DESCRIPTION

Pac-Man for the NeoGeo Pocket Color is an adaptation of Namco's 1980 blockbuster coin-op game of the same name. As in the original, the object is to guide a yellow pie-shaped character through a maze filled with dots — all while avoiding four ghosts. As Pac-Man moves around the maze, he automatically opens and closes his mouth to consume the dots; clear the screen and play will resume on a new maze with faster ghosts.

The four ghosts are identified by color and each possesses unique traits: the red Blinky is the fastest of the bunch; female Pinky likes to ambush Pac-Man; blue Inky wanders around aimlessly; and orange Clyde always follows Pac-Man whenever he can. If any of the ghosts should catch up with Pac-Man, or if the yellow one should accidentally run into a ghost, the player will lose one of three lives. To make things a little easier, each maze features a Warp Tunnel that allows Pac-Man to exit from one side of the maze so he can reappear on the opposite side.

Pac-Man can also turn the tables and munch on the ghosts for a short time after gobbling one of the four Power Pellets located in each corner of the maze. For every ghost eaten in succession, you will earn from 200 to 1,600 points, and bonuses can be earned by snacking on one of five fruits found on each stage: cherry, strawberry, orange, apple and melon. Since every 10,000 points gives you an extra Pac-Man, it pays to keep munching away as you advance through the mazes!

Two options are available for NeoGeo Pocket Color owners: playing the game using a scrolling maze or from a fixed-screen maze. If a scrolling maze is selected, Pac-Man will appear larger on a portion of the maze as it scrolls up, down, left or right depending on the direction chosen. For the Arcade purists out there, the full screen option will allow you to play the game as it was originally designed: the entire maze is displayed on one screen. No matter which option you decide on, expect to see the original "Coffee Break" intermission in between mazes! ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide