Previous Next

To say that Namco's Pac-Man was a rather successful arcade game would be like saying the Pope is a rather good priest. Yes, four years after it first appeared this is the conversion of one of Pac-Man's many spin-offs. The game is set in Pac-Man's homeland which, as you full well know, is named (justifiably if not inventively) Pacland. Anyway, for some odd reason, Paccy (as we shall now refer to him) has to go right through it, which is not too easy as some of Pacland's natives are not half as friendly as the Pac we know and love.

The game is set out into trips. There are four levels to each trip, and each time Pac completes a level he is awarded a bonus, which differs depending upon how quickly the level is completed. The game scrolls horizontally and you as Pac-man must dodge all the nasties by walking, running and jumping. The nasties look like the ghosts in the original Pac-man except they are far more advanced, they don't just chase you recklessly on foot... oh, no, these sods are clever. They run you over in cars, drop things from windows, pound after you on pogo sticks and even planes to get you. And this is only the first few trips. I dread to think what's coming at the end.

As you get further on into the game, the ghosts start to realise that they're going to have to do more than simply chase you, so this is where they begin to set traps. Yes, devious is the operative word here. Using your utmost skill, dexterity, and agility (not to mention quite a substantial amount of luck!) you have to guide Pac through such perils as row upon row of mammoth swimming pools, for we all know Pac cannot swim and will have to propel himself with enough force off the diving board of each.

There are also great chasms in the ground with only rapidly moving logs as any form of bridge; trying to dodge ghosts while on these is not easy.

So far the adventure doesn't sound an awful lot of fun from Paccy's point of view, but if you remember right back to the original game, there were these little round yellow pills he could eat that would have the sort of effect spinach has on Popeye. Well, they are back again, a little larger, but they do the job just as well. Eat one and you can munch the ghosts, and earn a bonus for around ten seconds.

Pac-man can also earn himself little bonuses such as invincibility hats, and magic flying boots around the game.

For once I have found an Argus game which is on the right side of average. In fact, it's really very good. True, it's not their own but they have done a faithful reproduction of an old but gold arcade game, reproducing the large colourful graphics and the jolly if a little frustrating tune to a tee. Yes, I really must advise you to give this one serious consideration.