Racing / Racing - Formula One · 1983
Pitstop
Published by Epyx
atarimania.com — atari-400-800-xl-xe-games-pitstop-3987
Information
- Genre
- Racing - Formula One
- Language
- Machine Language
- Controls
- Joystick
- Players
- 1, 2 (alt.), 2+
- Year
- 1983
- Publisher
- Epyx
- Country
- USA
- License
- Commercial
- Medium
- Cartridge
- Rarity
- 4
- Serial
- 604R
Votes / Statistics
Rating: 8.0/10 · Votes: 53 · Downloads: 4,641 · Hits: 22,933
Screenshots (4)
Cover Art (3)
Instructions (6)
Ads (2)
Book / Magazine Reviews (1)
Computer Fun · May, 1984 · Rating: 2.5/4
In the pits a cursor is used to designate and maneuver the four-man crew through their chores of tire changing and refueling. After a bit of practice these guys can be made to really shake it through the timed stop and the ritual becomes as important to the game as the actual racing skills on the track.
Each of the six exotic race courses is diagrammed on the side of the screen in all their hairpin, twisting glory with wicked turns that could give Jackie Stewart the cold sweats. But fantasy is a fragile thing and the reality of Pitstop is something less than harrowing, as the driver finds when he braces himself for an outrageous switchback only to find it as tame as a suburban boulevard. Disappointingly, the six "unforgiving" tracks merely blend into a pureed sameness.
Graphically, the cars are done in fine style but the trackside scenery consists of green flatlands and an occasional bush or sign. Mysteriously, a driver will find that a tire in need of change will be on the opposite side of his car when he pulls into the pits. As for gameplay, Pitstop is at its best in the more difficult settings where things are a little more hectic and the side-to-side motion of the cars add challenge.
Comments (5)
GTi — 16 Feb 2023
I noticed while playing on my PAL system that I get easily a better time than when played the same circuit on NTSC emulation. So there is timing issue and currently I haven't an NTSC/PAL fix. Just fyi.
Summer — 14 Mar 2019
Everything looks the part but it's just lacking something to make it special. The racing part is just too easy, letting you bash your car far too many times before you face consequences.
eppy2000 — 28 Jul 2017
The actual racing portion game is OK and isn't anything to write home about, as others mentioned. Then again, this was made in 1983, and there's only so much you can put into a game within the system/memory limitations. That's where the game's namesake comes into play, the pitstop. It's fun to fix up as much or as little of your car as you want -- the race against the clock another factor! (Blue Max and Star Raiders also used this to good effect as time to complete a mission also determined your final ranking.) Another good idea was that your car gradually deteriorated (e.g., tires wearing out, gasoline running low), instead of exploding right from a collision. You also had to watch how you filled up the gasoline, as it didn't automatically stop once full. If you overfill, the tank empties and you have to start over.
MrFish — 28 Apr 2014
One advantage over games like Pole Position is that you could actually bump into other cars without immediately bursting into a flaming ball of pixels. Pole Position was a much more realistic, believable, and colorful game, from the racing aspect though. Pitstop was a little too overhead, with not too great a control scheme, or maneuverability. The "Pitstop" part of the game was cool though, and added some depth.
Jonny EOL — 24 Apr 2008
I can't remember another racing game having user-controllable pitstops until the very recent F1 sims. The game itself was otherwise quite ordinary - the usual 'you've got the fastest car and just have to dodge very slow cars' thing.