View source for Software:Pac-Mania

{{Short description|1987 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Pac-Mania
|image = Pac-Mania cover.jpg
|caption = Japanese promotional sales flyer
|developer = {{collapsible list
 | title = {{nobold|[[Company:Namco|Namco]]}}
 | {{ubl|[[Company:Krisalis Software|Krisalis Software]] (Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Acorn Arcimedes, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MSX and ZX Spectrum)|SPS (X68000)|[[Company:Tengen|Tengen]] (Master System)|Sculptured Software (Genesis)|[[Company:Westwood Studios|Westwood Studios]] (NES)}}
 }}
|publisher = {{collapsible list
 | title = {{nobold|Namco}}
 | '''Arcade'''{{ubl|[[Company:Namco|Namco]] (Japan)|[[Company:Atari Games|Atari Games]] (North America)}}'''Ports'''{{ubl|Grandslam Entertainments (Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MSX and ZX Spectrum)|[[Company:Sharp Corporation|Sharp Corporation]] (X68000)|[[Company:Tengen|Tengen]] (Genesis and NES)|TecMagik (Master System)|Domark (Acorn Arcimedes)}}
 }}
|director = Toru Iwatani
|artist = Akira Usukura
|programmer = Taro Shimizu
|composer = Junko Ozawa (Arcade)<br>Ben Daglish (Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Acorn Arcimedes, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MSX and ZX Spectrum)<br>Paul Webb (Genesis)<br> Paul S. Mudra (NES)
|platforms = {{collapsible list
 | title = [[Software:Arcade game|Arcade]]
 | [[Software:Arcade video game|Arcade]], [[Engineering:Acorn Archimedes|Archimedes]], [[Engineering:Amiga|Amiga]], Amstrad CPC, [[Engineering:Atari ST|Atari ST]], [[Engineering:Commodore 64|Commodore 64]], [[Software:MSX2|MSX2]], [[Engineering:Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Engineering:Master System|Master System]], [[Engineering:Sega Genesis|Genesis]], [[Engineering:X68000|X68000]], [[Engineering:ZX Spectrum|ZX Spectrum]], [[Engineering:Zeebo|Zeebo]], Game Boy Advance, [[Software:Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Software:IOS|iOS]]
 }}
|released = {{collapsible list
 | title = {{nobold|September 11, 1987}}
 | '''Arcade'''{{vgrelease|JP|September 11, 1987<ref name="Copyright">{{cite web |title=Pacmania. (Registration Number PA0001261093) |url=https://cocatalog.loc.gov |website=United States Copyright Office |access-date=June 17, 2021 |archive-date=May 31, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531152425/https://cocatalog.loc.gov/ |url-status=live }}</ref>|WW|December 1987<ref name="Atari"/><ref name="CU52"/>}}'''Amiga and Atari ST'''{{vgrelease|EU|October 1988}}'''Commodore 64'''{{vgrelease|EU|Late 1988}}'''Amstrad CPC, MSX and ZX Spectrum'''{{vgrelease|EU|December 1988}}'''X68000'''{{vgrelease|JP|Early 1989}}'''MSX2'''{{vgrelease|JP|Mid-June 1989}}'''NES'''{{vgrelease|NA|Late 1990}}'''Acorn Archimedes'''{{vgrelease|EU|1991}}'''Genesis and Master System'''{{vgrelease|NA|1991}}
 }}
|genre = Maze
|modes = Single-player, multiplayer
|arcade system = Namco System 1
|series  = ''Pac-Man''
}}

{{nihongo foot|'''''Pac-Mania'''''|パックマニア|Pakku-Mania|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a [[Oblique projection#Cavalier projection|cavalier perspective]] maze game that was developed and released by [[Company:Namco|Namco]] for [[Software:Arcade game|arcades]] in 1987. In the game, the player controls Pac-Man as he must eat all of the dots while avoiding the colored ghosts that chase him in the maze. Eating large flashing "Power Pellets" will allow Pac-Man to eat the ghosts for bonus points, which lasts for a short period of time. A new feature to this game allows Pac-Man to jump over the ghosts to evade capture. It is the ninth title in the ''Pac-Man'' video game series and was the last one developed for arcades up until the release of ''[[Software:Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2|Pac-Man Arrangement]]'' in 1996. Development was directed by ''Pac-Man'' creator Toru Iwatani. It was licensed to [[Company:Atari Games|Atari Games]] for release in North America.

''Pac-Mania'' gained a highly-positive critical reception for its uniqueness and gameplay. It was nominated for "Best Coin-Op Conversion of the Year" at the Golden Joystick Awards in 1987, although it lost to [[Company:Taito|Taito]]'s ''[[Software:Operation Wolf|Operation Wolf]]''. ''Pac-Mania'' was ported to several home consoles and computers, including the [[Engineering:Atari ST|Atari ST]], [[Software:MSX2|MSX2]], [[Engineering:Sega Genesis|Sega Genesis]] and [[Engineering:Nintendo Entertainment System|Nintendo Entertainment System]], the last of which being published by [[Company:Tengen|Tengen]]. Several ''Pac-Man'' and Namco video game collections also included the game. Ports for the Wii Virtual Console, [[Software:IOS|iOS]] and mobile phones were also produced.

==Gameplay==
[[File:Pac-Mania.png|thumb|left|Arcade version screenshot of the Pac-Man's Park maze design.]]

''Pac-Mania'' is a maze game viewed from an [[Oblique projection|oblique]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UZglGi-MDZIC&pg=PT96|title=Game Design Essentials|last=Mitchell|first=Briar Lee|publisher=[[Company:Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]]|date=2012|access-date=2022-06-24|page=82|isbn=978-1-118-23933-9}}</ref> perspective and with a gameplay similar to [[Software:Pac-Man#Gameplay|the franchise's original installment]].<ref name=Hardcore-Gaming-101>{{cite web|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/pac-mania/|title=Pac-Mania|author=Bobinator|work=Hardcore Gaming 101|date=2019-08-16|access-date=2022-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220624171055/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/pac-mania/|archive-date=2022-06-24|url-status=live}}</ref> The player controls Pac-Man, a yellow circular creature that must eat all of the pellets in each stage while avoiding five colored ghosts - Blinky (red), Pinky (pink), Inky (cyan), Clyde (orange) and Sue (purple). Eating large Power Pellets will cause the ghosts to turn [[Blue|blue]] and flee, allowing Pac-Man to eat them for bonus points and send them to the house in the middle of the stage. Clearing the stage of dots and pellets will allow Pac-Man to move to the next. Mazes scroll both horizontally and vertically, and the left and right edges of some layouts wrap around to each other. Touching a non-vulnerable ghost costs the player one life. 

New to this game is the ability to jump over the ghosts, allowing Pac-Man to evade capture. Later rounds of the game introduce two new ghosts, Funky (green) and Spunky (grey), who also have the ability to jump. While Pac-Man can still barely jump over Funky, it is impossible to jump over Spunky.<ref name=Hardcore-Gaming-101/> Eating a certain number of pellets will cause a bonus item to appear in the middle of the stage, which can be eaten for points. Some of these bonus items are called Special Items, which are items from later levels, or are Red and Green Power Pellets. Red Power Pellets double the point values of blue ghosts (this bonus is lost if Pac-Man loses a life), and Green Power Pellets temporarily increase Pac-Man's speed. If the player takes too long to clear a stage, Pac-Man's jumping power begins to decrease steadily until it is entirely lost.

Four different mazes are available: Block Town, Pac-Man's Park, Sandbox Land, and Jungly Steps. Upon completing a set number of rounds in each maze, the player progresses to the next; after playing through all four, the cycle restarts. At the beginning of the game, the player can choose to start in any of the first three mazes and will earn a score bonus for choosing either Pac-Man's Park or Sandbox Land and completing the first round in it.

The game ends when the player has either lost all lives or (depending on the machine setting) cycled through all four mazes a set number of times.

==Ports==
''Pac-Mania'' arrived on all of the major 8- and 16-bit systems in Europe in 1988, which were [[Engineering:Amiga|Amiga]] and [[Engineering:Atari ST|Atari ST]] in October, [[Engineering:Commodore 64|Commodore 64]] later that year, and Amstrad CPC, [[Engineering:MSX|MSX]] and [[Engineering:ZX Spectrum|ZX Spectrum]] in December. The conversions were designed and ported by Teque Software, then composed of the duo Peter Harrap and Shaun Hollingworth, and the games were published by ''Grandslam Entertainment''.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=From the Archives: Krisalis|last=Reed|first=Michael|magazine=Retro Gamer|date=2011-10-13|issue=95|page=76}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/thegamesmachine-13/page/n64|title=Action Pac-ed|magazine=The Games Machine|date=December 1988|access-date=2022-06-24|issue=13|page=65}}</ref> The same company developed an [[Engineering:Acorn Archimedes|Acorn Archimedes]] port,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Pac-Man|magazine=Retro Gamer|date=March 2018|issue=179}}</ref> which was published by Domark in 1991. [[Company:Sharp Corporation|Sharp Corporation]] developed and released the game for its [[Engineering:X68000|X68000]] in early 1989.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/micomBASIC_1989-04/page/n253|title=Challenge!X68000|language=ja|last=Kawano|first=Toshi|magazine=micomBASIC|date=|access-date=2022-06-24|issue=4|page=290}}</ref> Namco also released an [[Software:MSX2|MSX2]] port of the game in mid-June that year.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/ng-namco-community-magazine-monthly-issue-29-june-1989-600dpi/NG%20Namco%20Community%20Magazine%20%28Monthly%20Issue%2029%29%20-%20June%201989%20%20%28Searchable%29/page/n32|title=ますます充実『パックマニア』|language=ja|trans-title=More and more fulfilling – ''Pac-Mania''|magazine=Namco Community Magazine NG|date=June 1989|access-date=2022-06-24|issue=29|page=33}}</ref>

''Pac-Mania'' was later ported to the [[Engineering:Nintendo Entertainment System|Nintendo Entertainment System]] in late 1990 and the [[Engineering:Master System|Master System]]{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} and [[Engineering:Sega Genesis|Sega Genesis]] in 1991 by [[Company:Tengen|Tengen]]. All three were released in North America, with the Master System port published by TecMagik.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_17/page/n34|title=Next Wave: Pacmania|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|date=December 1990|access-date=2022-06-24|issue=17|page=34}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W-VVEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA138|title=The Sega Mega Drive & Genesis Encyclopedia: Every Game Released for Sega's 16-bit Console|last=Scullion|first=Chris|publisher=White Owl|date=2021|access-date=2022-06-24|page=138|isbn=978-1-52674-659-7}}</ref> The Genesis port was outsourced to Sculptured Software.

{{Clear}}

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| ARC = true
| AMI = true
| C64 = true
| SMS = true
| SMD = true
| AST = true
| ZX = true
| ACE_AMI = 775<ref name="ACE16">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ACE/Issue16/Pages/ACE1600111.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |magazine=ACE |issue=16 |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=2013-10-21 |archive-date=2022-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219131725/https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/magazines// |url-status=live }}</ref>
| ACE_AST = 727<ref name="ACE16"/>
| AmComputing_AMI = 85%<ref>Amiga Computing review, February 1989, http://amr.abime.net/review_48284 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930000822/http://amr.abime.net/review_48284 |date=2012-09-30 }}</ref>
| CRASH_ZX = 82%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=Crash/Issue59/Pages/Crash5900010.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=2013-10-21 |archive-date=2022-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219131727/https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/magazines// |url-status=live }}</ref>
| CVG_AST = 83%<ref name="CVG85">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=C+VG/Issue085/Pages/CVG08500059.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |magazine=Computer and Video Games |issue=85 |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=2013-10-21 |archive-date=2022-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219131726/https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/magazines// |url-status=live }}</ref>
| CVG_ZX = 87%<ref name="CVG85"/>
| SUser_ZX = 79%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=SinclairUser/Issue081/Pages/SinclairUser08100072.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=2013-10-21 |archive-date=2022-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219131727/https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/magazines// |url-status=live }}</ref>
| TGM_AMI = 92%<ref name="TGM14">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=TheGamesMachine/Issue14/Pages/TheGamesMachine1400036.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |magazine=The Games Machine |issue=14 |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=2013-10-21 |archive-date=2022-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219131727/https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/magazines// |url-status=live }}</ref>
| TGM_AST = 89%<ref name="TGM14"/>
| TGM_C64 = 87%<ref name="TGM14"/>
| TGM_ZX = 86%<ref name="TGM14"/>
| YSinclair_ZX = 8/10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/pacmania.htm |title=Pacmania |publisher=Ysrnry.co.uk |access-date=2013-10-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022214543/www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/pacmania.htm |archive-date=2013-10-22}}</ref>
| Zero_SMS = 90%<ref>Zero magazine issue 20, June 1991, http://amr.abime.net/review_11655 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930000731/http://amr.abime.net/review_11655 |date=2012-09-30 }}</ref>
| Z64_AMI = 93%<ref>Zzap!64 magazine, Issue 45, January 1989, http://amr.abime.net/review_15965 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930000751/http://amr.abime.net/review_15965 |date=2012-09-30 }}</ref>
| rev1 = ''Commodore User''
| rev1_ARC = 9/10<ref name="CU52">{{cite magazine |title=Arcades |magazine=Commodore User |date=December 1987 |issue=52 (January 1988) |publisher=EMAP |location=United Kingdom |url=https://www.solvalou.com/arcade/reviews/263/253 |access-date=2021-07-29 |archive-date=2021-07-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729165312/https://www.solvalou.com/arcade/reviews/263/253 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| rev2 = ''Console XS''
| rev2_SMS = 88%<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Software A-Z: Master System |magazine=Console XS |date=23 April 1992 |issue=1 (June/July 1992) |publisher=Paragon Publishing |location=United Kingdom |pages=137–47 |url=https://archive.org/details/console-xs-01/page/137}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''Entertainment Weekly''
| rev3_SMD = B−<ref name="EW"/>
| rev4 = ''MegaTech''
| rev4_SMD = 70%<ref>MegaTech rating, ''MegaTech'', EMAP, issue 6, page 77, June 1992</ref>
| rev5 = ''ST/Amiga Format''
| rev5_AMI = 80%<ref>ST/Amiga Format, December 1988 http://amr.abime.net/review_34663 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930000817/http://amr.abime.net/review_34663 |date=2012-09-30 }}</ref>
| rev6 = ''The One''
}}

In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Pac-Mania'' on their December 15, 1987 issue as being the fifth most-successful table arcade unit of the month.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)|magazine=Game Machine|issue=322|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=15 December 1987|page=25|lang=ja}}</ref> In North America, Atari sold 1,412 arcade cabinets in 1987, earning about $2.82 million (${{Inflation|US|2.82|1987|r=1}} million adjusted for inflation) in cabinet sales.<ref name="Atari">{{cite web|title=Production Numbers|url=http://www.atarigames.com/atarinumbers90s.pdf|publisher=[[Company:Atari Games|Atari Games]]|date=August 31, 1999|access-date=April 19, 2021|archive-date=June 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170612044948/http://www.atarigames.com/atarinumbers90s.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

''Entertainment Weekly'' gave the Genesis version a B− in 1991.<ref name="EW">{{Cite magazine|last=Strauss|first=Bob|date=November 1, 1991|title=Pac-Mania|url=https://ew.com/article/1991/11/01/pac-mania/|access-date=2020-08-29|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421174626/www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20243736,00.html|archive-date=2009-04-21}}</ref>

Polish magazine ''Top Secret'' gave the NES version 5 out of 5 checks, commending the music, graphics, the comical cut scenes, and, of course, the ability to jump.<ref>https://archive.org/details/TopSecret20/page/n31/mode/2up</ref>

The game was runner-up in the category of Best Coin-Op Conversion of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards, behind ''[[Software:Operation Wolf|Operation Wolf]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=C+VG/Issue092/Pages/CVG09200062.jpg |title=Archive - Magazine viewer |publisher=World of Spectrum |access-date=2013-10-21 |archive-date=2012-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120803160506/http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=C+VG%2FIssue092%2FPages%2FCVG09200062.jpg |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Legacy==
The arcade version of Pac-Mania appeared in ''Namco Museum Volume 5'', the 2001 ''Namco Museum'' release, ''Namco Museum: 50th Anniversary'' and ''Namco Museum Virtual Arcade''. In 2001, it was one of the games included in ''[[Software:Pac-Man Collection|Pac-Man Collection]]'' for the Game Boy Advance. Later, in 2002, the arcade version was re-released and included as an unlockable bonus in ''[[Software:Pac-Man World 2|Pac-Man World 2]]''. In 2007, ''Pac-Mania'' was also released in ''Namco Museum Remix'' with ''Pac & Pal'', ''[[Software:Pac 'n Roll|Pac 'n Roll]]'', ''[[Software:Super Pac-Man|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 ''[[Software:Pac-Man Championship Edition DX|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. In February 2014 it was included in the ''[[Software:Pac-Man Museum|Pac-Man Museum]]'' on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC via Steam. In 2018, it was included in the ''Pac-Man's Pixel Bash'' arcade cabinet, along with other Pac-Man, and different Namco games. The game is included in the 2022 compilation title ''[[Software:Pac-Man Museum +|Pac-Man Museum +]]'', released for PC via Steam, [[Engineering:PlayStation 4|PlayStation 4]], [[Engineering:Xbox One|Xbox One]] and [[Engineering:Nintendo Switch|Nintendo Switch]]. On December 8, 2022, ''Pac-Mania'' was also included as part of the ''[[Software:Arcade Archives|Arcade Archives]]'' by [[Company:Hamster Corporation|Hamster Corporation]].

The music from Pac-Man's Park was later used in ''Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures'' as the "power up" theme for "Pac" (the show's version of Pac-Man). The same theme, along with Block Town's music, was remixed and used in ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U'' and later ''[[Software:Super Smash Bros. Ultimate|Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''.

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

{{Clear}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{KLOV game|id=8961}}
*[http://www.arcade-history.com/?page=detail&id=1917 ''Pac-Mania''] at the Arcade History database
*{{WoS game|id=0003583}}

{{Pac-Man}}

[[Category:Arcade video games]]
[[Category:IOS games]]
[[Category:Virtual Console games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]

{{Sourceattribution|Pac-Mania}}