Pac-Mania (NES) Playthrough - NintendoComplete
Ойындар
A playthrough of Tengen's 1991 arcade game for the NES, Pac-Mania.
Pac-Mania was originally released in 1987, and it really seemed to impress. Critics raved about how the addition of a jump mechanic and the beautiful faux-3D graphics (thanks to Namco's new System 1 hardware) made the Pac-Man formula feel fresh and new again. It won a lot of awards, and made a fair amount of money.
In the years following the release of the arcade game, Pac-Mania saw ports across the typical 80s console/PC suspects, as well as a couple of unexpected ones - the Acorn Archimedes, anybody? (To be fair though, it was a fantastic conversion. If you don't know the machine, you should look it up!). Nowadays, the easiest way to play it is probably with the iOS port, or if you prefer a controller, Namco Museum Vol. 5 (PS1) and Pac-Man Museum (PS3/360/Steam) both include it.
I've always really enjoyed this one. The game is still unmistakably Pac-Man, but the perspective shift and themed worlds really adds a lot more visual variety to the game without compromising its playability. Even though the board now scrolls, the screen stays centered on Pac-Man at all times, and the speed and behavior of the ghosts has been adjusted to better suit the limited view.
The jump mechanic was also a neat and meaningful addition - it was a genius way of adding a whole new layer of complexity to the game. For as simple as it is, it allows for far more variety and daredevilry in your strategy than Pac-Man ever did.
The NES version of it was very good. Like the great majority of Tengen's unlicensed games (and despite this one not being developed by Atari themselves), Pac-Mania is far better made than many of the system's officially sanctioned titles. The graphics by necessity are mere shadows of their former arcade selves, but the general idea holds together well - the game retains the unique perspective and style of its big brother. The music is also pretty good - it's nice to hear something besides "waka waka waka blooop" nonstop in a Pac-Man game, and the tunes here are pretty catchy.
The gameplay is really where this one succeeds the most, though. The controls are sharp, the mazes are just big enough to let you stretch your legs while staying small enough to prevent you for getting lost while looking for that single pellet you need to finish the stage. You end up with up to nine ghosts in the maze at a time later on which gets pretty hectic, but the jump mechanic eases the burden a bit. Just remember to not make a habit of trying to jump the green or black ones, and be careful where you land!
I clearly remember years ago when I beat it for the first time - I had no idea it had an ending! But, as I show here, the game lasts for nineteen rounds before it sends you on your way. Since Pac-Mania is extremely easy compared to the older, garden-variety Pac-Man games, don't be surprised to if you see the ending screen sooner than you expected.
The Sega Genesis version clearly has the advantage over the NES one, but the NES port of Pac-Mania's gameplay can't be faulted - it's true to the original and it's still a whole lot of fun.
_
No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
NintendoComplete (www.nintendocomplete.com/) punches you in the face with in-depth reviews, screenshot archives, and music from classic 8-bit NES games!
Visit for the latest updates!
/ 540091756006560
/ nes_complete
![Pac-Mania Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]](/img/d.gif)
Пікірлер: 42
Pac-Mania is just as addictive as the original Pac-Man, and has just enough new stuff in it to make it feel both fresh and familiar at the same time. I highly recommend it!
@LPetal86
5 жыл бұрын
I really like how this game took the new concepts that added not only new fun but more challenge to go with it, like being able to jump means the ghosts can now jump too, and they even made the ghosts have different behavior--the dark purple one sure wants to kill you! Also, I thought four ghosts was challenging, but NINE?! I wonder what would have happened if they had made the Power Pellets not affect the ghosts at all in the later levels, like in Ms. Pac-Man on Genesis.
@Dorian_Scott
5 жыл бұрын
I saw that this was for Sega's ill-fated 8-bit home console, but I never heard of Pac-Mania for NES. This *seems* to be a good game!
@jamesborlan2850
4 жыл бұрын
NintendoComplete I have this game on gba as part of the pac man collection great stuff
@KepanoJ
4 жыл бұрын
NintendoComplete ok!
@Jac2Mac
2 жыл бұрын
This port of Pac-Mania was done by Westwood Associates who would later hit it big with Dune 2 and Command & Conquer.
This version is much faster than other ports, I like how the NES can handled with that speed without lose frames
I’m definitely buying this game now.
A Pac-Man game with end credits, now I have seen everything.
@SoshiTheYoshi
2 жыл бұрын
The arcade version has credits too
Some tricks to make the green speedy pellet appear: • First level: do not eat any of the big pellets before the appearance of a fruit or an item; • second level: eat only one big pellet before the appearance of a fruit/item; • third level: same as level 2; • Fourth level: eat 2 big pellets before the appearance of a fruit/item; • fifth level: do not eat any big pellet before the appearance of a fruit/item; • sixth level: I haven't found any way to make it appear; • seventh level: do not eat any big pellet before the appearance of a fruit/item; From the 8th level on, I do not recommend to eat green pellets, game is already fast.
I really hope one day Namco can do a deal with Tengen if they are still around to rerelease these unlicensed carts. They are actually better than the official releases on NES too (can’t beat Championship Edition’s Demake though)!
@XJLuna
Жыл бұрын
This port was rereleased as part of a plug n play in 2018, so Bandai Namco must own this port
I GOT A PACMAN FEVER!!!! *PACMAN FEVER* IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!! *DIVING ME CRAZY*
>Isometric JUMPING Pac-man The concept was created by a maniac!!!
I played the GBA collection and genesis version, but never heard of the nes version. thanks!
1. The game was made released by Namco in the arcades. 2. This port is based off the American arcade version which has less levels.
@NintendoComplete
5 жыл бұрын
Ah, thanks for catching that
@KepanoJ
4 жыл бұрын
NintendoComplete yes
@KepanoJ
4 жыл бұрын
Starman25 u
@Bloodreign1
2 жыл бұрын
I'm not aware of any extra levels in the Japanese version at all.
Block town - nice place to visit!
Pac-Mania is a pretty cool game!
Pac-Mania - It's Pac-Man, but this time, he can jump !
Pac mania is so good. My favorite versions are the nes and genesis
The song of some leves remember me a Vodafone´s commercial song.
does this version run faster than the arcade version? It's been a while, but I remember the arcade version being really slow.
Westwood Associates? Holy cow! It's always interesting how to see how humbly some of the biggest names in gaming got their start. Though sadly we know the story ends in the EA gas chambers. But they were HUGE in the 90s, by then known as Westwood Studios.
@TheRedCap
Жыл бұрын
Should have seen how Epic Games got their start. They made some weird shareware games for PCs in the mid-late 90s
That one dislike is from Blinky
Why is blinky happy in nes? Blinky is mad not happy
oh! Never seen this one, looks pretty fun, can I request Hudson Hawk on the Nes?? Its horrible but I know you can beat that thing :D
@NintendoComplete
5 жыл бұрын
Just put it up if you wanna check it out
What about pac-mania in Arcade ?
@KepanoJ
4 жыл бұрын
Apostolos Bulgarakis no
*PAC-MANIA* Characters: 💛Pacman, the yellow circular and friendly creature of the game star.💛 Ghosts: -Blinky, the red ghost represents as the responsible leader of the ghosts. He eventually speeds up when he gets angry!😡 -Inky, Blinky's highly unpredictable sidekick who behaves shatter-brained.🥴 -Pinky, the smitten stalker. She's ahead of you!☺️ -Spunky, Funky's cousin. It's impossible to jump over her!😏 -Funky, the green athletic bouncing ghost. Small, energetic and deadly.😃 -Sue, the purple who does the same thing as Blinky. Beware of this female playful ghost!😉 -Clyde, the slow and most stupid ghost. He often distracts himself!😟
Tengen-converted Pac-Man games
@SAM-ru4vx
5 жыл бұрын
tengen is atari?
@NintendoComplete
5 жыл бұрын
@@SAM-ru4vx Yup, but they didnt develop this. They just published it. You can see on the credits screen that Westwood Associates built the game.
The password is 'Pac -Mania':... Ummm things no one asked for... uhhh A mental state that no one suffered from in 1987...ohhh Things you find in a failing arcade... shoot, Move on please! 😋 I was too busy blowing my entire allowance in 45 min on APB and Thunder Blade to even slow down near this machine, but thanks, as always to Nintendocomplete, I can appreciate today what i missed back then.
@Bloodreign1
2 жыл бұрын
This game caught my attention when it came out in 1 of the 2 mall arcades we had here in those days. It looked incredibly cool, hell it felt incredibly cooler to play. It got some of my tokens put within it, and I have the arcade version a whopping 3 times over PS1 and PS2 Namco compilations (yet own none of the console ports yet).
Lame