3D Maze Man: Amazing Adventures
Encyclopedia
3D Maze Man is a 1998 computer game.
Conceptually, it is influenced by Namco
's popular arcade classic Pac-Man
in that the main character (Maze Man) is a yellow sphere with a triangular mouth whose goal is to collect all the pellets in the current level and avoid the enemy ghosts. Like in Pac-Man, there are pellets which allow Maze Man to, for a short period of time ("Party Time"), eat the enemy ghosts, who regenerate from a specified location. Aesthetically, however, the 3D format of the game allows for a number of other features which differentiate it from Pac-Man
. It provides for the ability to jump (also seen in Pac-Mania
), enabling 3D Maze Man to avoid the ghosts when not in "Party Time". Also, the navigable platforms can span multiple altitudes, allowing for sloped or "elevator" platforms. In addition, some levels include colored keys which unlock certain correspondingly colored bricks, green spaces which prevent Maze Man from jumping, and red spaces which kill Maze Man on impact.
Three other variants of 3D Maze Man also exist, all having the same gameplay style and engine, but different maze layouts and scenery. The first is 3D Maze Man: Adventures in Winter Wonderland, which is a X-mas-themed variant, featuring the same character from the original wearing a Santa hat. The second is 3D Ms. Maze: Tropical Adventures, which features a female Maze Man, in the same style of Ms. Pac-Man
, in tropical environments. The third is 3D Frog Man, in which the player controls a frog.
In 2000, Pac-Man copyright
holder Hasbro
sued to prevent the production and distribution of the game.
changed their name to eGames
, contain bundled adware
from Conducent Affiliate Networks named TimeSink.
Conceptually, it is influenced by Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
's popular arcade classic Pac-Man
Pac-Man
is an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
in that the main character (Maze Man) is a yellow sphere with a triangular mouth whose goal is to collect all the pellets in the current level and avoid the enemy ghosts. Like in Pac-Man, there are pellets which allow Maze Man to, for a short period of time ("Party Time"), eat the enemy ghosts, who regenerate from a specified location. Aesthetically, however, the 3D format of the game allows for a number of other features which differentiate it from Pac-Man
Pac-Man
is an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
. It provides for the ability to jump (also seen in Pac-Mania
Pac-Mania
is an arcade video game in the Pac-Man series, released by Namco in 1987 and distributed by Atari Games in the United States and Europe. It is a pseudo-3D interpretation of the classic maze game genre using an isometric view and features most elements of the original Pac-Man, as well as several new...
), enabling 3D Maze Man to avoid the ghosts when not in "Party Time". Also, the navigable platforms can span multiple altitudes, allowing for sloped or "elevator" platforms. In addition, some levels include colored keys which unlock certain correspondingly colored bricks, green spaces which prevent Maze Man from jumping, and red spaces which kill Maze Man on impact.
Three other variants of 3D Maze Man also exist, all having the same gameplay style and engine, but different maze layouts and scenery. The first is 3D Maze Man: Adventures in Winter Wonderland, which is a X-mas-themed variant, featuring the same character from the original wearing a Santa hat. The second is 3D Ms. Maze: Tropical Adventures, which features a female Maze Man, in the same style of Ms. Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man is an arcade video game produced by Midway as an unauthorized sequel to Pac-Man. It was released in North America in 1981 and became one of the most popular video games of all time, leading to its adoption by Pac-Man licensor Namco as an official title...
, in tropical environments. The third is 3D Frog Man, in which the player controls a frog.
In 2000, Pac-Man copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
holder Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
sued to prevent the production and distribution of the game.
Bundled adware
Some versions of 3D Maze Man released after 1998, when RomTechRomtech
RomTech was a software company based in Langhorne, PA, in the late 1990s. They released CDROM collections of clipart, games,and small office/home office applications sold at retail stores such as Walmart and Target...
changed their name to eGames
EGames
eGames, Inc. is a software publisher and developer for casual and traditional computer games based in Langhorne, PA.-History:EG was originally called E-games when it went public in 1996...
, contain bundled adware
Adware
Adware, or advertising-supported software, is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertisements to a computer. These advertisements can be in the form of a pop-up. They may also be in the user interface of the software or on a screen presented to the user during...
from Conducent Affiliate Networks named TimeSink.