The Classic Videogames Blog
Tron by Kimberly Keyes Stark
Tron is known as the first videogame that's based on a movie. Nowadays it's pretty common to see videogames tie-ins that are released several weeks ahead of the actual movie. But when Tron was first released back in 1982, it was a revolutionary idea to have an official videogame tie-in that was released as a way of promoting the movie.
Of all the movies released in 1982 that could've been turned into a videogame, Tron was a very appropriate choice. The film deals with a programmer who is sucked digitally into a computer and he must fight his way back to the other side. The special effects and 3-D computer graphics still hold up today. Even the name of the giant corporation that the programmer worked for, ENCOM, sounds similar to Enron, the giant corporation whose 2001 bankruptcy filing was the largest in U.S. history and led to charges of corruption and fraud. (In that sense, one could say that Tron the movie even predicted the future.)
As a movie Tron was a departure for Disney, which had spent the last several years coasting along by re-releasing old animated classics like Pinnocchio and releasing forgettable kiddie comedies like The Apple Dumpling Gang. Tron was a futuristic science fiction movi e that dealt with a computer age that was still in its infancy back in 1982.
At the time it seemed like a good idea to have Bally Midway produce a videogame tie-in. The theory was that Tron the videogame would hit the arcades first, which would then insp ire people to go see Tron the movie, which would then inspire people to go back to the arcades to play Tron the videogame, and so on.
The reality turned out to be far different. Tron the movie was a major box office flop for Disney. Tron the videogame wa s such a major arcade success for Bally Midway that it inspired the company to release a sequel called Discs of Tron (which was originally slated to be another level for the original Tron videogame but was left off at the last minute due to time and me mor y constraints so that unusued level was turned into a separate game).
I never saw Tron the movie when it was first released mainly because I was a full-time undergraduate student at the University of Maryland at the time and I rarely had time to go t o th e movies. (This was also back in the days when cable and VCR's were just starting to make inroads into American households and they were too pricey for a broke college student like myself.) But I do remember playing Tron the videogame in the local ar cades. It didn't really matter that I didn't watch the movie, the game was enjoyable on its own, which is a testament to the talents of the game's programmers and designers.
What made Tron unique was that it had four games in one, with each game being based o n a sequence from the film. You could play any of the four games in any sequence you wanted, which was pretty cool. Each game had its own music (which was directly taken from the movie soundtrack).
In Light Cycles the player controls a Light Cycle that leaves a blue trail. The joystick controls the direction of travel and the trigger controls the speed of the bike. The object is force the enemy Light Cycles (yellow) to run into each other or the trails while avoiding crashing.
In Grid Bugs you had to destroy the Grid Bugs and escape into the I/O Tower before the timer runs out. The stick controls the movement of your character and the whirlygig controls the direction of fire.
In Tanks you had to destroy all enemy tankers or Recognizers to clear the level. The stick controls the movement of your tank and the whirlygig controls the direction of fire.
MCP Cone is a Breakout-like game where you had to destroy the blocks and move your character into the cone to clear the level.
Once you mastered a ll four games the game starts again with the same four games but the gameplay is harder. When you first start playing Tron, you were playing a level marked "RPG" instead of the usual Player 1. When you master all four games, you advance to the "Pascal" level. The more you play and survive the game, you get to advance to other levels (with names like "Basic" and "Assembler") until you reach the ultimate level--known as "User."
In all the time that I played Tron, I was never able to advance past the "RPG" level. The four games were very tricky to master and there were times when I barely passed a game. Yet I still found it very addictive.
When I was visiting Ocean City, Maryland this past summer, I was fortunate enough to come across a vintage Tron machi ne at Mar ty's Playland (located on the Boardwalk). I relived my happy college memories as I kept on playing the game's challenging levels while listening to the music (which came from the movie's soundtrack).
As for the Discs of Tron sequel, I never knew it existed until I read about it in a book a year ago. None of the arcades in my area even got that game for whatever reason.
I didn't see the Tron movie until a few years ago and I found it quite enjoyable. I think the reason why the movie flopped was that it was a film that was ahead of its time. Had that movie been released in the 1990's (with the advent of the home computer and the Internet), it probably would've achieved Star Wars-like success. Tron has since achieved cult movie status, which isn't bad.
Sadly Tron the videogame has disappeared from most arcades. Even though Midway has re-released many of its classic arcade games for the home console systems, Tron has yet to appear on any of them. Disney has recently released Tron 2.0 for the PC. Even though Tron 2.0 has a Light Cycles game, that game is not the original arcade game. The plot of Tron 2.0 picks up 20 years after the events in the original Tron movie.
In recent years Sega released a game called Rez for the Playstation 2. It's a shooter game that's a cross between Tron and a music rhythm game. In Rez you have to repair a large computer network system called Eden that has suffered a complete breakdown. The only way that you can reach the center of Eden is by turning yourself into a digital figure (a la Tron) and uploading yourself into the computer. The real fun begins when Eden's defense system thinks that you are a computer virus and it goes out to destroy you so you have to defend yourself by shooting the various weapons that are sent out after you. The music pulses based on your shooting skills. Rez is also just as colorful as Tron the movie and it's full of graphic effects.
Right now playing either Tron 2.0 or Rez is about as close as you'll ever get to reliving the origina l Tron arcade game in the privacy of your own home.
DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here have endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.
NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about Tron, please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mailing address before sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.
VIDEOGAMES FOR SALE
Tron 2.0 for Windows--This game is not the original arcade game. The game's plot picks up ab out 20 years after the events in the Tron movie where Jet Bradley, the son of Tron creator Alan Bradley, gets sucked into a computer and you have to get him out.
Rez for Playstation 2--This shooter game has a similar plot to Tron where you are digitized into a computer. In this game you have to repair a large computer network system called Eden that has suffered a c omplete breakdown. The catch is that E den was built to keep out intruders at all costs so you have to fight off the computer's defenses while repair the system at the same time. What's cool is that the music is created and mixed based on your shooting skills. It's a unique combination of a sh ooting and music game. The graphics are also very stunning and colorful.
RELATED PURCHASES
Tron (20th Anniversary Collection) on VHS and DVD. This is the movie that inspired the videogame. The plot involves Kevin Flynn, a programmer who attempts to hack into his former employer's system (in order to obtain evidence that the company had stolen his ideas for a videogame that the company released) only to come up against the powerful Master Control Program, who retaliates by using an attached laser system to digitize the programmer and suck him into the system. From then on it's a fight for survival against the Master Control Program as Flynn hooks up with three helpful digital programs named Tron, Ram, and Yori. The special effects are awesome and they still hold up today. Overall it's a pretty interest ing film. The DVD version has an extra disc that's full of goodies, including a deleted scene of a romantic scene between Tron and his lady love Yori that's pretty erotic without displaying any kind of nudity.
TRON LINKS
Armagetron: A Tron Clone in 3-D--Don't let the first page scare you off this site. It was put up there to raise awareness of a potential change in the European Union's patent laws tha t could affect the distribution of freewa re games in the future. Scroll down to the bottom of the page in order to download a freeware Tron game called Armagetron (which is available in Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux versions). The game itself is patterned after the lightcycles sequence in the ori ginal Tron movie.
The GLtron Homepage--You can download a free game (available in Windows, Unix and Mac versions) that's patternd after the lightcycles sequence in the original Tron movie.
The Internet Movie Database's Information on Tron the Movie
The Internet Movie Database's Information on Tron 2.0 Videogame
The Killer List of Videogames' Tron Exhibit
Tron--It's the offici al site of the Tron movie.
Tron 2.0--It's the official site of the Tron 2.0 game.
Tron--Download a shareware Tron game for your Palm OS.
Tron Arcade Game--A fan site that's devoted to the Tron arcade game. It includes game hints as well as music and F/X samples from the game.
Tron: The SciFlicks Guide--Provides information as well as a discussion board about Tron.
Tron Sector--It's a fan site that's devoted to Tron. It includes a forum area, fan art, the latest Tron-related news, and much more..
Mario Bros. by Kimberly Keyes Stark
In some ways, one could argue that Mario is the Anakin Skywalker of the videogame world. In Donkey Kong he was a hero trying to rescue his lady love from Donkey Kong's clutches. In Donkey Kong Junior he became a villain who tries to do everything possible to hurt a sad-faced baby ape who only wants his papa back and prevent a father-son reunion from ever happening. In Mario Bros., the first game that Mario appeared in without Donkey Kong, he becomes a hero once again.
This game not only marks Mario's first outing without any apes but it also marks the debut appearance of Mario's look-a-like brother, Luigi.
Some people may question the title of this game. After all, whenever someone refers to the Smothers Brothers or the Smith Brothers, you generally assume that the brothers' last names are all Smothers or Smith. If you were to assume that the Mario Bros.' last name is Mario, then you'd have to wonder what kind of twisted parent would name a son Mario Mario.
This game is also one of the first ones where the player had a choice of which characters he/she wants to play. That's significant because in many earlier videogames the player had no choice of characters. If a person wanted to switch from playing as Pac-Man to Ms. Pac-Man, that person had to switch machines.
However, there were limits to this choice of characters. If you wanted to play as Mario, you had to choose to be Player 1. If you wanted to play as Luigi, you had to choose to be Player 2. And if you happened to be playing by yourself, you were required to be Player 1, which meant that you were stuck with being Mario and you could never choose Luigi.
The game takes place in the sewers, which are teeming with all sorts of creatures. Mario and Luigi had to rid the sewers of these critters. In the case of turtles (known as Shellcreepers in the game), you had to hit the floor beneath them to stun them, then go up to the platform and kick them to the water below. With Sidesteppers (crabs), you had to hit the floor twice before kicking them below. With the flying Fighterflies, you have to wait until they land on a platform before hitting the floor.
Once you stun the creatures, you have to hurry up and kick them to the water before they revive. Once they revive, they become more powerful and even harder to catch. And if they happen to catch you, then you lose a life.
Sometimes you could be a nasty player against your friend if your friend happens to stun a critter and you decide to kick that critter before your friend can reach it.
If all that wasn't enough, from time to time a fireball will appear to try to destroy you so you have to watch out for that one. Later in the game the Slipice will come out and freeze the platforms, making the traction very poor.
From time to time some coins will also fall through the sewer. You can collect the coins for extra points.
Mario Bros. is quite an addicting game that includes fanciful-looking creatures. Mario Bros. is one of those games that haven't aged one bit. It is just as challenging today as it was back in the 1980's.
Mario Bros. became such a monster hit for Nintendo that it has made numerous adventure and educational games starring Mario (sometimes alone and sometimes with Luigi). In fact, judging from the numerous Mario home gaming titles that are out there, it seems like Mario is the one classic videogame character who has appeared in more games than any other character. (If you don't believe me, then check out all the Mario games that are for sale below this entry.)
There was even a feature-length live action movie called "The Super Mario Bros." but that film was a box office flop. To date, that one is the only dark spot on Mario's success and it hasn't made any impact on videogame sales.
What's more, Mario would later become the corporate mascot for Nintendo. Which isn't so bad for someone who once had to be in a game that takes place in the sewers.
DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here have endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.
NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about Mario Bros., please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mailing address before sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.
MARIO BROS. GAMES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
GAME BOY ADVANCE E-READER
Mario Bros.--This is the original classic arcade game that started the entire Mario franchise that continues to this day. Mario makes his first appearance without Donkey Kong or Donkey Kong Junior. His brother, Luigi, makes his debut here.
e-Reader Mario Party--It's an adaptation of the popular Mario Party videogame series.
GAME BOY ADVANCE
Game & Watch Gallery 4--It's a port of a series of 1980's handheld games that Nintendo made. It includes the Game & Watch version of Mario Cement Factory.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga--It's an adventure game starring the Mario Bros.
Mario Golf--It's a golf game starring Mario and a whole host of other Nintendo characters.
Mario Kart Super Circuit--It's a racing game starring Mario and other Nintendo characters.
Super Mario Advance--This game is a combination of Super Mario Bros. 2 with the original Mario Bros. arcade game.
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3--It's an adventure game featuring Mario.
Super Mario World--It's a port of the classic SNES adventure game featuring Mario and Luigi. This game also includes the classic Mario Bros. arcade game.
Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3--It's an adventure game that also includes the classic Mario Bros. arcade game.
GAME BOY COLOR
Mario Golf--It's a golf game starring Mario and a whole host of other Nintendo characters.
Mario Tennis--It's a tennis game starring Mario and a whole host of other Nintendo characters.
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe--It's a port of the original Nintendo Entertainment System game featuring Mario and Luigi.
GAME BOY
Dr. Mario--It's a Tetris-style puzzle game.
Mario's Picross--It's a puzzle game.
Super Mario Land--An action adventure game starring Mario.
Super Mario Land 2--It's a sequel to Super Mario Land.
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3--It's another sequel to Super Mario Land that features Mario's nemesis, Wario.
GAME CUBE
Luigi's Mansion--Luigi makes a solo outing in this adventure game as he inherits a haunted house.
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour--It's a golf game starring Mario and a whole host of other Nintendo characters.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!--It's a racing game starring Mario and other popular Nintendo characters.
Mario Party 4--It's a party game starring Mario and other popular Nintendo characters as they compete in a series of mini-games.
Mario Party 5--It's a party game starring Mario and other popular Nintendo characters as they compete in a series of mini-games.
Super Mario Sunshine--It's a 3-D aventure game starring Mario.
Super Mario Sunshine Game Cube Bundle Pak--You can get this game and a Game Cube together for one low price.
Super Smash Bros. Melee--It's a fighting game starring Mario and many other popular Nintendo characters.
NINTENDO 64
Dr. Mario--It's a Tetris-style puzzle game.
Mario Golf--It's a golf game starring Mario and a whole host of other Nintendo characters.
Mario Kart 64--It's a racing game starring Mario and other Nintendo characters.
Mario Party--This is the title that started the entire popular Mario Party series. You can play as Mario or any other popular Nintendo character in a series of mini-games.
Mario Party 2--It's a party game starring Mario and other popular Nintendo characters as they compete in a series of mini-games.
Mario Party 3--It's a party game starring Mario and other popular Nintendo characters as they compete in a series of mini-games.
Mario Tennis--It's a tennis game starring Mario and a whole host of other Nintendo characters.
Paper Mario--It's a sequel to the Super Nintendo role-playing game Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.
Super Mario 64--It's a 3-D adventure game starring Mario.
Super Smash Bros.--It's a fighting game starring Mario and many other popular Nintendo characters.
SUPER NINTENDO
Mario is Missing!--Mario stars in this educational game that's supposed to teach geography.
Mario Paint--It's a combination game/paint program featuring Mario.
Mario's Early Years: Fun With Letters--It's an educational game.
Mario's Early Years: Fun With Numbers--It's an educational game.
Mario's Time Machine--Mario stars in this educational game that's supposed to teach history.
Super Mario All-Stars--It's a collection of Super Mario Bros. 1-3.
Super Mario Kart--It's a racing game starring Mario and other Nintendo characters.
>Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars--Mario appears in his first role playing game.
Super Mario World--It's a 3-D adventure game starring Mario.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island--It's a sequel to Super Mario World.
Super NES/Mario 5/1
Tetris & Dr. Mario--It's two puzzle games in one.
NINTENDO NES
Dr. Mario--It's a Tetris-style puzzle game.
Mario's Time Machine--Mario stars in this educational game that's supposed to teach history.
Mario is Missing--Mario stars in this educational game that's supposed to teach geography.
Super Mario--It's an adventure game starring Mario.
Super Mario 2--It's a sequel to Super Mario
Super Mario 3--It's another sequel to Super Mario.
RELATED PURCHASE
The Super Mario Bros. on VHS and DVD--This is a feature film adaptation of the popular videogame series that was a major box office flop. I haven't seen the movie myself but I've read mixed reviews about it. It does have a strange cast, which includes British actor Bob Hoskins as Mario, Hispanic actor John Leguizamo as Mario's brother Luigi, and Dennis Hopper as a diabolical lizard king. If you're a Mario fanatic, this one may be worth checking out.
MARIO BROS. LINKS
ClassicGaming.com's The Mushroom Kingdom--Includes the latest Mario news, a list of new Mario titles that will be released in the future, a fan fiction section, a list of every single Mario game ever released, the history of Mario, downloads of Mario-related images and sounds, a list of Mario commercials, and much more.
The Donkey Kong Megasite--It's an ultimate fan site that's devoted to Donkey Kong. It also includes some information on Mario.
The Killer List of Videogames' Mario Bros. Exhibit
Nintendo--The official site of the company that's responsible for Mario Bros. as well as other classic games like Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Junior.
Phosphor-Dot Fossils: Mario Bros.--A brief history of Mario Bros.
Super Mario Brothers Headquarters--It's a fan site that's devoted to Mario and Luigi. This site sponsors an online Role Playing Chat every Sunday. This site also includes fan fiction, a complete reference on Mario, personal memories of Mario, and a place where you can submit new game ideas (despite the fact that this site is completely independent from Nintendo).
The Super Mario Monster Compendium--This site is devoted to the monsters who appear in Mario games. It also includes--of all things--an interesting rant on the lack of gender equality in gaming, including the lack of a decent female character who doesn't have gigantic breasts (like Lara Croft) or who is always a damsel in distress who needs to be rescued (like Princess Peach).<
Donkey Kong 3 by Kimberly Keyes Stark
Until a year ago or so I never knew that Nintendo released another Donkey Kong sequel after Donkey Kong Junior. Even though I was still in college when Donkey K ong 3 first came out, none of the arcades in my hometown or my college town had that game. It wasn't until I read a book on classic arcade games that I learned that there was a Donkey Kong 3. I finally played that game for the first time a few weeks ago when I got Donkey Kong 3 for the Game Boy Advance e-Reader.
Donkey Kong 3 is a departure from the other two Donkey Kong games. As you'll recall, Donkey Kong was a villain in the first game only to switch to being a victim who needed to be rescue in Donke y Kong Junior. In Donkey Kong 3, the big ape goes back to being a villain who is out to invade someone's flower garden and steal some flowers for himself. (As to why he needed those flowers, the game never made clear. Maybe he decided to try a different m ethod of wooing Pauline, the woman he kidnapped in the first Donkey Kong game or maybe he simply has a secret fetish for flowers.)
Mario, Donkey Kong's enemy in the first two games, has been replaced by a gardner named Stanley who is armed with bug spray ready to chase off Donkey Kong and the many insects that are also trying to invade his garden.
The biggest departure is in the gameplay itself. In the first two Donkey Kong games, you basically climbed and jumped around the screen. This time Donkey Kong 3 is a shooter game (that seems to be inspired by Galaga) where you actually shoot at bugs and DK himself.
The object of the game is this: Donkey Kong is invading your garden and, as Stanley, you have to use your bug spray to get the big ape to move to the top of the screen. In the meantime, Donkey Kong has whacked on a couple of beehives, which unleashes a bunch of insects. These insects are not only a distraction from the task that you must do, but they also try to kidnap your flowers for Donkey Kong. Sometimes the bugs will catch you and you will die. If the bugs successful steal all five flowers from the bottom of the screen, you will also lose a life. Once you move Donkey Kong to the top of the screen, you get to move on to the next level where you get to shoot bugs.
I found the gameplay to be pretty fun and addicting at times. I think Nintendo deserves some credit for trying a new direction with the big ape instead of just putting out clones of the first two games. I guess gameplayers found the c hanges in Donkey Kong 3 to be too jarring to play it as much as the first two games since Donkey Kong 3 was a big flop.
Donkey Kong 3 was the last Donkey Kong sequel to be released in the arcades. From that point on, Nintendo would feature Donkey Kong in a series of adventure games for both portable gaming devices and consoles.
Donkey Kong 3 was the last appearance of Stanley the gardner. Like Pauline and Donkey Kong Junior, Stanley hasn't been heard from since his arcade debut. I wrote a brief fan fict ion story below that describes my theory of what happened to those characters.
Pauline was alienated by Mario's bumbling attempts to rescue her. She was finally rescued after Mario managed to locate a dart gun filled with a tranquilizer and shoot the ape. Mario then put Donkey Kong in a cage as the giant ape slept. Pauline was so traumatized by what she went through that she needed someone to provide emotional comfort and support. However she was unable to get that from Mario because he was too focused o n keeping Donkey Kong Junior from rescuing his papa. So Pauline broke up with Mario and began to attend meetings of a weekly support group of people who are monkey-phobic.
Several weeks later Stanley began to attend that same meeting where he met Pauline. The pair began dating when they realized that they had other things in common besides their run-in with Donkey Kong. They soon got over their monkey-phobia, fell in love, and got married. Shortly after their wedding they found poor lonely Donkey Kong Ju nior, who was abandoned by his ungrateful papa shortly after freeing his father from Mario's clutches, wandering homeless in the streets. Pauline and Stanley felt so sorry for Junior that they decided to adopt him as their pet. The three of them setted up an unconventional yet loving household and lived happily ever after.
DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here have endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.
NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about Donkey Kong 3, please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mai ling address before sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.
DONKEY KONG 3 GAME AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
GAME BOY ADVANCE E-READER
Donkey Kong 3--This is the second Donkey Kong sequel that hit the arcades but it was a flop. For under $10, you can now judge for yourself as to whether this game really deserved that fate or not.
GAME BOY ADVANCE
Game & Watch Gallery 4--It's a port of a series of handheld games that Nintendo made in the 1980's. It includes th e Game & Watch version of Donkey Kong 3.
DONKEY KONG 3 LINKS
Donkey Kong 3--It's a review that is also a special requiem for Stanley, Donkey Kong's nemesis, who has made his sole videogame appearance in Donkey Kong 3.
Donkey Kong Database--This site is devoted to the Donkey Kon g cartoon series.
Donkey Kong's Jungle Vine--It's an ultimate fan site that's devoted to Donkey Kong. It includes the latest news on Donkey Kong's latest videogame appearances along with essays on Donkey Kong. There is even an Artwork section where fans can submit their original art featuring the giant ape.
The Donkey Kong Megasite--It's another ultimate fan site that's devoted to Donkey Kong. It includes information on all the Donkey Kong games as well as his appearances in other videogames, information on the Donkey Kong cartoon series, all kind of downloads, and much more.
Donkey Kong World--It's another ultimate fan site that's devoted to Donkey Kong. This site focuses more on the many Donkey Kong console games that have been released over the past several years.
The Internet Movie Database's Information on Donkey Kong--Includes information on both videogames and the TV cartoon series.
The Killer List of Videogames' Donkey Kong 3 Exhibit
Nintendo--The official site of the company that's responsible for Donkey Kong 3 as well as other classic games like Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Junior, and M ario Bros.
Phosphor-Dot Fossils: Donkey Kong 3--A brief history of Donkey Kong 3.<<
Donkey Kong Junior by Kimberly Keyes Stark
Most fiction writers are generally leery about suddenly turning a beloved character into a villain. That's because such a plot twist can potentially cause a backlash among the general public. Such a controversy among fans happened in the early 1980's when the writers of The X-Men comic book decided to have one of the heroes, Phoenix, become so overwhelmed by her powers that it twisted her mind. Phoenix actually caused a sun in another solar system to go super-nova and kill all the inhabitants of a nearby planet.
In the case of Donkey Kong Junior, such a plot twist created another memorable classic videogame.
The story goes as this: sometime after the events in the Donkey Kong videogame, Mario managed to capture Donkey Kong, who--as you'll recall--was responsible for kidnapping Mario's sweetheart, Pauline. Normally, that would make Mario a hero in a book, play, movie, or videogame.
But there is a complication. Donkey Kong has a baby son named Donkey Kong Junior (or Junior for short). Since Junior's mother is nowhere to be found in this game, Donkey Kong's capture has put poor little Junior in a horrible bind--unless he can somehow free his papa from captivity, he is doomed to spend the rest of his childhood as an orphan.
In Donkey Kong Junior, Mario is now the villain. Donkey Kong has taken Pauline's place as the victim who needs to be rescued from Mario's clutches. As the gamer, you are expected to take on the role of a sad-faced baby monkey who wears a white jumpsuit with a red letter "J."
Like Donkey Kong, the sequel has four unique levels as Junior climbs around vines, jumps on platforms, and avoids deadly electrodes as he tries to grab a key (or keys) to free his papa. In the meantime, Mario tries to do everything possible to prevent a father/son reunion from taking place by unleashing birds that drop eggs and try to bite Junior and red Snapjaws, creatures whose mouths resemble steel traps, who are also out to bite Junior.
Junior usually has a frown on his mouth. When Junior is clutching on to two vines at once, his mouth opens as he appears to be nervous and have this uncertain look on his face. If Junior falls down or gets bitten by a bird or Snapjaw, he exhibits deaththroes that are very memorable. His mouth opens very wide, his eyes grow large, and his arms and legs wiggle up and down as he makes a funny-sounding death sound. If he happens to be on a vine when this happens, then it's followed by a drop to the bottom of the screen and accompanied by a drop sound.
Every time Junior reaches the top of the screen, it looks like he will acheive his goal of reaching his imprisoned papa only to have Mario snatch Donkey Kong's cage and move it to the next level. By the fourth level, Junior is briefly reunited with his papa when Donkey Kong (along with Mario) falls from his cage after his son frees him. Junior catches his father (which is pretty funny to see since Donkey Kong is so much bigger than his tiny son) while somehow avoiding being crushed by his father's girth. Junior gives a big smile showing how happy he is at seeing his father again. Then father and son punch out Mario to get back at him for what he did.
At that point, the game starts at the first screen again but the action gets much harder.
When I first played Donkey Kong Junior in the early 1980's, I became just as hooked on that game as I did on the original Donkey Kong. I took the switch of Mario from hero to villain in stride since he really didn't have much of a personality in those days.
It was very easy to emphasize with poor Junior's plight. He is a very cute baby monkey with an expressive face and there were times when I felt bad whenever poor Junior met his doom. However, seeing Junior die such a horrible yet funny death did not deter me from playing this game. (In fact, it made me want to put in more quarters so I could see Junior reach his father.)
Like its predecessor, Donkey Kong Junior hasn't aged very much. The gameplay is just as compelling today as it was back in the early 1980's.
Sadly, Donkey Kong Junior marks the first and only major appearance of Donkey Kong's baby son. Junior did show up in the Game Boy Color version of Donkey Kong but that was a cameo appearance. Some of the later Donkey Kong console and portable games include a character named Diddy Kong who looks a little older than Junior but is still younger than Donkey Kong. After looking around on the Internet, I learned that Diddy Kong is NOT Donkey Kong Junior that has been aged a few years. Diddy Kong is a completely different character from Donkey Kong Junior.
Donkey Kong Junior also marked the last time that Mario and Donkey Kong would face off against each other in a videogame. After Donkey Kong Junior, Nintendo decided to put Mario and Donkey Kong in separate games. That separation has continued on the various home games to this very day. There are only two circumstances that Donkey Kong and Mario are in the same game together--in the Mario Party series and in various sporting games (such as Mario Kart, Mario Tennis, and Mario Golf). Even then they seem to be more like friendly rivals than as enemies who are out to hurt each other.
Personally, I think it would be kind of cool to have a new game where Mario and Donkey Kong are enemies once again. However, I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for a re-match to happen. Instead, I'll just play the Game Boy Advance e-Reader versions of Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Junior and relive those heady days when Mario and Donkey Kong really hated each other.
DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here have endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.
NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about Donkey Kong Junior, please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mailing address before sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.
DONKEY KONG JUNIOR GAMES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
GAME BOY ADVANCE E-READER
e-Reader With Donkey Kong Junior--You can get the original Donkey Kong Junior arcade game bundled together with an e-Reader for your Game Boy Advance.
e-Reader Donkey Kong Junior Bundle Card Set--You get the original Donkey Kong Junior arcade game bundle d together with other e-Reader games like Excitebike, Tennis, and Balloon Fight.
GAME BOY COLOR
Donkey Kong--It's a slightly updated version of the original Donkey Kong arcade game. (Also includes a cameo appearance by Donkey Kong Junior.)
DONKEY KONG JUNIOR LINKS
Donkey Kong Junior--A brief history of Donkey Kong Junior. Also includes an animated gif at the bottom of a Donkey Kong Junior screen in action.
Donkey Kong Junior...Father and Son Reunited--A short story about one person who had purchased, refurbished, and repaired a vintage Donkey Kong Junior machine that now sits next to a Donkey Kong machine at home.
The Donkey Kong Megasite--It's an ultimate fan site that's devoted to Donkey Kong. It also includes information on Donkey Kong Junior.
The Internet Movie Database's Information on Don key Kong Junior--Includes information on both videogames and the TV cartoon series.
The Killer List of Video Games' Donkey Kong Junior Exhibit
Nintendo--The official site of the company that's responsible for Donkey Kong Junior as well as other classic games like Donkey Kong and Mario Bros.
Phosphor-Dot Fossils: Donkey Kong Junior--A brief history of Donkey Kong Junior.<
Donkey Kong by Kimberly Keyes Stark
As a child I used to love watching the original 1933 movie classic King Kong on television. It was pretty exciting seeing a giant ape battle dinosaurs and giant spiders while carrying away a screaming Fay Wray. It all culimated in that famous climax where King Kong climbs up to the top of the Empire State Building while carrying Fay Wray (while she was screaming all this time) and having to fend off airp lanes who were shooting and bombing the giant ape.
Imagine my surprise when I walked into a video arcade one day in the early 1980's and discovered Donkey Kong, a videogame whose plot is a direct rip-off of King Kong. The object of the game is this: Donkey Kong has kidnapped a woman named Pauline. As her boyfriend, Mario, you must rescue Pauline from Donkey Kong's clutches.
However, that is easier said than done. In the first screen, Mario must go up a series of ramps while Donkey Kong throws barrels in an attempt to stop him. Mario has to be careful of which ladder to use while climbing since some of them are broken. Mario can jump over a barrel for extra points. At some spots, there is a hammer. If Mario jumps up to that hammer, he can use it temporar ily to smash a few barrels. Sometimes a barrel will choose to go down a ladder instead of sticking to rolling straight down the level and if Mario happens to be on a ladder when it happens, he'll lose a life.
Once Mario successfully reaches to the top where Pauline is held, a heart appears over the couple. However, the reunion is short-lived because Donkey Kong will grab Pauline and climb another ladder until he is out of sight.
This is where Donkey Kong stood out from other arcade games of the period. Most arcade games tended to repeat the same screen layout and only made the action harder. In the case of Donkey Kong, the screen layout changes for the next three levels. At the second stage, Pauline is held at the top of this girder structure while Donkey Kong is guarding her directly underneath. Mario must remove the rivets holding the girder structure together while avoiding fireballs that seem to move autonomously.
At the thrid stage, Mario must move around a series of elevators while avoiding both fireballs and the jackhammers that Donkey Kong throws. At the fourth stage, Mario is stuck in a pie factory as he moves around on conveyor belts.
After the fourth stage, the game goes back to the first screen but the action gets much harder. Needless to say, I found this game totally addicting. It was cool to relive the plot of a classic movie in a videogame (even though Donkey Kong was not an official King Kong spin-off).
Like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong's success in the video arcades also led to a Saturday morning cartoon series. I've never seen an episode of it because I still had bad memories of the one time that I watched an episode of the Pac-Man series and found it to be completely stupid. That experience led taught me to stay away from any television cartoon adaptation of any other videogame.
Donkey Kong was not only the first successful game for Nintendo but it also introduced two characters who would later go on to become two of Nintendo's most famous characters--Mario and Donkey Kong.
The origins of the name Donkey Kong has become disputed in recent years. While it's obvious that the "Kong" part of the name is a reference to the King Kong movie, it's not clear why the word "Donkey" is used since there are no donkeys in this game. One story holds that the game was originally supposed to be called "Monkey Kong" but due to a barely legible fax transmission, the screenprinters created thousands of pieces of artwork that read "Donkey Kong" instead. Since the manufacturers were in a rush to get the game released, they opted to change the game's title rather than wait for the artwork to be reprinted.
Another story says that the word "Donkey" in Donkey Kong is a play on the Japanese word for "stupid".
A third story holds that "donkey" was used because the powers-that-be at Nintendo had been consulting a Japanese-English dictionary that stated that "donkey" meant "stubborn, wily, and goofy."
One fact that is not disputed is that Donkey Kong was created by a programmer at Nintendo named Shigeru Miyamoto, who would later become a revered figure in the videogame industry based on his creation of not only Donkey Kong but Donkey Kong Junior, Mario Bros. (which jump-started the Mario franchise that is still churning out new Mario-themed games to this day), and The Legend of Zelda.
Donkey Kong was the first big hit for Nintendo and it led to two sequels and a spin-off. Donkey Kong and Mario would appear again in Donkey Kong Junior. After that game, Donkey Kong and Mario pretty much went their own separate ways. Donkey Kong 3 was released with Mario being replaced by a new hero named Stanley. Mario was paired with his brother Luigi in the spin-off Mario Bros.
Since then, Donkey Kong and Mario have appeared on separate home video titles. They only appear in the same game in a party game (such as the Mario Party series) or in a sports title (such as Mario Golf and Mario Tennis). But their days of being sparring partners are basically over.
That's why I still get a kick out of playing Donkey Kong, where I can relive the first appearance of two popular videogame characters as they square off against each other. Donkey Kong is still just as addicting today as it was back when it was first released in 1981.
Unforunately, Pauline has pretty much disappeared since her first and only appearance in Donkey Kong. While Mario and Donkey Kong have evolved from being crude 2-D pixel figures to full 3-D shaded creatures, Pauline is forever stuck as a crude 2-D pixel figure. One can only imagine what Pauline would look like had she undergone a full 3-D shaded makeover.
DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here have endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.
NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about Donkey Kong, please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mailing address before sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.
DONKEY KONG GAMES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
GAME BOY ADVANCE E-READER
Donkey Kong--This is the original classic arcade hit that started the entire Donkey Kong/Mario Bros. empire (a.k.a. Nintendo).
e-Reader Mario Party--Donkey Kong appears among the e-Reader cards in this game.
GAME BOY ADVANCE
Donkey Kong Country--This is a port of the original 3-D SNES adventure game starring Donkey Kong.
Game & Watch Gallery 4--It's a port of a series of handheld games that Nintendo made in the 1980's. It includes the Game & Watch version of Donkey Kong 3.
Mario Golf--Donkey Kong is among the golfers that you can select.
Mario Kart Super Circuit--Donkey Kong is among the drivers that you can select in this racing game.
GAME BOY COLOR
Donkey Kong--It's a slightly updated version of the original arcade game. (Also includes a cameo appearance by Donkey Kong Junior.)
Donkey Kong Country--This is a port of the original 3-D SNES adventure game starring Donkey Kong.
Mario Golf--Donkey Kong is among the golfers that you can select.
Mario Tennis--Donkey Kong is among the tennis players that you can select.
GAME BOY
Donkey Kong Land--It's an adventure game starring Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong Land 2--It's a sequel to Donkey Kong Land.
Donkey Kong Land 3--It's another sequel to Donkey Kong Land.
GAME CUBE
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour--Donkey Kong is one of the golfers that you can select.
[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B 00009WAUD/theunicornwithan/]Mario Kart Double Dash[/link]--Donkey Kong is among the drivers that you can select in this racing game.
Mario Party 4--Donkey Kong is one of the characters that you can select in this party game.
Mario Party 5--Donkey Kong is one of the characters that you can select in this party game.
Super Smash Bros. Melee--Donkey Kong is one of the characters that you can select in this fighting game.
SUPER NINTENDO
Donkey Kong Country--This is a 3-D action adventure game starring the big ape.
[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00002SVG2/theunico rnwithan/]Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest[/link]--It's a sequel to Donkey Kong Country.
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble--It's another sequel to Donkey Kong Country.
Super Mario Kart--Donkey Kong is among the drivers that you can select in this racing game.
NINTENDO 64
Donkey Kong 64--It's a 3-D action adventure game starring the big ape.
[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000K1AF/theu nicornwithan/]Mario Golf[/link]--Donkey Kong is one of the golfers that you can select.
Mario Kart 64--Donkey Kong is among the drivers that you can select in this racing game.
Mario Party--This is the title that started the entire popular Mario Party series. Donkey Kong is one of the characters that you can select in this party game.
Mario Party 2--Donkey Kong is one of the characters that you can select in this party game.
[link=ht tp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005AW1W/theunicornwithan/]Mario Party 3[/link]--Donkey Kong is one of the characters that you can select in this party game.
[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004U1QY/theu nicornwithan/]Mario Tennis[/link]--Donkey Kong is one of the tennis players that you can select.
Super Smash Bros.--Donkey Kong is one of the characters that you can select in this fighting game.
RELATED PURCHASES
Buckner and Garcia's "Pac-Man Fever" CD--Includes "Do the Donkey Kong" as well as the "Pac-Man Fever" title track, "Froggy's Lament," "Ode to a Centipede," "Hyperspace," "The Defender," "Mousetrap," and "Goin' Bezerk."
King Kong on VHS and DVD--This is the classic 1933 movie that inspired the videogame. Fay Wray screams and screams as King Kong carries her off and falls in love with her. The first hour kind of drags but once King Kong enters into the picture, it's a total thriller as King Kong fights off giant dinosaurs, spiders, and pteradactyls. It contains the famous finale when King Kong carries his lady love to the top of the Empire State Building as airplanes swoop around him. Even though this movie was made back in 1933, the special effects still hold up pretty well. Avoid the mediocre 1976 remake--the only real reason to watch that version is to see King Kong climb up to the top of the now-demolished World Trade Center. Then, again, if you really want to see the World Trade Center in a movie, you'd be better off watching any other movie that was shot on location in New York City prior to September 11, 2001.
DONKEY KONG LINKS
ClassicGaming.com's Game of the Week--It's a story devoted to Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong--A brief history of Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong Database--This site is devoted to the Donkey Kong cartoon series.
Donkey Kong's Jungle Vine--It's an ultimate fan site that's devoted to Donkey Kong. It includes the latest news on Donkey Kong's latest videogame appearances along with essays on Donkey Kong. There is even an Artwork section where fans can submit their original art featuring the giant ape.
The Donkey Kong Megasite--It's another ultimate fan site that's devoted to Donkey Kong. It includes information on all the Donkey Kong games as well as his appearances in other videogames, information on the Donkey Kong cartoon series, all kind of downloads, and much more.
Donkey Kong World--It's another ultimate fan site that's devoted to Donkey Kong. This site focuses more on the many Donkey Kong console games that have been released over the past several years.
The Donkey Kong Tribute Page--It's a short story on how this one person has managed to obtain and refurbish a vintage Donkey Kong machine. It also provides advice to others who wish to do the same.
The Internet Movie Database's Information on Donkey Kong--Includes information on both videogames and the TV cartoon series.
The Killer List of Video Games' Donkey Kong Exhibit
Matthew Barney Versus Donkey Kong--This story compares the Donkey Kong videogame to director Matthew Barney's film Crewmaster 3.
Nintendo--The official site of the company that's responsible for Donkey Kong as well as other classic games like Donkey Kong Junior and Mario Bros.
Phosphor-Dot Fossils: Donkey Kong--A brief history of Donkey Kong..
Pac-Man Arrangement by Kimberly Keyes Stark
Sometimes when I buy an anthology of the original arcade classics to play at home, I'll come across a game I know I've never encountered before in an arcade but I end up liking that game so much that I wished that I had first encountered it in an arcade. Pac-Man Arrangement is one such game.
Pac-Man Arrangement is a more recent Pac-Man sequel that was originally released in the arcades on a machine called Namco Classic Collection Volume 2, which also included other games like the original Pac-Man, Dig-Dug, Rally X, and much more. However, this arcade machine had a limited release and Pac-Man Arrangement was never released as a separate ma chine. In fact, it wouldn't surface again until Namco released it on various home gaming titles.
Pac-Man Arrangement is the last of the Pac-Man sequels that I think is worth writing about in this blog. There were others but they were ones that I either never encountered at all and, based what I have read on other sites, hope to never encounter (such as Pac & Pal and Pac Land) or I actually played it a few times and found it totally unmemorable (such as Pac-Man Plus and Super Pac-Man).
The ghosts look l ike they are new and some of the nicknames are recycled but on to different color ghosts while they are all given new real names. (For example, in all the other games the red ghost is Blinky. In Pac-Man Arrangement, Blinky is an orange ghost.) The red gho st's real name is Urchin but his nickname is Clyde. The pink ghost's real name is Romp and his nickname is Pinky. The light blue ghost's real name is Stylist and his nickname is Inky. The orange ghost's real name is Crybaby and his nickname is Blinky. The yellow ghost's real name is only noted as "????" and his nickname is Kinky.
The rules are similar to the other Pac-Man games. Like Pac-Mania, Pac-Man Arrangement has 3-D graphics. One big difference is that some of the mazes seem to imply depth, which gives the effect of Pac-Man and the ghosts going up and down a hill or a step. Another difference is that you can see the whole maze at once in Pac-Man Arrangement while in Pac-Mania you could only see a small portion of the maze at a time (due to the fac t that the maze was larger than the screen).
In Pac-Mania, Pac-Man could jump over ghosts. Unfortunately Pac-Man loses that ability in Pac-Man Arrangement but there are some other tricks that compensate for that. On some mazes, if Pac-Man hits an arrow g oing in the same direction as the arrow is pointing at, he can go down a lane really quick. If there are pellets, then he can eat them extremely fast. If there are ghosts in his path, he can knock them unconscious for a couple of seconds until they quickl y recover. One cool trick is to eat an energy dot, then go quickly down one of those arrows and quickly eat any edible ghosts in his path.
Other mazes have a jump spot and if Pac-Man hits a jump spot, he can jump from one end of the maze to the other. Th e only thing to watch out for is a ghost who happens to arrive at the area where Pac-Man lands. In addition, the ghosts can also use that jump spot and quickly overtake Pac-Man on the other side of the maze.
Pac-Man can eat some power-up treats for speci al effects. One such example is the ability to create a mirror Pac-Man who can go to the other side of the maze and scarf up the pellets. This mirror Pac-Man is also immune to ghosts.
Sometimes a dark blue edible ghost will emerge from the ghosts' home a nd he has the same effect as an energy dot. If Pac-Man eats that ghost, all the other ghosts on the screen will turn edible.
The techno soundtrack sounds like something you would hear at a rave. (I guess it's Namco's way of showing that Pac-Man is one hi p guy.) The soundtrack is pretty catchy and there are times when I want to extend the game at the "Continue?" screen just so I can continue to hear the music. The soundtrack would make a pretty neat CD to listen (and dance) to.
The only thing that's miss ing from Pac-Man Arrangement are the brief animated interludes that tell some kind of short story featuring Pac-Man and the ghosts.
As of this writing, Pac-Man Arrangement was the last Pac-Man sequel that was released in the arcades. Perhaps it's just as well because it can get pretty hard coming up with new and challenging Pac-Man games that are just as entertaining as the original 1980 arcade hit.
DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here ha ve endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.
NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about Pac-Man Arrangement, please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-A LL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mailing address before sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.
PAC-MAN ARRANGEMENT AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
GAME BOY ADVANCE
Pac-Man Collection--Includes Pac-Man and three of his sequels: Pac-Attack, Pac-Mania, and Pac-Man Arrangement.
GAME CUBE
[link=http://www.amazon.com/exe c/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006IKCD/theunicornwithan/]Namco Museum[/link]--Includes Pac-Man Arrangement, Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig-Dug, and Pole Position.
PLAYSTATION 2
[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detai l/-/videogames/B00005RCQY/theunicornwithan/]Namco Museum[/link]--Includes Pac-Man Arrangement, Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig-Dug, and Pole Position.
X-BOX
Namco Museum--Includes Pac-Man Arrangement, Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig-Dug, and Pole Position.
PAC-MAN ARRANGEMEN T LINKS
The Internet Movie Database's Information on Pac-Man--Includes information on both videogames and the 1980's Pac-Man television cartoon series.
The Killer List of Video Games' Namco Classics Collection Volume 2--which includes Pac-Man Arrangement along with other Namco games.
Namco--The official site of the company that's responsible for Pac-Man Arrangement as well as a bunch of o ther classic games (such as Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, and Dig-Dug).
Pac-Man...This is Your Life--It's a very thorough history of Pac-Man and his many sequels (including Pac-Man Arrangement).
The Virtual Pac-Man Museum--It's an online museum full of Pac-Man artifacts..
Pac-Mania by Kimberly Keyes Stark
Ever since the explosive success of Pac-Man, there have been numerous sequels. First, the game's American distributor, Bally Midway, kept on releasing Pac-M an sequels without the permission of Namco (the Japanese company that originally created Pac-Man). Some of the unauthorized sequels were very good (Ms. Pac-Man and Jr. Pac-Man) while most of the others were unmemorable bombs (such as Pac-Man Plus, Professor Pac-Man, and Baby Pac-Man). Namco eventually became so fed up with Bally Midway creating unauthorized games that it eventually terminated its licensing agreement with Bally Midway.
Namco made sequels of its own. The first one it came out with, Super P ac-Man, I didn't even remember playing until I saw the screen shots on the Internet and I discovered that, yes, I did play that game and there was a reason why I didn't remember ever playing Super Pac-Man (mainly because it was a mediocre game). The subsequent Namco sequels--Pac & Pal and Pac Land--I know I never played because none of the arcades in my area ever got those games. Based on what I have read about them, it seems like I didn't miss much.
Namco finally got it right with its fourth sequel, Pac-Mania (which was distributed in the U.S. by Atari after Namco terminated its licensing agreement with Bally Midway), which is a really cool game. Pac-Man makes his 3-D debut in this game and, visually, it is a gorgeous game that's complete with a modern soundtrack that plays constantly in the background while you're playing the game.
Like Jr. Pac-Man, the layout of Pac-Mania's mazes is bigger than the screen so you frequently see a close-up of only a small portion of the maze at a time. As Pac-Man moves, the screen pans around the maze. Otherwise, the rules are about the same as in the original Pac-Man.
One innovation Pac-Mania has is that Pac-Man is capable of jumping, which comes in real handy when faced with a ghost. All Pac-Man has to do is just jump over that ghost. The only complication is that sometimes you'll jump over one ghost only to inadvertantly jump right into another one, thus causing you to lose a life.
While Pac-Mania has added a grey ghost and a green ghost to the lineup (which includes a light blue, red, orange, and pink ghost) but it didn't divulge the names of any of them.
Pac-Mania had its own animated intermissions, which is dubbed in the game as "The Pac-Man Theatre." Basically it's a series of slapstick animations featuring Pac-Man and the ghosts.
Even though Pac-Mania was released in 1988, I didn't encounter this game until a few months ago in the same laundromat that also held Jr. Pac-Man. When I went back to that laundromat a few weeks later, I found that Pac-Mania was gone. I became so totally hooked on Pac-Mania that I bought the Pac-Man Collection for the Game Boy Advance because it has Pac-Mania on it. Fortunately Pac-Mania is widely available on a variety of console games because it's a pretty fun 3-D variation on Pac-Man that's worth playing.
DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here have endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.
NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about Pac-Mania, please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mailing address before sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.
PAC-MANIA GAMES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
GAME BOY ADVANCE
[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/d etail/-/B00005LOW5/theunicornwithan/]Pac-Man Collection[/link]--Includes Pac-Man and three of his sequels: Pac-Attack, Pac-Mania, and Pac-Man Arrangement.
GAME CUBE
Namco Museum--Pac-Mania is included as a hidden game to be unlocked. Also includes Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man Arrangement, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig-Dug, and Pole Position.
Pac-Man World 2--It's an adventure game featuring the yellow guy. If you collect enough tokens, you can unlock five classic arcade games--Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Attack, and Pac-Mania--as well as a series of 3-D mazes.
GENESIS
Pac-Mania
PLAYSTATION 1
Namco Museum Volume 5--Includes Pac-Mania along with Dragon Spirit, Metro-Cross, Baraduke, and Legend of Valkyrie.
PLAYSTATION 2
Namco Museum--Pac-Mania is included as a hidden game to be unlocked. Also includes Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man Arrangement, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig-Dug, and Pole Position.
Pac-Man World 2--It's an adventure game featuring the yellow guy. If you collect enough tokens, you can unlock five classic arcade games--Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Attack, and Pac-Mania--as well as a series of 3-D mazes.
X-BOX
[link=http://w ww.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006IKCE/theunicornwithan/]Namco Museum[/link]--Pac-Mania is included as a hidden game to be unlocked. Also includes Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man Arrangement, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig-Dug, and Pole Position.
Pac-Man World 2--It's an adventure game featuring the yellow guy. If you collect enough tokens, you can unlock five classic arcade games--Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Attack, and Pac-Mania--as well as a series of 3-D mazes.
PAC-MANIA LINKS
ClassicGaming.com's Pac-Page--This is the ultimate homage to Pac-Man and his many sequels, including Pac-Mania. It not only provides an extensive history of the Pac-Man series but it also includes Pac-Clone of the Month, Pac-Site of the Month, sounds that you can download, information about the Pac-Man cartoon series, and much more.
The Internet Movie Database's Information on Pac-Mania
The Killer List of Video Games' Pac-Mania Exhibit
Namco--The official site of the company that's responsible for Pac-Mania as well as a bunch of other classic games (such as Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, and Dig-Dug).
Pac-Man...This is Your Life--It's a very thorough history of Pac-Man a nd his many sequels (including Pac-Mania).
The Virtual Pac-Man Museum--It's an online museum full of Pac-Man artifacts.
Jr. Pac-Man by Kimberly Keyes Stark
Like Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man, I also first encountered Jr. Pac-Man in an arcade back in the 1980's. However, unlike those two, Jr. Pac-Man didn't stay in the local arcades for a long time. I did remember playing Jr. Pac-Man and felt humbled by its very challenging gameplay.
My memories of Jr. Pac-Man were re-ignited a couple of months ago when I found it by chance at a local laundromat of all places. I was just as addicted to its challenging gameplay as I was back in the 1980's, when I literally could not pass the first maze, no matter how many quarters I put into that thing.
I've always felt that playing Jr. Pac-Man was just as fun and challenging as Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man but, for some reason, never caught on with the game-playing public. My theory is that most players (especially the children and pre-teens who were previously enamoured with the other two games) gave up in frustration because the gameplay was much harder in Jr. Pac-Man than in Pac-Man or Ms. Pac-Man.
Well, anyway, as you can guess, Jr. Pac-Man is the son of Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man. He goes around the mazes wearing a blue and red striped beanie with a red propeller on top. He has inherited his parents' unlimited appetite as he goes around scarfing up all kind of goodies around the mazes.
The mazes Jr. Pac-Man were just as twisty and tricky as the ones in Ms. Pac-Man. The big difference is that the layout of the mazes in Jr. Pac-Man were larger than the screen size. As a result, you could only see a portion of the screen at a time, which made it far more challenging. As Jr. Pac-Man moved to one side, the game would do a slow pan over to the previously unseen side.
The extra stuff that Jr. Pac-Man could eat for bonus points were also different. Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man basically ate fruit. But Jr. Pac-Man ate toys (which included a tricycle, a drum, and a kite) which bounced throughout the maze.
Blinky, Pinky, and Inky made a return. The orange ghost slot (which was previously held by Clyde in Pac-Man and Sue in Ms. Pac-Man) was held by a newcomer named Tim.
In Jr. Pac-Man I was rarely able to clear enough mazes to see the animated interludes. Thanks to sites like the Pac-Page and Pac-Man...This is Your Life, I was able to find out what I've missed.
The animated intermissions told a tale of a Romeo & Juliet-style story about how Junior met and fell in love with a young red ghost named Yum-Yum. For obvious reasons, Junior's and Yum-Yum's families were against this budding romance. Unlike Shakespeare's tragic story, Junior and Yum-Yum didn't commit suicide together but, instead, by the final animation, they've decided to run together away from their families and live, presumably, happily ever after.
Like Ms. Pac-Man, Jr. Pac-Man was a sequel that was created and released by Bally Midway withou t Namco's permission, which irked Namco executives. Despite Jr. Pac-Man's lack of success, Bally Midway continued to create and release other unauthorized Pac-Man sequels without Namco's permission. Most of those sequels were even less popular than Jr. Pac-Man. (Anyone remember Pac-Man Plus, Baby Pac-Man, or Professor Pac-Man?) Namco became so fed-up with these unauthorized sequels that it terminated its licensing agreement with Bally Midway as soon as it could legally do so.
Jr. Pac-Man was ported over to the Atari 8 bit, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, and the Commodore 64 in the 1980's but no other home console port of the original arcade game have been created since then. (Jr. Pac-Man has appeared in the Pac-Man All Stars game as Pac-Man Junior and people can play as him but that one is not a port of the arcade original.) It's a shame in a way because I think Jr. Pac-Man could've easily fit in with any compilation of classic arcade games. Jr. Pac-Man could fit in real well as a home game because people wouldn't have to worry about spending quarters trying to figure out the complicated mazes.
DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here have endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.
NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about Jr. Pac-Man, please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mailing address before sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.
JR. PAC-MAN GAMES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
WINDOWS
Pac-Man All Stars--Play as Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Professor Pac-Man, or Pac-Man Junior in a series of 3D mazes.
Pac-Man All Stars (Jewel Case)--Play as Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Professor Pac-Man, or Pac-Man Junior in a series of 3D mazes.
JR. PAC-MAN LINKS
ClassicGaming.com's Pac-Page--This is the ultimate homage to Pac-Man and his many sequels, including Jr. Pac-Man. It not only provides an extensive history of the Pac-Man series but it also includes Pac-Clone of the Month, Pac-Site of the Month, sounds that you can download, information about the Pac-Man cartoon series, and much more.
The Internet Movie Database's Information on Pac-Man and Jr. Pac-Man--Includes informatio n on both videogames and the 1980's Pac-Man television cartoon series.
The Killer List of Video Games' Jr. Pac-Man Exhibit
[link=http://www.tomheroes.com/Video%20 Games%20FS/Retrotimes/Best%20Of/Many%20Faces/jr_pacman.htm]The Many Faces of...Jr. Pac-Man[/link]--An interesting story about Jr. Pac-Man.
Namco--The official site of the company that's responsible for Jr. Pac-Man as well as a bunch of other classic games (such as Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, and Dig-Dug).
Pac-Man...This is Your Life--It's a very thorough history of Pac-Man and his many sequels (including Jr. Pac-Man).
Phosphor-Dot Fossils: Jr. Pac-Man--Provides a history of Jr. Pac-Man.
The Virtual Pac-Man Museum--It's an online museum full of Pac-Man and Jr. Pac-Man artifacts.<
Ms. Pac-Man by Kimberly Keyes Stark
Released in 1981, Ms. Pac-Man was not only the first sequel to Pac-Man but the game's popularity would go on to surpass the original's.
As I was searching the Internet looking for some background information on Ms. Pac-Man's origins, I've made one discovery: Namco, the creator of Pac-Man, had nothing to do with Ms. Pac-Man's creation.
A few enterprising programmers at a company called General Computer C orporation (GCC) decided to do a hack of Pac-Man. They added a few enhancements to the game (such as making the maze harder) and named the result Crazy Otto. GCC showed Crazy Otto to Bally Midway, Pac-Man's American distributor, which was so impressed with the new and improved game that it bought the rights to the game.
Shortly afterwards Bally Midway did its own redesign of Crazy Otto. Someone had the idea of changing Pac-Man/Crazy Otto's gender by adding eyelashes, lipstick, a beauty mark, and a Minnie Mouse-style red bow. The redesigned character was named Ms. Pac-Man and Bally Midway quickly started to manufacture the machines.
The only problem was that Bally Midway did not get Namco's permission to create Ms. Pac-Man and when Namco executives at the company's Japanese headquarters heard about this new game, they became miffed enough to consider legal action. Fearing a legal battle and the potential loss of licensing rights to future Pac-Man sequels, Bally Midway decided to avoid a lawsuit and appease Namco by turning over all legal rights of Ms. Pac-Man to Namco.
This legal hassle didn't stop Bally Midway from creating and releasing other unauthorized Pac-Man sequels without Namco's permission. None of these sequels were ever as popular as Ms. Pac-Man. (Anyone remember Pac-Man Plus, Baby Pac-Man, or Professor Pac-Man?) Namco became so fed-up with these unauthorized sequels that it terminated its licensing agreement with Bally Midway as soon as it could legally do so.
As for the average early-1980's arcade game player (myself included), most people either didn't know or cared about Ms. Pac-Man's shadowy origins. What mattered was that there was a sequel that was just as fun to play as the original.
I can remember, as a female undergraduate at the University of Maryland in the early 1980's, when I first walked into an arcade where I saw a teenage boy playing Ms. Pac-Man for the first time and I was totally enthralled by seeing it. In fact, I tried that game out myself as soon as I was able to get a quarter and I became as hooked on Ms. Pac-Man as I did on Pac-Man.
What was revolutionary was that this was the first videogame that had a female character. Up to that point, even though girls and women did play videogames as much as boys and men did, most of the games involved either engaging in traditionally male-oriented activities (like driving race cars and shooting down aliens in spaceships) or playing male characters (such as Donkey Kong's Mario). With Ms. Pac-Man, women and girls could actually play a female for a change, which was quite refreshing.
Yet Ms. Pac-Man was no pushover. The rules of Ms. Pac-Man were identical to Pac-Man's. Blinky, Inky, and Pinky were holdovers from the original. Clyde the orange ghost was replaced by another identical looking orange ghost named Sue. The fruit, which was stationary in Pac-Man, now moved around the maze by bouncing up and down.
The mazes were much more of a challenge than in the original. There were more twists and turns, which made it far trickier to outwit those ghosts, who were just as aggressive as before.
Like Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man also had brief animated intermissions, the first of which played after you've cleared the second level. The animations told the story of the courtship of Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man that eventually resulted in a stork delivering a baby Pac-Man.
Ms. Pac-Man attracted not only women and girl players but their male counterparts as well. This crossover appeal helped Ms. Pac-Man to become a bigger hit than Pac-Man. In fact, Ms. Pac-Man is the one of only two classic games (the other being Galaga) that is most likely found in video arcades today. In recent years Namco has come out with a special arcade machine that has both Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga together and many arcades stock that machine as their one token classic arcade game machine.
Ms. Pac-Man even became the first videogame character to be a spokesperson for a cause. The National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations (NABCO) selected Ms. Pac-Man to help raise awarness of the importance of women having their breasts examined on a regular basis.
Ms. Pac-Man's success has paved the way for other female characters to show up in videogames. In other words, had Ms. Pac-Man been a flop, people today would be playing Tomb Raider featuring a square-jawed burly guy named Larry Croft.
DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here have endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.
NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about Ms. Pac-Man, please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkRE MOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mailing address before sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.
MS. PAC-MAN GAME S AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
DREAMCAST
Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness--Includes the original arcade game along with newer 3-D mazes.
[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/det ail/-/B00004U4Q9/theunicornwithan/]Namco Museum Volume 1[/link]--Includes Ms. Pac-Man along with Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, Pole Position, and Dig-Dug.
GAME GEAR
Ms. Pac-Man
GAME BOY
Ms. Pac-Man
GAME BOY ADVANCE
[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/det ail/-/B00005BZE0/theunicornwithan/]Namco Museum[/link]--Includes Ms. Pac-Man along with Dig-Dug, Pole Position, Galaxian, and Galaga.
GAME CUBE
Namco Museum--Includes Ms. Pac-Man along with Pac-Man, Pac-Man Arrangement, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig-Dug, and Pole Position.
Pac-Man Fever--This is a party game that's similar in concept to Nintendo's Mario Party series. You can play against up to three other people (or play against the computer) as you compete in a series of mini-games. Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man are among the Namco characters that you can select.
Pac-Man World 2--It's an adventure game featuring the yellow guy. If you collect enough tokens, you can unlock five classic arcade games--Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Attack, and Pac-Mania--as well as a series of 3-D mazes.
NINTENDO 64
Ms. Pac-Man's Maze Madness--Includes the original arcade game along with newer 3-D mazes.
Namco Museum 64--Includes Ms. Pac-Man along with Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, Pole Position, and Dig-Dug.
SUPER NINTENDO
Ms. Pac-Man
PLAYSTATION 1
Ms. Pac-Man's Maze Madness--Includes the original arcade game along with newer 3-D mazes.
Namco Museum Vol. 3--Includes Ms. Pac-Man as well as other classic games like Galaxian, Dig-Dug, Pole Position II, Phozon, and the Tower of Druaga.
PLAYSTATION 2
Namco Museum--Includes Ms. Pac-Man along with Pac-Man, Pac-Man Arrangement, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig-Dug, and Pole Position.
Pac-Man Fever--This is a party game that's similar in concept to Nintendo's Mario Party series. You can play against up to three other people (or play against the computer) as you compete in a series of mini-games. Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man are among the Namco characters that you can select.
[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005V6B P/theunicornwithan/]Pac-Man World 2[/link]--It's an adventure game featuring the yellow guy. If you collect enough tokens, you can unlock five classic arcade games--Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Attack, and Pac-Mani a--as well as a series of 3-D mazes.
WINDOWS
Microsoft Revenge of Arcade--Includes Ms. Pac-Man along with Xevious, Rally-X, Mappy, and Motos.
Ms. Pac-Man--It's an updated version of the arcade classic.
P ac-Man All Stars--Play as Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Professor Pac-Man, or Pac-Man Junior in a series of 3D mazes.
Pac-Man All Stars (Jewel Case)--Pl ay as Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Professor Pac-Man, or Pac-Man Junior in a series of 3D mazes.
X-BOX
Namco Museum--Includes Ms. Pac-Man along with Pac-Man, Pac-Man Arrangement, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig-Dug, and Pole Position.
Pac-Man World 2--It's an adventure game featuring the yellow guy. If you collect eno ugh tokens, you can unlock five classic arcade games--Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Attack, and Pac-Mania--as well as a series of 3-D mazes.
RELATED PURCHASE
Ms. Pac-Man Ringtones--Y ou can have your cell phone sound like a Ms. Pac-Man arcade game every time it rings.
MS. PAC-MAN LINKS
ClassicGaming.com's Pac-Page--This is the ultimate homage to Pac-Man and his many sequels, including Ms. Pac-Man. It not only provides an extensive history of the Pac-Man series but it also includes Pac-Clone of the Month, Pac-Site of the Month, sounds that you can download, information about the Pac-Man cartoon series, and much more.
The First Church of Pac-Man--A hilarious site that shows how extreme some people will go to show their devotion to Pac-Man. Also includes information about Ms. Pac-Man.
The Internet Movie Database's Information on Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man--Includes information on both videogames and the 1980's Pac-Man television cartoon series.
The Killer List of Videogames' Ms. Pac-Man Exhibit
The Pac-Mans--You can download shareware versions of Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man for the Pocket PC, Windows CE, Casio BE-300, and HandHeld PC.
The Ms. Pac-Man Page--It's a short story about one person's effort to purchase and restore a vintage Ms. Pac-Man machine. Includes technical information about Ms. Pac-Man for those interested in doing their own repairs and restorations.
Namco--The official site of the company that's responsible for Ms. Pac-Man as well as a bunch of other classic games (such as Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, and Dig-Dug).
Namco Arcade.com's Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga--This page is aimed at videogame arcade owners but it does provide information about a specially designed arcade machine that has both Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga games installed together in the same cabinet. At the bottom of the page there is information about a special Easter Egg where, if you move the joystick aro und in a certain sequence at the select screen input, you'll also access Pac-Man as well. (At the select screen input, you move the joystick up, up, up, down, down, down, left, right, left, right, and left then press the start button.)
The National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations' Post Office Page--You can send a Ms. Pac-Man online postcard to the woman/women in your life reminding her/them to have her/their breasts examined.
Pac-Land Webring--It's a webring of sites that are all devoted to Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man.
Pac-Man...This is Your Life--It's a very thorough history of Pac-Man and his many sequels (including Ms. Pac-Man).
The Virtual Pac-Man Museum--It's an online museum full of Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man artifacts.<
Pac-Man by Kimberly Keyes Stark
As I wrote in my previous entry on Phoenix, 1980 was a great year for me for many reasons. The release of Pac-Man is one more reason why 1980 rocked as a year.
As I'm writing this in 2003, this is also the 75th anniversary of the release of "Steamboat Willie," which not only introduced Mickey Mouse to the world but was also one of the first cartoons released with sound. In some ways, Pac-Man could be the Mickey Mouse of the videogaming industry. For one thing, Pac-Man's release in 1980 was also just as revolutionary and awe-inspiring as "Steamboat Willie" was back in 1928 and it propelled Pac-Man into Mickey Mouse-style popularity. Throughout the 1980's a variety of Pac-Man spin-off products (like t-shirts and notebooks) had proliferated just as much as Mickey Mouse items. Namco continues to release Pac-Man games for a variety of gaming platforms in the same way that Disney continues to release Mickey Mouse car toons for VHS and DVD. Pac-Man and Mickey Mouse both have female counterparts--Ms. Pac-Man and Minnie Mouse. Pac-Man and Mickey Mouse have also become corporate symbols for, respectively, Namco and Disney.
As I did some Internet searches on Pac-Man, I found that there is an interesting history behind the yellow guy.
Pac-Man was created in Japan by a Namco employee named Toru Iwatan. He got the inspiration for creating his Pac-Man character one day when he was eating pizza with friends at a local pizza p arlor and saw the whole pizza with a slice removed.
Pac-Man's Japanese name translates in English as "Eat-Man," which Namco thought was unsuitable for a videogame. So they gave his English name as "Puckman," since he is shaped like a hockey puck. The game's American distributor, Bally Midway, balked at the name out of a fear that some enterprising vandals would take some markers or spraypaint into the arcades, write the letter "F" over the letter "P" on the machines, and--well, you get the picture. So Bally Midway gave the game the vandal-proof name Pac-Man.
As a game Pac-Man definitely stood out from all the other car racing games and Space Invaders clones that had dominated the arcades at that point. The object of the game is very simple: you take on the role of a yellow circular character who's stuck in a maze and you have to use the joystick to manipulate that character, who looks like a slab of cheese with a wedge taken out, as he eats all the pellets in the maze before he can go on to the next maze.
It's a simple premise but, like all great videogames, there are obstacles in the form of four colorful ghosts who are trying to stop Pac-Man from his eating ways. The red ghost's name is Shadow but his nickname is Blinky. The pink ghost is named Speedy but his nickname is Pinky. The light blue ghost's name is Bashful with his nickname being Inky. The orange ghost has the name Pokey and the nickname Clyde.
Pac-Man only has one defense against Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde. There are four large energy dots scattered throughout the maze. If he eats any of those dots, the four ghosts turn navy blue with pink eyes and a zig-zag pink mouth. At that point Pac-Man can eat the ghosts. If a ghost is eaten, a pair of disembodied eyes float back to the ghosts' home in the middle of the screen where he gets his body repaired and re-joins the game.
However, the change in making the ghosts edible is only temporary and they quickly turn back into their inedible selves. There are many times when you'll get Pac-Ma n to eat a ghost who is in the process of changing back only to find that the ghost has changed back just in time to get Pac-Man to lose a life.
From time to time a piece of fruit will appear and Pac-Man can eat it for extra points. Once you get up to le vels 9-10, the flagship from Namco's previous hit, Galaxian, makes an appearance as an item that Pac-Man can eat.
What's amazing is that Pac-Man's stomach seems like a bottomless pit. He could eat as much as he wants without ever having to suffer a stoma ch ache or worry about getting fat.
The really cool part of the game comes after you've cleared the second level. A brief animated interlude appeared where Blinky pursues Pac-Man from the right-hand side of the screen across to the left side until both leave the screen. Then Blinky reappears on the left side of the screen in edible form as a giant-sized Pac-Man pursues him all the way across the screen until they both run off the right side. When you clear more levels, more animated interludes featuring Pac-M an and Blinky are played out to the amusement of the gameplayer.
Nowadays many console and computer games routinely have animated interludes between gameplay. Pac-Man was the first game to include such interludes and that is one of the many things that made that game stood out among the competition in the arcades. I have no doubt that this inspired other gamemakers to follow suit.
To say that Pac-Man was addicting is an understatment. I shudder to think about how many quarters I've spent trying to master that game throughout high school, college, and the first few years in the job market in the 1980's. It's obvious I didn't spend enough because, to this day, I tend to bomb out totally sometime between the third and fifth levels.
Pac-Man also figured in the most memorable assignment I've ever had for the University of Maryland's student paper The Diamondback in 1982. The now-defunct Hungry Herman's restaurant, which was located just a few yards from the campus' western border, sponsored a Pac-Man tournament, which I covered. It was amazing to see people play Pac-Man better than I ever did. I got to interview the winner, a local Silver Spring man named Kevin Fischer, who played a single round of Pac-Man for two hours and racked up two million points before he was stopped by tournament officials. During the course of his two hours on the machine, he drew a huge crowd of people watching him as he evaded the ghosts and gobbled up pellets and energy dots over and over.
For anyone trying to make a record playing Pac-Man, there were limits. Once you get up to the 256th level, the screen goes haywire. The left half of the screen is normal while the right half is complete gibberish. At that point the arcade employee has to reset the machine. The highest s core (which is achievable only if you eat every single pellet, energy dot, ghost, and fruit) anyone can get before the 256th level is 3,333,360 million points. Because of this, the World Pac-Man Record is measured by who can get the perfect score the most quickly. According to the Twin Galaxies' site, the current record holder is Billy Mitchell, who achieved that perfect score on one quarter in six hours on July 3, 1999.
I was such a Pac-Man addict that my parents gave me a hand-held version that was manufactured by Coleco while I was still attending the University of Maryland. The animation and sounds were nowhere near as good as in the arcades, the graphics were all red, and the gameplay was awkward compared to its arcade counterpart but it still satisfied my desire to play Pac-Man during times when I wasn't able to get to an arcade. I held on to that handheld for many years until I bought a Sega Game Gear in the early 1990's and I purchased a Pac-Man game that was made for that handheld that had better graphics than the Coleco game and the sounds were much closer to the arcade version.
I've since obtained a Playstation 2 and traded in the Sega Game Gear for a Game Boy Advance SP but I've bought Pac-Man games for both and I still continue to play Pac-Man to this day in the privacy of my own home. I haven't played the arcade machine in years mainly because every time I happened to come across one, I would think, "Why should I spend a few quarters playing something that I can now play at home as often as I want without having to look in my wallet for any spare quarters?" (Especially since the sounds, animation, and gameplay are now identical to the arcade version.)
Wha t was amazing was how mainstream Pac-Man became in the 1980's. I can remember when greeting cards, buttons, t-shirts, notebooks, coloring books, breakfast cereals, and many other consumer items came out featuring the yellow one. There were books that came out on how one could master Pac-Man. There was even a Pac-Man board game, although I really couldn't imagine how a board game could even come close to capturing the sounds and excitement of the arcade game.
Pac-Man became so popular that a Pac-Man machine was even donated to the Smithsonian.
I saw the comedy "Young Doctors in Love" when it was first released in the theaters and I laughed when some Pac-Man arcade sounds were used in an operating scene. Frank Zappa released the song "Valley Girl," which featured his daughter, Moon Unit, rapping about life as a teenage girl in the San Fernando Valley and talking about how "I'm into the clean stuff, like Pac-Man, you know." There was even a song called "Pac-Man Fever" that made Billboard magazine's Top Ten hits. I remembered that song very well, although I never bought it because the radio stations used to play it so much.
Years later, when I got the special 20th anniversary of "Tron" on DVD, I saw "The Making of Tron" featurette where I found out that the moviemakers had Pac-Man make a brief cameo appearance as part of the background in one of the scenes where Sark appears. Ever since then I've gotten into the habit of looking for Pac-Man's appearance every time I watch "Tron."
I thought the Pac-Man phenomenon hit a low when a Saturday morning cartoon series came out based on the arcade game. I saw only one episode when I was still an undergraduate at the University of Maryland and I found it to be so bad that I never watched it again. The only thing I remembered was that the animation was stilted and the plot was totally moronic and repetitive as Pac-Man kept on being pursued by the ghosts. Pac-Man would eat an energy pellet to take the ghosts out temporarily and the their disembodied eyes floated out of their withering bodies as they escaped to some place where they could be made whole again. This was evidence that some arcade games just don't translate well to other mediums.
Like all phenomenons, Pac-Man eventually faded from the spotlight that's reserved for fads like Furby or Beanie Babies. Yet it looks like Pac-Man has one other thing in common with Mickey Mouse--longevity. Even though Pac-Man is no longer as popular as--let's say--Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the yellow one has never gone away. Ever since the 1980's, Namco has released a new Pac-Man title ever now and then for whatever console, computer, or portable gaming device happens to be out there at the time. In recent years Namco has converted Pac-Man into a 3-D figure and starred him in a series of Mario-like adventure games (complete with 3-D mazes) that include Pac-Man World, Pac-Man World 2, and Pac-Man Fever (the latter is a party game that's similar to the Mario Party series).
One can even find a vintage Pac-Man arcade game machine every now and then, although these days one is more likely to find a Ms. Pac-Man machine than Pac-Man. In recent years Namco has released a hybrid arcade machine that features two of its biggest hits--Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga--and many arcades tend to stock that machine as its one token classic arcade machine.
However, there is a third game that is also hidden in that hybrid machine--Pac-Man. If you follow this pattern, you'll access it: Once you put the money in, you'll get taken to the select screen input. At that point, move the joystick up, up, up, down, down, down, left, right, left, right, and left then press the start button. If all goes well, you should get the original Pac-Man game.
I wouldn't be surprised if Pac-Man continues to live on long after the first generation who've discovered him dies off.
DISCLAIMER: This blog is based on one person's biased opinions of which videogames should be considered to be classics and why. It is not meant to provide a complete history of the videogame industry, the latest videogame news, technical support, or hints on how to play a certain videogame. None of the videogame manufacturers or programmers mentioned here have endorsed or supported this blog in any way, shape, or form.
NOTE: If there are any errors or updates to what I have written about Pac-Man, please send an e-mail to [link=mailto:kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@erols.com]kstarkREMOVE-ALL-CAPS-IF-NOT-SPAM@er ols.com[/link] (remember to remove the capital letters from my mailing address bef ore sending or else it will get rejected) and I'll edit this piece when time permits.
PAC-MAN GAMES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
TELEVISION SET
Namco Arcade TV 5 Games in 1 Joystick--This is a joystick-only piece that plugs directly into your television set. It's a pretty cheap option for those who want to play classic games on t heir TV set but don't own a Game Cube, Playstation 2, or X-Box because you don't need to buy or rent any consoles to play the games, which are embedded directly into the joystick. The joystick games include Pac-Man along with Galaga, Dig-Dug, Rally-X, and Bosconian. ([link=http://www.8bitjoystick.com/archives/jake_review_namco_a rcade_classics_5_in_1_joystick.php]Click here[/link] to read a review about this item, which looks pretty neat.)
DREAMCAST
[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obid os/tg/detail/-/B00004U4Q9/theunicornwithan/]Namco Museum Volume 1[/link]--Includes Pac-Man along with Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, Pole Position, and Dig-Dug.
GAME BOY
Pac-Man
GAME BOY COLOR
Pac-Man: Special Color Edition--Includes Pac-Man and Pac-Attack.
GAME BOY ADVANCE
Pac-Man Collection--Includes Pac-Man and three of his sequels: Pac-Attack, Pac-Mania, and Pac-Man Arrangement.
GAME CUBE
Namco Museum--Includes Pac-Man, Pac-Man Arrangement, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig-Dug, and Pole Position.
Pac-Man Fever--This is a party game that's similar in concept to Nintendo's Mario Party series. You can play against up to three other people (or play against the computer) as you compete in a series of mini-games. Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man are among the Namco characters that you can select.
Pac-Man World 2--It's an adventure game featuring the yellow guy. If you collect enough tok ens, you can unlock five classic arcade games--Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Att ack, and Pac-Mania--as well as a series of 3-D mazes.
GAME GEAR
Pac-Man
GENESIS
Pac-Man 2
NEOGEO
Pac-Man
SUPER NINTENDO
Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures
NINTENDO 64
Namco Museum 64--Includes Pac-Man along with Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, Po le Position, and Dig-Dug.
PLAYSTATION 1
Namco Museum Volume 1--Includes Pac-Man along with Pole Position, Galaga, Bosconian, Rally-X, New Rally-X, and Toy Pop.
Pac-Man World--It's an adventure game featuring the yellow guy that was originally released to honor the 20th anniversary of the first Pac-Ma n game. It includes the original arcade game as well as newer 3-D mazes.
PLAYSTATION 2
Namco Museum--Includes Pac-Man, Pac-Man Arran gement, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig-Dug, and Pole Position.
Pac-Man Feve r--This is a party game that's similar in concept to Nintendo's Mario P arty series. You can play against up to three other people (or play against the computer) as you compete in a series of mini-games. Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man are among the Namco char acters that you can select.
Pac-Man World 2--It's an adventure game featuring the yellow guy. If you collect enough tokens, you can unlock five classic arcade games--Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Attack, and Pac-Mania--as well as a series of 3-D mazes.
WINDOWS
Pac-Man: Adventures in Time--It's a 3-D adventure game featuring the yellow one.
Pac-Man: Adventures in Time (Jewel Case)--It's a 3-D adventure game featuring the yellow one.
Pac-Man All Stars--Play as Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Professor Pac-Man, or Pac-Man Junior in a series of 3D mazes.
[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000 08K2Y3/theunicornwithan/]Pac-Man All Stars (Jewel Case)[/link]--Play as Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Professor Pac-Man, or Pac-Man Junior in a series of 3D mazes.
X-BOX
Namco Museum--Includes Pac-Man, Pac-Man Arrangement, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig-Dug, and Pole Position.
Pac-Man World 2--It's an adventure game featuring the yellow guy. If you collect enough tokens, you can unlock five classic arcade games--Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Attack, and Pac-Mania--as well as a series of 3-D mazes.
RELATED PURCHASES
Strictly Commercial: The Best of Frank Zappa--This includes the Frank and Moon Unit Zappa duet "Valley Girl," where you can hear the Pac-Man reference. Also contains Frank Zappa's best-known songs like "Dancin' Fool," "Disco Boy," and "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow."
Buckner and Garcia's "Pac-Man Fever" CD--Includes the title track as well as other videogame-themed songs like "Do the Donkey Kong," "Froggy's Lament," "Ode to a Centipede," "Hyperspace," "The Defender," "Mousetrap," and "Goin' Bezerk."
Worm Quartet's "Stupid Video Game Music" CD--This is a band that's fronted by the creator of [link=http://www.flamingmayo.com/fir stchurchofpacman/]The First Church of Pac-Man site[/link]. This CD includes the track "Pac-Man is Nearly Naked and So Should You."
"Zombies In Robots Out" CD by 14 Year Old Girls--This CD is devoted to videogames and it includes the song "Pacman's In Egypt" along with "Galaga," "Big Grab," "1-800-255-3700," "Castlevania Punk," "Slushy Puppy," "Animal Forest," "Elevator Action," "Run Lolo Run," "Rayden on Prom Night," "This is a Devo Cover," "Grand Theft Auto 3," "Starworld," "Renegade," "Veggie Sandwiches Are The Best Sandwiches," and "Tomb Raider UK Pop."
[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obid os/tg/detail/-/6304847068/theunicornwithan/]"Young Doctors in Love" on VHS[/link]--This is a pretty funny send-up on all those overwrought hospital dramas that Hollywood keeps churning out for TV and the movie theaters on a regular basis. Certain Pac-Man arcade sounds are used hilariously in this film.
"Tron" (20th Anniversary Collection) on VHS and DVD--Pac-Man actually makes a brief cameo in the background in one scene where Sark is present. You have to look extremely close in order to see the yellow one. The DVD version has "The Making of Tron" featurette that shows exactly where you can find Pac-Man's brief cameo, which makes it handy for spotting him.
PAC-MAN LINKS
Bob McPherson Download Page--You can download a Pac-Man clone as well as clones of Phoenix and Space Invaders to play on your Hewlett-Packard 48G series calculator.
Buckner and Garcia--This is the official website of the duo responsible for the "Pac-Man Fever" song. You can order the "Pac-Man Fever" CD (which in cludes other songs like "Do the Donkey Kong," "Froggy's Lament," "Ode to a Centipede," "Hyperspace," "The Defender," "Mousetrap," and "Goin' Bezerk") through this site.
ClassicGaming.com's Pac-Page--This is the ultimate homage to Pac-Man. It not only provides an extensive history of Pac-Man and his many sequels but it also includes Pac-Clone of the Month, Pac-Site of the Month, sounds that you can download, information about the Pac-Man ca rtoon series, and much more.
Electric Soup, Ltd.'s Pac-Man Game--It's a decent Flash game that comes close to emulating the original arcade version.
[link=http://www.flamingm ayo.com/firstchurchofpacman/]The First Church of Pac-Man[/link]--A hilarious site that shows how extreme some people will go to show their devotion to Pac-Man. Also includes all kinds of news and facts about the yellow one.
[link=http://di rectory.google.com/Top/Games/Video_Games/Action/Pac-Man_Series/]Google's Pac-Man Directory[/link]--Features links to Pac-Man games that you can play for free.
Guimp: The World's Smallest Pac-Man Game--This is NOT recommended to anyone with eyesight problems.
The HP49G--You can download Hapaman (a Pac-Man clone) as well as a Phoenix clone to play on your Hewlett-Packard 49G series calculator.
The Internet Movie Database's Information on Pac-Man--Includes information on both videogames and the 1980's Pac-Man television cartoon series.
The Internet Movie Database's Information on "Tron"--If you scan the background in one of the scenes where Sark appears close enough, you'll see a tiny Pac-Man figure in the background.
The Internet Movie Database's Information on "Young Doctors in Love"--A few Pac-Man sounds make their appearance in this film in a hilarious way.
Jeff Morris's Pac-Man Page--A fan site that's devoted to Pac-Man. It includes information on the latest Pac-Man sightings, a Pac-Man game, lyrics to the "Pac-Man Fever" song, poems devoted to Pac-Man, and much more.
The Killer List of Videogames' Pac-Man Exhibit
"Perfect Score" Achieved on Pac-Man in New Hampshire--Here is a a story about the current Pac-Man World Record Holder, Billy Mitchell.
Namco--The official site of the company that's responsible for Pac-Man as well as a bunch of other classic games (such as Galaxian, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, and Dig-Dug).
Namco Arcade.com's Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga--This page is about a specially designed arcade machine that has both Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga together in the same cabinet. There is also a third game as well, Pac-Man, which is available as a secret Easter Egg. To access Pac-Man, you'll need to find that special arcade machine that has both Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga together. (It won't do you any go od if you find a Ms. Pac-Man-only machine or a Galaga-only machine.) Once you put the money in, you'll get taken to the select screen input. At that point, move the joystick up, up, up, down, down, down, left, right, left, right, and left then press the s tart button. If all goes well, you should get the original Pac-Man game.
Neave's Webgames-Pac-Man--Here is a Pac-Man game that you can play for free.
[link=http://www.csiway.com/%7ebol tal/]Pac-Land Webring[/link]--It's a webring of sites that are all devoted to Pac-Man.
Pac-Man...This is Your Life--It's a very thorough history of Pac-Man and his many s equels.
Pac-Man in Palm--You can download a free copy of Pac-Man for your Palm Pilot.
[link=http://www.palmgear.com/in dex.cfm?fuseaction=software.showsoftware%26prodid=2806]PacMan 1.6[/link]--You can download a shareware version of Pac-Man for your Palm Pilot.
The Pac-Mans--You can download shareware versions of Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man for the Pocket PC, Wind ows CE, Casio BE-300, and HandHeld PC.
Salon.com's Pac-Man Article--Gives a cultural evaluation of ho w Pac-Man has affected the videogame industry.
Spank-Man--A variation of Pac-Man that has a slightly raunchy title.
The Virtual Pac-Man Museum--It's an online museum full of Pac-Man artifacts.<
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