Pac-Mania
Encyclopedia
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 features. Pac-Mania runs on Namco System 1
hardware.
As in Pac-Man, the objective of Pac-Mania is to score as many points as possible. The player controls Pac-Man and attempts to eat all the dots in a maze, while avoiding being caught by ghosts that roam the maze. The player can eat power pellets that cause the ghosts to turn dark blue and become vulnerable; the player can then eat these ghosts for extra points, sending them back to their pen to return to their original colour and behaviour.
pseudo-3D
format, in which Pac-Man always occupies the center of the screen and a virtual camera moves around the level to follow him. In addition, the player can press a button to cause Pac-Man to bounce, allowing him to evade most ghosts by bouncing over them. However, Pac-Man cannot as easily bounce over the green and steel gray ghosts because they bounce whenever the player presses the bounce button.
Joining Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde from the original Pac-Man is Sue (purple), a ghost who will home in on Pac-Man's direction and will follow him around, and two new ghosts (green and steel gray) that bounce whenever Pac-Man bounces. (It is hinted through the game's intermissions that the names of the new ghosts are Funky and Spunky, or "Common" and "Grey Common" in the Japanese version, though this is never made completely clear.) In later stages, larger numbers of ghosts appear in a single stage. Also, bonus objects in this game not only include traditional point-scoring fruits, but also power-up items that can have random effects, such as doubling the point values of ghosts or causing Pac-Man to move much faster than normal.
The game takes place in four environments: Block Town (made up of Lego
-like building blocks), Pac-Man's Park (an isometric version of the original Pac-Man maze), Sandbox Land (walls are made up of pyramids), and Jungly Steps (appearing as pathways with no railings, resembling a set of steps that rise toward the back of the maze). The game has a limited number of levels, after which the player is shown a brief ending and production credits, and is prompted for his/her initials if he/she has placed on the high score list. The number of levels varies by version. DIP switch
es in the game can be set to make the game endless.
was the only Nintendo version of the game available. In 2002, it was one of the games included in Pac-Man Collection
for the Game Boy Advance
. Later, in 2002, the Arcade version was re-released and included as an unlockable in Pac-Man World 2
. In addition to that being the second release on a Nintendo system, Pac-Mania in Pac-Man World 2 was actually the very first official Nintendo version of the game (the NES version was from Tengen
). In 2007, Pac-Mania was also released in Namco Museum Remix with Pac & Pal, Pac and Roll, Super Pac-Man and other non-Pac-Man games and was re-released in 2010 as part of the follow-up compilation Namco Museum Megamix, along with 17 other Namco arcade games and six remix games, five of which appeared in Namco Museum Remix. In 2010 the design of Pac-Man and the ghosts from Pac-Mania appear in Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
and the game itself is released as an app in the App Store for iOS devices. Pac-Mania was also re-released as part of the Pac-Man's Arcade Party
arcade machine in 2010 for Pac-Man's 30th anniversary.
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,...
series, released 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...
in 1987 and distributed by Atari Games
Atari Games
Atari Games Corporation was an American producer of arcade games, and originally part of Atari, Inc..-History:When, in 1984, Warner Communications sold the Atari Consumer division of Atari Inc...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It is a pseudo-3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
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 features. Pac-Mania runs on Namco System 1
Namco System 1
The Namco System 1 arcade system board was first used by Namco in April 1987 and was a major enhancement to the previous Namco System 86 arcade system board. Due to its release date, it was originally called Namco System 87 according to the Namco Museum series.Yokai Douchuuki was the first game to...
hardware.
Gameplay
Differences from Pac-Man
Pac-Mania contains several new features and significant differences from its original counterpart. The most noticeable change is the view used, cabinet projection, an obliqueOblique projection
Oblique projection is a simple type of graphical projection used for producing pictorial, two-dimensional images of three-dimensional objects.- Overview :Oblique projection is a type of parallel projection:...
pseudo-3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
format, in which Pac-Man always occupies the center of the screen and a virtual camera moves around the level to follow him. In addition, the player can press a button to cause Pac-Man to bounce, allowing him to evade most ghosts by bouncing over them. However, Pac-Man cannot as easily bounce over the green and steel gray ghosts because they bounce whenever the player presses the bounce button.
Joining Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde from the original Pac-Man is Sue (purple), a ghost who will home in on Pac-Man's direction and will follow him around, and two new ghosts (green and steel gray) that bounce whenever Pac-Man bounces. (It is hinted through the game's intermissions that the names of the new ghosts are Funky and Spunky, or "Common" and "Grey Common" in the Japanese version, though this is never made completely clear.) In later stages, larger numbers of ghosts appear in a single stage. Also, bonus objects in this game not only include traditional point-scoring fruits, but also power-up items that can have random effects, such as doubling the point values of ghosts or causing Pac-Man to move much faster than normal.
The game takes place in four environments: Block Town (made up of Lego
Lego
Lego is a line of construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures and various other parts...
-like building blocks), Pac-Man's Park (an isometric version of the original Pac-Man maze), Sandbox Land (walls are made up of pyramids), and Jungly Steps (appearing as pathways with no railings, resembling a set of steps that rise toward the back of the maze). The game has a limited number of levels, after which the player is shown a brief ending and production credits, and is prompted for his/her initials if he/she has placed on the high score list. The number of levels varies by version. DIP switch
DIP switch
DIP switches are manual electric switches that are packaged in a group in a standard dual in-line package...
es in the game can be set to make the game endless.
Production
For a total of ten years, the unlicensed Tengen version of Pac-Mania for the Nintendo Entertainment SystemNintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
was the only Nintendo version of the game available. In 2002, it was one of the games included in Pac-Man Collection
Pac-Man Collection
is a compilation of four Pac-Man games, released in 2001 and 2002 for the Game Boy Advance: Pac-Man, Pac-Mania and Pac-Man Arrangement, all ports of arcade games which follow the essence of classic Pac-Man gameplay; and Pac-Attack, a falling-block puzzle game originally released on the Sega Mega...
for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
. Later, in 2002, the Arcade version was re-released and included as an unlockable in Pac-Man World 2
Pac-Man World 2
is a video game by Namco for Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, and PC released in . Like the original Pac-Man World, the player controls the character of Pac-Man in a 3D platform game.-Story:...
. In addition to that being the second release on a Nintendo system, Pac-Mania in Pac-Man World 2 was actually the very first official Nintendo version of the game (the NES version was from Tengen
Tengen (company)
Tengen was a video game publisher and developer that was created by arcade game manufacturer Atari Games.-History:Atari had been split into two distinct companies. Atari Corporation was responsible for computer and console games and hardware and owned the rights to the Atari brand for these domains...
). In 2007, Pac-Mania was also released in Namco Museum Remix with Pac & Pal, Pac and Roll, Super Pac-Man and other non-Pac-Man games and was re-released in 2010 as part of the follow-up compilation Namco Museum Megamix, along with 17 other Namco arcade games and six remix games, five of which appeared in Namco Museum Remix. In 2010 the design of Pac-Man and the ghosts from Pac-Mania appear in Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
The game has received universal praise from critics and gaming websites, citing a big improvement over the original. IGN gave the game a perfect 10/10 and an Editor's Choice award, calling it "a master class in game design." GameSpot gave the game 9.0/10, praising the new elements which make...
and the game itself is released as an app in the App Store for iOS devices. Pac-Mania was also re-released as part of the Pac-Man's Arcade Party
Pac-Man Anniversary Arcade Machines
On special anniversaries for Pac-Man and/or Ms. Pac-Man . Namco has released compilations of their classic arcade games as arcade machines....
arcade machine in 2010 for Pac-Man's 30th anniversary.
External links
- Soundtrack of Amiga version (LHA file can be played with Deliplayer, a free music player for Windows)