Pac-Mania (Arcade)

Pac-Mania
Developer: Namco Publishers: Namco (JP), Atari Games (US) Platform: Arcade (Namco System 1) Released in JP: November 30, 1987 Released in US: December 1987 Released in EU: December 1987 This game has unused graphics. This game has regional differences.

Pac-Mania is yet another Pac-Man arcade game. It differs from the others by the ability to jump and the possibility of up to 11 ghosts in a level (some of whom can also jump).

Unused Graphics

Title Screen

Some larger sizes of the Pac-Man head seen on the title screen in the international version. While the third one has its own "highlight" graphic (as the full sprite is made by layering two separate ones together), it's just a duplicate of one of the smaller ones and does not properly fit.

Some differently-sized sprites for the Ghosts from the title screen in the international version and the Jungly Steps intermission screen in all versions. Different sizes of the Ghost are used compared to the equivalent Pac-Man graphic.

High-Score Screen

Unused graphics for the Pac-Land-based Pac-Man seen on the high-score screen in the international version of the game.

Some Ghost eye graphics, taken directly from Pac-Land. These appear to be placeholders for the shaded ones.

In-Game

A HUD icon for the Galaxian special item. Since, unlike the original Pac-Man, it is NOT a regular fruit, this goes unused.

Regional Differences

The Japanese version appears to be an earlier build, and contain several differences from the international version. Most modern re-releases of the game are based on the Japanese version.

General

• The title screen does not have the Pac-Man and Ghost sprites. Their sprites are in the ROM, but not used. All other unused graphics from international versions can also be found in the Japanese version.
• The Japanese version lacks a high score table, and because of this, it only saves one high score.
• Block Town, the first world, has 2 levels in the Japanese version. It is reduced to 1 level in international versions. Similarly, the other levels in the first loop all have 3 levels in the Japanese version and 2 in international versions.
• The default high-score in the Japanese version is 50000, while in the international version it is twice the amount, 100000.
• After losing all lives, the international version slowly darkens the background in the Game Over screen. The Japanese version doesn't do this and the background stays at a sepia tone.
• The Continue and Level Select options cannot be enabled at the same time. Instead of offering them as two separated options, the Japanese version combines them to a single option named "Play Mode" with three possible choices:
  • CONTINUE: Enables continues. The game always starts from Round 1.
  • SELECT: Enables Level Select and disables continues.
  • RETRY 1ST: Disables both features.
• International versions have an auto data sampling feature that keeps track of play time, number of deaths in each level, and number of times a game over has occurred in each level. It is reached by holding the Service Coin Switch and turning off the Test Switch while in the Test Menu (Hold 9 then push F2 on MAME). This feature doesn't exist in the Japanese version.

Level Select

• To enter the Level Select, the player must hold the Jump button and push their Start button in the title screen.

Japan	International

• Jungly Steps (the final world) can be selected in the Japanese version's Level Select screen.
• International version instructs the player to push the "Bounce Button" to start the game. Japanese version just says "Button".
• International version gives bonus points for selecting later levels and beating it (Courage Bonus).
• Pacman's Park's difficulty is labeled "Middle" in the Japanese version.
• Because of the aforementioned level removal, each world starts from a different round number.

Audio

To do: Is FM #0D used? It plays the tunes from the second part of #0C.

• The name entry music (FM number 0C and 0D) doesn't exist in the Japanese version. If you attempt to play them in the Sound Test, the "Game Start" jingle is played instead.
• The main instrument playing in Block Town music has vibrato when playing longer notes, while it does not in the international version. Also, there are many differences in the stereo alignment of all instruments compared to the international version.

Japan	International

Intermissions

There are some differences in the text between both versions. Here are a few:

Intermission Text	Japanese	International
Block Town (game start)	Welcome to the Pacman world. Let's have fun with Pacman. Now, let's go to Block Town.	Welcome to Pacman's world. Let's have fun with Pacman. Let's go to Block Town.
Pac-Man's Park	Welcome to Pacman's park. Now, ladies and gentlemen! This is the Pacman theater.	Welcome to Pacman's park. Ladies and gentlemen, it's the Pacman theater!
Sandbox Land	Commons are playing outside. Be careful! Ware the jumping monsters.	Funkys at play. Be careful! Beware of jumping monsters!
Jungly Steps	Next we go to Jungly Steps. You better watch out or… Anyway, the show must go on!	Let's go to jungly steps. You better watch out… Anyway, the show must go on!

It's worth noting that the ghosts Funky (green) and Spunky (gray) are known as a Common and gray Common, respectively. Some ports based on the Japanese version have the text in Sandbox Land's intermission corrected to "Beware of jumping monsters."

Ending

Japan	International

• In the ending screen, the Japanese version shows an endless stream of blue blobs, several shadows of Ghosts, a few numbers, and finally a few Pacman shapes. This is most likely a mistake, and it is fixed to display the actual credits in the international version.

• At the end of the credits, the international version shows a game over message, whereas the Japanese version takes you back to the attract screen.

(Source: arcade-museum.com)