Anyone likes Keystone Kapers?

[Lord-Chaos]

i think it´s a pretty good jump n run game.I had it first on the ATARI 800, but I think now the 2600 version plays a little bit better and the graphics is almost identical (ATARI 800 has more details and music).

 

But I also think it gets quite hard after level 10.

 

Is there an end in this game ?

[moycon]

I used to be pretty good at KK back in the day.

Wasn't so good at it when I gave it a whirl of the PS2 Activision Anthologies though. Yer right tho, once you get high enough, those Planes and carts getting whipping fast. For some reason, those crappy bouncing red balls is what always did me in though.

[Lord-Chaos]

I used to be pretty good at KK back in the day.  

Wasn't so good at it when I gave it a whirl of the PS2 Activision Anthologies though. Yer right tho, once you get high enough, those Planes and carts getting whipping fast. For some reason, those crappy bouncing red balls is what always did me in though.

 

I have the same problems with the red balls as soon as there are two of them.I always hit one.

 

Any Keystone Kapers masters here ?

[MattyXB]

I like this game very much. It for me it is easy. But I think there is no end. It goes faster and more enemies. But I think no end. Maybe at some point, the levels always the same, but I am not sure anymore. Have not play it for a long time.

[cvga]

I hate the red bouncing balls (especially the high ones) too

[Cootster]

I like this game very much. It for me it is easy. But I think there is no end. It goes faster and more enemies. But I think no end. Maybe at some point, the levels always the same, but I am not sure anymore. Have not play it for a long time.

 

 

Great game . . . IIRC, it begins repeating after 5 . . .

[liveinabin]

I love Keystone Kapers. My first avatar (waaay back) here was the crook. You can really see Activisions' mastery of the hardware in titles like that.

[+DamonicFury]

This one has been one of my favorites since it was first released. Like most good 2600 games it starts out very easy, and smoothly gets more get difficult as you play. Also, in my personal opinion, it has the best graphics of any 2600 game. (Multicolored sprites, a colorful detailed background, multiple screens... wow!) It's amazing that it was programmed by the same guy who did the 2600 Donkey Kong conversion!

 

http://www.atariage.com/programmer_page.ht...ProgrammerID=39

[StanJr]

Yeah, Keytsone Kapers is a great great game. I was pretty good at it for a bit, and then one night I just sat down and played it, and played it, and played it and unbelievably hit 1 mil! It took like FOREVER to do, but there is a difficulty plateau and once you get in a groove you can just go. But its still a very difficult game.

 

Fun, fun game.

[bobafett07728]

I think this is a pretty good game. The only obstacle that gives me occasional trouble are the two high bouncing balls. The timing is critical on these. In order to get the 1,000,000 it takes patience, and you MUST use the elevators. At 1 million the score turns to 6 white hats. You can continue to play the game, but the score isn't kept after that point. I got the 1,000,000 score in a little over 4 hours. Once you get the hang of it, it's just a matter of stamina. All in all a great game! I used to play the game without using the elevators, and couldn't understand why I couldn't break 50K. . . silly me!

[elviticus]

This used to be one of my favorites back in the day!! In the absence of a good Donkey Kong, this helped ease the pain.

[sku_u]

Keystone Kapers is an excellent game. Two hints that I can give you to increase your scores:

 

1. When you get to the levels with the high bouncing balls, try to jump them as they are crossing downward. This takes some practice, but will help increase your scores and enable you to get to the higher levels.

 

2. On the later levels, try to utilize the elevators and radar as much as possible, but be careful not to go to the top level when the crook is there, or he will go down a level. The best way to utilize the elevators is to get off them one level below the crook then use the escalators (if they are present).

[Vic George 2K3]

I like it, though I hate it when they start having two bouncing balls at the same time. One of the games I could've had in my 2600 collecting heyday.

[rockman_x_2002]

I like Keystone Kapers fairly well.

 

Heh heh... I remember when I was a little kid and I played the game, I used to think that the bouncing balls were bouncing hot dogs because of the colors clashing on our TV set and you couldn't see the top and bottom of the ball, giving it a weiner-like shape.

 

Now I know different, though! Good thing too. Makes more sense for there to be bouncing balls instead of hot dogs.

[+uosipa llamxew]

My first avatar (waaay back) here was the crook.

 

:-) I think I remember that, actually - probably because the handle "livinabin" is so unique.

 

I have always been a fan of Keystone Kapers, mainly because the graphics and gameplay are among the best I've ever seen on the VCS. The first time I played it was at my cousin's house - I was so jealous! He also had Missile Command - which never became a part of my collection back then.

 

Anyways, the strange thing is that I have never owned the cart myself, and I didn't realize until now that the difficulty increased (I have only played 2 or 3 levels before I've changed out the cartridge... ADD!)

 

There is a copy of the game on its way to my box now. I guess I will have to play through till the difficulty overtakes me. I can't wait! :-)

 

k

[cvga]

Keystone Kapers is an excellent game.  Two hints that I can give you to increase your scores:

 

1.  When you get to the levels with the high bouncing balls, try to jump them as they are crossing downward.  This takes some practice, but will help increase your scores and enable you to get to the higher levels.

 

 

Thanks for the tip. I'll give that a shot. For some reason I've always tried to find a safe place to duck both balls. I can get under the first and sometimes even the second but I gain little ground and another set always comes out and plows me. I'll try jumping them next time.

[StanJr]

yeah, ducking is the method I use. There are a couple of spots where you can stand and the balls just pass harmlessly over you, but you have to be precise in finding those spots. It takes less time than jumping and there is less chance for error (once you have learned the spots) I abandoned jumping because it took too much time to run back, set up, jump, run back, set up, jump, etc. You had to do that like 3 or 4 times just to get off the screen. With the duck method you only have to duck twice and yer out!

 

[sku_u]

yeah, ducking is the method I use.  There are a couple of spots where you can stand and the balls just pass harmlessly over you, but you have to be precise in finding those spots.  It takes less time than jumping and there is less chance for error (once you have learned the spots)  I abandoned jumping because it took too much time to run back, set up, jump, run back, set up, jump, etc.  You had to do that like 3 or 4 times just to get off the screen.  With the duck method you only have to duck twice and yer out!

 

 

I'm able to run, jump, run, jump, barely pause and get off the screen. I found the ducking method to take more time than the running/jumping method. There's enough time to jump over one, then the other without breaking stride if the first ball crossing downward is timed perfectly.

[tillenterprises]

From the day I bought it with my saved up allowance in 1983 to today, it still remains one of my all-time favorite games.

[chrisbid]

its one of the better games on the VCS, but i still cant get a patch score, i end up around 30K on the stage with multiple red balls. i guess i could try to be a bit more shrewd with the elevator

[D.Yancey]

When you get to the higher levels, it's nearly always better to use the elevators. You will then have to cross fewer dangerous screens, so you will not get hit as often and lose valuable time. The game ends at one million with six cop hats as stated previously. I use Stan Jr.'s method of ducking the high bouncing balls. My least favorite part is jumping the shopping carts while waiting on the elevator screen.

[rockman_x_2002]

I should live so long as to see the million mark.

 

While I like the game, I must be brutally honest with myself and everyone else... I suck at the game when it gets to the later levels.

[dougy76]

Yeah, Keytsone Kapers is a great great game.  I was pretty good at it for a bit, and then one night I just sat down and played it, and played it, and played it and unbelievably hit 1 mil!  It took like FOREVER to do, but there is a difficulty plateau and once you get in a groove you can just go.  But its still a very difficult game.

 

Fun, fun game.

 

Yep, I hit that plateau too. Unfortunately, now that I've hit it, I don't see why I would ever play it again. I always loved it as a kid though.

[D.Yancey]

Look here to see the original world record holders for Keytone Kapers when it was first released. This is the old Activision's newsletter. I made the list for both Keystone Kapers and Pitfall! on this page. Of course, Todd Rogers is here too! Does anyone know any of the others on this list? I'd love to swap stories with some of these old time greats!!

 

Original Keystone Kapers World Record

[hepcat]

Keystone Kapers is a fantastic game, definitely one of the best made for this system. Pretty sure I've broken 150K on this one, but it's tough at the hardest level.

 

--Jason