Pastfinder

The goal of the Pastfinder is to collect historical artifacts and deliver them to bases scattered around the planet. Two major obstacles stand in the way of this mission. The first is the planet's automated defense system, consisting of multiple hovering barriers, rising and falling columns, opening and closing doors, fixed obstacles, and drones. Some of these can be destroyed, others simply bypassed or jumped over.

The other obstacle is the land itself, large areas of which are intensely radioactive. The player is equipped with a radiation meter and alarm, as well as anti-radiation devices.

The year is 8878, and the player is a member of an elite legion of planetary explorers known as The Pastfinders. His job is to collect artifacts from a mysterious, irradiated planet and deliver them to bases distributed across the lifeless area. Searing radiation and a deadly, mechanized landscape defense are the player's obstacles: the only remnants of an extinct civilization.

David Lubar began work on Pastfinder with a simple top view. Then one of his colleagues suggested that he try a more 45-degree back view. At first, it was a view of just the main character, but then Lubar began adding obstacles in the background. Using a unique Atari 8-bit hardware feature, he was able to make the 3D collisions very accurate.

The program checked to see if the player was in collision with an object and if his shadow collided with the shadow of that object. Lubnar wanted the game to be titled "Shadow Walker" but Activision did not agree.

Pastfinder received fairly positive reviews. 64 in its inaugural issue praised the graphics and presentation, but also criticized the game's sound, giving it an 85% overall. The reviewer praised the game's lastability: "[...] it has plenty in store and it takes quite a while to appreciate its more subtle touches."

Commodore Computing International found the game "a good traditional style arcade skirmish with some great graphical effects." Bill Kunkel reviewed the game for Electronic Games and warned: "Once the novelty of the perspective, a sort of vertically-scrolling Zaxxon, and a leaping fighter craft wear off, it's just another mindless shootout."