more or less generic format, with little commitment to the theme.  I personally find this lessens the immersion into the game world, treating it less like an expansive adventure, and more like a mere collection of action mini-games to complete.

 

I welcome the new information the updated map screen provides, but I sorely miss the winding path preview, and wonder if there could have been a more diegetic way to incorporate the new details.

 

Before and after.  I find the new map screen a little less .. mappy.

 

Other changes, like the background color change from yellow to tan, are less consequential, but I can't really say they are better, just different.  I sort of liked the quintessential "Mattel-look" of green on yellow, but I really do not mind the tan.  To me it just shows that some change in the interface are merely arbitrary and not germane to enhancing the experience.

 

Some of these changes, like the removal of the title screen and the more generic map screen, could be the result of severe trade-offs in ROM space to allow for the new additions and the great diversity of mountain designs.  I strongly suspect this is the case.

 

This is a fine position to take and I respect @intvdave for having to make such hard choices to begin with.  However, with a game so hard and challenging within its first few levels already, I can't help but wonder if perhaps some of that extra variety could have been sacrificed for the sake of a more polished and focused experienced.  After all, if one's enjoyment and immersion of the game is fostered throughout, and one's excitement so intense as a result of it; why would one care if the final, tallest, hardest mountain repeats one or two screens -- especially if you'll ever seldom reach it at all?

 

To be sure, it is not all doom and gloom.  K2 is replete with features and details that enhance the experience and improve upon its predecessor.  Let us now consider the good stuff.

 

The Good

As I noted at the outset, this is one game I really like.  I enjoyed playing it and I will certainly play again in the near future.  If one is able and willing to put sufficient effort into learning the game mechanics (and hopefully with some useful guidance from a new user's manual), then one is in for a challenging and rewarding experience.  The game offers a good mixture of strategy and action, resulting in a playing experience that feels both clever and exciting.

 

In spite of its flaws (and putting aside any defects in mountain #5), Super Pro King Of The Mountain: K2 never feels like it is trying to prevent me from winning.  It feels hard, for sure, but it always feels like reaching the top of the mountain is attainable -- if only I would have packed a little more water, or if I were quicker at killing that bear, or avoiding the falling rocks.  Moreover, it is packed with frenetic action: climbing the mountain feels very much like an old arcade game level, with a clear beginning and an obvious end goal; with lots of obstacles and hazards, and plenty of enemies coming at you from every corner.

 

Yet, it doesn't overwhelm with neither action nor stress.  The occurrence of events such as rock slides, rainstorms, and bear attacks, may sometimes randomly coincide in a perfect storm of doom; but this is very rare, and most of the time you only have to contend with at most one critical event or another.

 

More importantly, for the most part, K2 feels fair.  Not only is this evident in the way that the events evolve, but each mountain includes various shelters along its path that serve as welcomed resting points where you can take a respite from the action.  These shelters also provide an opportunity to purchase and sell supplies, and re-assess your strategy before continuing your trek.

 

This is an exceedingly good aspect of its design, and it splits what could be a frustratingly stressful and long stretch of play, into smaller achievable goals:  You clearly do not have to tackle that huge mountain in one go; you only need to survive the wilderness from one shelter to next, as you try to make your resources last you to the summit.  It's this sort of dynamic and thoughtful approach to its design that, to my eyes, elevates the game and adds to its allure.

 

Another positive aspect of the game is its variety.  Clearly @intvdave spent considerable time and effort into expanding the game, yet he did not just make the mountains longer -- he made them diverse.  As you climb ever taller mountains, the paths and the scenery continue to be interesting and varied.  This is a game which could easily devolve into repetitive and mechanical play, yet it always feels fresh -- every mountain is different, and feels different.  Add to that the relentless action elements, and K2 is never boring.

 

Plus, the feeling of reaching the summit and planting your flag after a long and arduous hike, is exhilarating and rewarding.  Not many games offer this sort of celebratory satisfaction at the end of one level -- and K2 lets you do it all over again on the next mountain.

 

All that brings me to one of the best aspects of the game:  the persistence of your progress.  Failing to climb a mountain does not really end the game; it merely sends you back to your car at the foot of the mountain, from which you can make another attempt, or drive off to any other mountain available to you.  Your past successes are still marked, your score remains, and your next climbing attempt starts anew with refreshed resources and supplies.

 

I cannot overstate how wonderfully reassuring this feature is when you play, knowing that no matter how many times you fail, you can always try again, or choose a different mountain, and never lose your progress.  This is part of the reason I felt compelled to keep trying after failing so many times:  I could always take a rest, go get some coffee or do something else, and as long as I left the console on, I could continue at a later time.

 

I'm King Of The (fourth) Mountain! Yay!!!

 

The Final Verdict

Super Pro King Of The Mountain: K2 is a wonderful addition to any Intellivision collection.  Whether you played the original, incomplete version included in the Intellivision Lives! set, or the previous IntelligentVision release, or none at all; this is the definitive version of the game.  It is challenging, addictive, interesting, and great fun.

 

K2 calls back to classic early Mattel titles, while offering a modern gaming feel:  it is part arcade-action, part role-playing strategy, and all joy.  It has some flaws, and the difficulty at times may seem excessive, but overall the game is fair and even-handed.

 

I can recommend this game unreservedly to anyone who loves playing Intellivision games:  to the hard-core, veteran gamer-collector; or to the casual retro-gamer like myself.  You won't be disappointed -- but even if you are, do not fret, for you get plenty of chances to try again.

 

So, pack your gear, grab some matches, pick up sticks and roll up your tent, and let's go climb a mountain.  The crown of the King Of The Mountain awaits on top of the K2!

 

       -dZ.

 

Edited June 5, 2021 by DZ-Jay
Updated review to reflect latest version.

[atari5200dude82]

Great review D-Z look, forward to play the new K-2 version when completed, thanks Dave, and Rev also to make this happen

[+DZ-Jay]

By the way, I have some great news!

 

@intvdave has been gracious enough to follow up on some of my feedback and he's worked on updating the balance of the easier levels and fix some of the bugs I encountered.

 

Also, he kindly sent me a copy of the latest user's manual, and it seems that the majority of my problems with not knowing how the mechanics work, are addressed in there.  The new manual describes in detail how the resources are consumed, and how the environmental events like rain and bear attacks affect your trek.  There's even a "Tips & Tricks" section that offers very helpful advice to starting players.  All of this helps in planning a successful strategy for each mountain.

 

I'm sure all that would have made a difference in my experience, since it would have probably made it easier to understand how to play successfully on the first mountains.  Unfortunately, the manual wasn't available at the time, but I ended up figuring out most of it by trial and error and perseverance.  It just took me longer.

 

I still stand by my comments on graphical changes, design philosophy, and difficulty progression; but I admit that these are my own personal views and preferences, and I make no claims to authority on any of it.  Clearly @intvdave has his own philosophies and I absolutely respect his views.

 

Still, KotM: K2 is a great game and it is getting even better!

 

I look forward to playing the updated game (with the updated manual at hand).  I'll post an new review when I get a chance to play it.

 

A great many thanks to @intvdave for all his effort.

 

     -dZ.

Edited April 6, 2021 by DZ-Jay

[Sinjinhawke]

I have played around 7 games and failed to reach the peak every time.  Looking forward to an updated ROM and manual to address my inefficiencies.  

[+DZ-Jay]

50 minutes ago, Sinjinhawke said:

I have played around 7 games and failed to reach the peak every time.  Looking forward to an updated ROM and manual to address my inefficiencies.  

 

I think the user's manual will help greatly, especially when getting started on the first mountains.  The new "tips" section offers some great advice.

 

I am curious to know, what you think of the game so far.  Apart from being hard, did you enjoy it?  And would you consider keep trying to see if you can pass at least the first mountain?  I could offer some tips if you'd like. :)

 

    -dZ.

[Sinjinhawke]

I enjoy the game but haven't really sat down and dug into it as I'm juggling between work, X-Ray, Rick Dynamite and KOTM.  I just need to plan better and master the controls.  The bear gets me more than I get it so I don't always have a lot of funds.

[intvdave]

I appreciate D-Z's detailed review and follow on comments. Working with him to "fix" things, I think the game (and manual) will be better received.

 

It is important to be able to shoot bears and collect them as this is the only form of creating revenue that you will have. This money will be used to purchase supplies. This game is an Action/Strategy game. Balancing this is a challenge due to several random features of the game and understanding the range of players (dedicated gamers and casual gamers). The goal is for all range of players to enjoy this game. As @Sinjinhawke and @D-Z-Jay mentioned, there is a learning curve and I hope you find it rewarding to learn.

[Sinjinhawke]

I played the updated ROM a few times this afternoon and managed to make it to the top of the 2nd mountain where previously I couldn't complete the first one.  As mentioned you need to hunt those bears.  Some locations are better than others for bagging a few bears but they were the key for me.

[+DZ-Jay]

13 minutes ago, Sinjinhawke said:

I played the updated ROM a few times this afternoon and managed to make it to the top of the 2nd mountain where previously I couldn't complete the first one.  As mentioned you need to hunt those bears.  Some locations are better than others for bagging a few bears but they were the key for me.

Did you get a copy of the new user's manual?  There's a ton of helpful information in there, especially in the new "Tips" section.

 

     -dZ.

[Sinjinhawke]

2 hours ago, DZ-Jay said:

Did you get a copy of the new user's manual?  There's a ton of helpful information in there, especially in the new "Tips" section.

 

     -dZ.

Not yet, he will send the updated manual out later.

[Sinjinhawke]

I was advised the updated manual was in the package with the original manual.  I was reading the original.  Unfortunately you can't patch a buggy user. 

[Sinjinhawke]

Mountain 5 climbed.  3:32.  Not fast but top reached.

[+DZ-Jay]

29 minutes ago, Sinjinhawke said:

Mountain 5 climbed.  3:32.  Not fast but top reached.

Wow, that's awesome.  Is it because you are getting better or because the difficulty is now too easy?  I know that @intvdave was concerned that the game me turn out to be too easy.

 

    -dZ.

[Sinjinhawke]

Not sure.  I got cocky and went to mountain 9 and that is kicking my butt.  It took a couple attempts at mountain 5.  I got lucky with a couple boulders cooperating and sold 8 bears at one point so I was well funded for the final dash.  I will say I am better at inventory management thanks to the tips.  Slightly better at bear shooting.  Still struggling with changing paths.  Not sure if it's me or the controls.

[+DZ-Jay]

1 hour ago, Sinjinhawke said:

Not sure.  I got cocky and went to mountain 9 and that is kicking my butt.  It took a couple attempts at mountain 5.  I got lucky with a couple boulders cooperating and sold 8 bears at one point so I was well funded for the final dash.  I will say I am better at inventory management thanks to the tips.  Slightly better at bear shooting.  Still struggling with changing paths.  Not sure if it's me or the controls.

That's good, it sounds like the new manual with its description of the mechanics and tips has helped.  I know that there were a few things I didn't considered before that now are clear to me, like how to deal with injuries during the climb.

 

As for the changing paths, it could be a little of both.  I know I've had trouble turning the curvy paths or positioning myself in order to shoot at an upcoming bear.  The controls could definitely be better, but they are a significant improvement from the original release.

 

    -dZ.

[TrekMD]

Looking forward to KOTM2! 

[+DZ-Jay]

@intvdave is sending me a new board with the updated game, and I already have the latest manual.  Armed with those, I hope to be playing this weekend.  Once I get a chance to try out the latest version, I'll update my review in the first post.

 

I already know that it will change.  For starters, the entire part about not being able to understand the mechanics of the game and plan a practical strategy, is moot with the new user's manual, which is chock-full of useful information and helpful tips.

 

   dZ.

[+DZ-Jay]

@nanochess, or any other moderator, could I get "edit" privileges on the first post, please?

[Jeffrey Bouchard]

Can’t wait to play the new game.

[+nanochess]

2 hours ago, DZ-Jay said:

@nanochess, or any other moderator, could I get "edit" privileges on the first post, please?

I'm not so powerful ? let me ask the league of wizards @Tempest

[Sinjinhawke]

Mountain 9 is so mean ?.   The boulders, bears and bugs conspire together against me.   They coordinate their attacks.  The bugs will stun me long enough so I can’t change lanes in time to avoid the boulder then after being rolled halfway down the mountain Yogi will steal my food.   
 

A couple of times a boulder will roll me all the back to a cabin drop me off close to the door then turn around just to pick me up again and drag me even further down the mountain.  Mountain 9 should be hard and it is.    
 

I have seen a few of times where a bullet has gone through the bear. Once even when I shot the bear from behind.   
 

My biggest error is when I forget to re-buy the raft on a map with a river.   Ugh!!!

 

This game frustrates me and makes me want to rage quit. Now sell me a board damn-it!!!!   ?  

Edited April 10, 2021 by Sinjinhawke

[+DZ-Jay]

1 minute ago, Sinjinhawke said:

Mountain 9 is so mean ?.

Well, there has to be a challenge right?  You went from not being able to complete the first mountain, to tackling the very last one -- the Super Pro K2 Peak Of Peaks!

 

Have you tried #7 or #8?  Last I heard you went straight from #6 to #9.  Perhaps the mountain gods are trying to humble you. Hehehe.

 

1 minute ago, Sinjinhawke said:

The boulders, bears and bugs conspire together against me.   They coordinate their attacks.  The bugs will stun me long enough so I can’t change lanes in time to avoid the boulder then after being rolled halfway down the mountain Yogi will steal my food.   
 

A couple of times a boulder will roll me all the back to a cabin drop me off close to the door then turn around just to pick me up again and drag me even further down the mountain.  Mountain 9 should be hard and it is.    
 

I can't wait to try it out ... Although I'm a little scared of it ... Eek! ?

1 minute ago, Sinjinhawke said:

I have seen a few of times where a bullet has gone through the bear. Once even when I shot the bear from behind.   
 

 

Perhaps something for @intvdave to look on?  Personally, I haven't experienced any such misses, but I also haven't made it to the highest mountains yet.

 

1 minute ago, Sinjinhawke said:

My biggest error is when I forget to re-buy the raft on a map with a river.   Ugh!!!

 

Rookie mistake, kid.  Go back to the bunny slopes of Beginner's Bluff. 

 

1 minute ago, Sinjinhawke said:

This game frustrates me and makes me want to rage quit. Now sell me a board damn-it!!!!   ?  

?

[Sinjinhawke]

6 hours ago, DZ-Jay said:

Rookie mistake, kid.  Go back to the bunny slopes of Beginner's Bluff. 

You’re a bully.  I’m telling. ?
 

Yeah, I skipped ahead.  I’m obviously too good for rookie slopes 7 and 8 now.  

Edited April 10, 2021 by Sinjinhawke

[+DZ-Jay]

3 hours ago, Sinjinhawke said:

You’re a bully.  I’m telling. ?
 

Yeah, I skipped ahead.  I’m obviously too good for rookie slopes 7 and 8 now.  

LOL!  I imagine, you've faced the last mountain! ?

 

By the way, I got the updated board today, so I'll be playing tomorrow.

[Sinjinhawke]

I got the newest ROM today.  Hopefully find some time this weekend to play.