Pac-Mania

From Sega Retro

n/a

  • Mega Drive
  • Master System

PacMania Title.png

PacMania SMS Title.png

Pac-Mania
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System
Publisher:
Sega Mega Drive
Tengen
Sega Master System
TecMagik
Developer:
Distributor:
Sega Mega Drive
Domark (EU)
Licensor:
Sega Master System
Tengen
Sega Mega Drive
Sega Master System
Namco
Original system(s): Namco System I
Developer(s) of original games: Namco
Sound driver:
Sega Mega Drive
Paul Webb
Genre: Arcade[1]

















Number of players:
Sega Mega Drive
1-2
Sega Master System
1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US
301018-0150
Sega Mega Drive
EU
301018-0170
Sega Mega Drive
PT
Sega Mega Drive
UK
£49.9949.99[5] 301018-0170
Sega Mega Drive
SE
(Rental)
Sega Mega Drive
AU
Sega Master System
EU
25010-50
Sega Master System
PT
Sega Master System
UK
£29.9929.99[9][10] 25010-50
Sega Master System
AU
Non-Sega versions

Pac-Mania is a sequel to Pac-Man, first released in 1987 in the arcades by Namco for its Namco System 1 hardware and brought to the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Master System by Tengen in 1991. It has also been ported to numerous other consoles and computers, including the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MSX, NES, Zeebo and ZX Spectrum. It is a pseudo-3D take on the Pac-Man gameplay formula, though offers many other additions.

Gameplay

The game is presented in an oblique perspective with more detailed backgrounds than in previous Pac-Man arcade games. The disadvantage of this is that only a section of the play area is visible and therefore there is more of a reliance on scrolling. To counter this, Pac-Man now has the ability to jump, which can be used to avoid ghosts (apart from ghosts that can also jump). There are more ghosts on-screen than in previous titles too, who are found in a variety of different colors and are left unnamed. Unlike the original game there are now four maps, one of which is unlockable and each having their own music track.

History

Legacy

Though Pac-Mania was seen as a return to form for the Pac-Man franchise (previous entries such as Super Pac-Man, Pac & Pal and Pac Land had radically changed the original formula and were therefore not as successful), the game failed to receive the popularity obtained by the original Pac-Man or Ms. Pac-Man, mostly because despite appearing in 1987, it failed to offer much improvement over the original 1980 game.

Production credits

Mega Drive version

  • Programmed by: Arti Haroutunian
  • Artwork by: Lorin Nelson
  • Sounds by: Paul Webb
Source:
In-game credits

Master System version

  • Converted by: Steve Lamb, Dan Duncalf, Simon Freeman, Jeff Gamon, and Muffy Vashele at TecMagik Inc, Menlo Park, California, U.S.A.
  • August—October 1990
Source:
EU manual
PacmaniaSMSEUManual7L.pdf
[11]


Magazine articles

Main article: Pac-Mania/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: Pac-Mania/Promotional material.

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
50
[12]
ACE (UK)
85
[13]
Consoles + (FR)
65
[14]
Console XS (UK) PAL
82
[15]
Game Power (IT)
80
[16]
Games-X (UK)
50
[17]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
90
[18]
Joystick (FR) NTSC-U
82
[19]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
64
[20]
Mega Play (US) NTSC-U
50
[21]
MegaTech (UK)
70
[22]
Mean Machines (UK)
86
[23]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
86
[24]
Player One (FR)
83
[25]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
76
[26]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
82
[27]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
82
[28]
Supersonic (FR)
84
[29]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
70
[30]
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US)
70
[31]
Sega Mega Drive
74
Based on
20 reviews

Pac-Mania

Mega Drive, US
PacMania MD US Box.jpg
Cover
PacMania md us cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, EU
PacMania MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
PacMania MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Pac-Mania MD EU Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, PT

Mega Drive, SE rental (HENT black)
PacMania MD SE rental cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, AU

Master System version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
ACE (UK)
80
[9]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
65
[32]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK) PAL
84
[33]
Console XS (UK) PAL
88
[34]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
86
[35]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
80
[36]
Game Mania (UK)
90
[37]
Game Power (IT)
88
[38]
Games-X (UK)
80
[39]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
88
[40]
Joypad (FR) NTSC-U
79
[41]
Joystick (FR)
93
[42]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
75
[43]
Mean Machines (UK)
90
[44]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
90
[45]
Player One (FR)
92
[46]
Power Play (DE)
66
[47]
Raze (UK) PAL
86
[48]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
94
[49]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
75
[50]
Sega Pro (UK)
90
[51]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
88
[52]
Sega Force (UK)
92
[53]
Video Games (DE)
67
[54]
Video Games (DE)
69
[55]
Zero (UK)
90
[56]
Zzap! (IT)
92
[57]
Sega Master System
84
Based on
27 reviews

Pac-Mania

Master System, EU
PacMania SMS EU Box.jpg
Cover
PacMania SMS EU Cart.jpg
Cart
PacmaniaSMSEUManual7L.pdf
Manual
Master System, PT
PacMania SMS PT cover.jpg
Cover
Master System, BX
PacMania SMS BX Box.jpg
Cover
Master System, AU (Wide hotline sticker)
PacMania SMS AU cover.jpg
Cover
PacMania SMS AU cartback.jpgPacMania SMS AU cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, AU (Short hotline sticker)
PacMania SMS AU alt cover.jpg
Cover
PacMania SMS AU cartback.jpgPacMania SMS AU cart.jpg
Cart

Technical information

Main article: Pac-Mania/Technical information.

References

  1. File:PacMania SMS EU Box.jpg
  2. GamePro, "June 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 40
  3. Sega Pro, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-16), page 7
  4. Computer Trade Weekly, "" (UK; 1992-02-17), page 15
  5. ACE, "January 1992" (UK; 1991-12-08), page 91
  6. New Computer Express, "27th July 1991" (UK; 1991-07-25), page 50
  7. File:SouthWalesEcho UK 1991-08-03 Page 12.jpg
  8. Computer Trade Weekly, "" (UK; 1991-07-01), page 6
  9. 9.0 9.1 ACE, "May 1991" (UK; 1991-04-08), page 71
  10. Sega Power, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-02-07), page 11
  11. File:PacmaniaSMSEUManual7L.pdf, page 4
  12. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 172
  13. ACE, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-11-08), page 91
  14. Consoles +, "Novembre 1992" (FR; 1992-1x-xx), page 124
  15. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 132
  16. Game Power, "Marzo 1992" (IT; 1992-0x-xx), page 62
  17. Games-X, "16th-22nd January 1992" (UK; 1992-01-16), page 23
  18. Hobby Consolas, "Octubre 1992" (ES; 1992-xx-xx), page 134
  19. Joystick, "Janvier 1992" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 120
  20. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 93
  21. Mega Play, "July/August 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 64
  22. MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 38
  23. Mean Machines, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-11-28), page 62
  24. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 140
  25. Player One, "Mars 1992" (FR; 1992-03-10), page 67
  26. Sega Power, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-02), page 48
  27. Sega Pro, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-11-21), page 48
  28. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 66
  29. Supersonic, "Mai/Juin 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 11
  30. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 133
  31. VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "November 1991" (US; 1991-1x-xx), page 42
  32. Aktueller Software Markt, "August/September 1991" (DE; 1991-07-26), page 159
  33. The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 116
  34. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 143
  35. Computer & Video Games, "April 1991" (UK; 1991-03-16), page 60
  36. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 148
  37. Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 81
  38. Game Power, "Gennaio 1992" (IT; 199x-xx-xx), page 42
  39. Games-X, "8th-14th August 1991" (UK; 1991-08-08), page 40
  40. Hobby Consolas, "Octubre 1991" (ES; 1991-xx-xx), page 72
  41. Joypad, "Janvier 1992" (FR; 1991-12-1x), page 88
  42. Joystick, "Juin 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 138
  43. Micromanía (segunda época), "Noviembre 1991" (ES; 1991-1x-xx), page 44
  44. Mean Machines, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-03-01), page 54
  45. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 135
  46. Player One, "Juillet/Août 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 38
  47. Power Play, "5/91" (DE; 1991-04-12), page 130
  48. Raze, "August 1991" (UK; 1991-06-27), page 27
  49. Sega Power, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-02-07), page 10
  50. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 58
  51. Sega Pro, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-20), page 20
  52. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 71
  53. Sega Force, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 52
  54. Video Games, "1/91" (DE; 1991-03-27), page 77
  55. Video Games, "2/92" (DE; 1992-04-06), page 33
  56. Zero, "June 1991" (UK; 1991-0x-xx), page 70
  57. Zzap!, "Giugno 1991" (IT; 1991-xx-xx), page 55


Pac-Mania

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Pac-Man games for Sega systems
Sega Game Gear
Pac-Man (1991) | Ms. Pac-Man (1993) | Pac-Attack (1994) | Pac-In-Time (unreleased)
Sega Master System
Ms. Pac-Man (1991) | Pac-Mania (1991)
Sega Mega Drive
Ms. Pac-Man (1991) | Pac-Mania (1991) | Pac-Attack (1993) | Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures (1994) | Pac-In-Time (unreleased)
Sega Dreamcast
Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness (2000)