Pitfall II: Lost Caverns is the sequel to Pitfall. It featured numerous changes to make it play quite differently from the original game.

For example, the screen could now scroll vertically, unlike the original, but it still would not scroll horizontally. Players had to reach the edge of the screen to move it over to next horizontal area.

Pitfall Harry had some new abilities. He could now climb up and down ropes, as well as swim in the water.

One rather unique feature in this game, which is uncommon even today (though it recently resurfaced in Lego Star Wars: The Video Game), was that Harry had unlimited lives, with the penalty for death being the loss of money/score. When Harry died, he would lose money as he floated back to the last continue point. The amount of money lost would accumulate as Harry floated back, thus meaning that he would lose greater amounts of money if the continue point was farther away.

The game also featured music, unlike the original. One interesting note was the way in which the music played. The main theme would play for a short while, before reaching a loop. Once Harry collected a treasure, the theme would restart. If Harry died, a slightly downbeat version of the theme would play as he floated back to the continue point. Collecting another treasure would make the "happy" version of the song start up again.

The game was divided into two very large levels. In the first, Harry's goal was to rescue his pet cat, Quickclaw, and son, Harry Jr. In the second, he had to rescue his daughter, Rhonda.