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Pac-Man

Pac-Man - Cabinet - Video Game Marquee

Description

A yellow, pie-shaped character named Pac-Man runs along inside a maze, eating dots as it avoids four ghosts. Each ghost has its own unique personality and gobbling one of the four super dots makes Pac-Man invincible to the ghosts for a given period of time. Each maze has its own unique bonus fruit or object with bonus points increasing as the game progresses.

Pac-Man was produced by Namco in 1980.

Namco released 310 machines in our database under this trade name, starting in 1977. Namco was based in Japan.

Other machines made by Namco during the time period Pac-Man was produced include: SOS, Puck Man, Galaxian, Cutie Q, Bomb Bee, Navarone, Galaga, King And Balloon, New Rally-X, and Tank Battalion

Specs

Name Pac-Man
Developer Namco (Japan)
Released by

Namco - Japan (1980)

Midway Games - United States (1979)

Year 1980
Type Videogame
KLOV/MOG # 10816
Class Wide Release
Genre Labyrinth / Maze
Monitor
  • Orientation: Vertical
Conversion Class Namco Galaxian
Game Specific Pac-Man Pinout
Dipswitch Settings

Pac-Man Dipswitch Settings (user contributed)

# Simultaneous Players 1
# Maximum Players 2
Game Play Alternating
Control Panel Layout Single Player
Sound Amplified Mono (one channel)
Cabinet Styles
  • Upright/Standard
  • Cocktail - 145 lbs
  • Cabaret/Mini
Bezel Pac-Man Bezel Image
Control Panel Pac-Man Control Panel Image
Side Art Pac-Man Side Art Image

Game Introduction

The four ghosts, which your character must avoid, each have a different color, name, nickname and personality. The pink ghost is Speedy, nicknamed "Pinky" he's fast. The red ghost is Shadow, nicknamed "Blinky" he's always behind you and it's hard to shake him. The light blue ghost is Bashful, nicknamed "Inky" he's terribly shy and will actually run away from you. And the orange ghost is Pokey, nicknamed "Clyde" he will try his best to get you, but he is slow.

Game Play

Pac-Man must clear the maze of all 240 dots and all four energizers to proceed to the next level of difficulty. As Pac-Man eats the dots, the ghosts chase him around the maze and if Pac-Man collides with one of the ghosts, he is a goner. He can eat one of the energizers to turn the ghosts dark blue, which make them edible for him. But after Pac-Man has eaten any of the ghosts, their eyes will return to the pen in the middle of the maze where they will each regenerate into their former selves and return to chase him again.

Occasionally, a bonus fruit or prize will temporarily appear in the middle of the maze below the ghosts' pen. Pac-Man can eat those bonus items to receive extra points. Also, there is an escape tunnel in the sides of the maze which Pac-Man can use to get away from any of the ghosts that may be pursuing him.

After the maze has been cleared of all 240 dots and all four energizers, the entire sequence will begin again with increased difficulty. Between every two, three, or four completions, there are musical, animated intermissions to amuse the player while he or she waits for the next challenge to begin. However, these intermissions are not seen anymore once the 18th board 6th key is reached.

Everything Pac-Man eats has different point values. The dots are 10 points each, the energizers are 50 points each. The dark blue ghosts are respectively 200, 400, 800 and 1600 points. There are different point values for every bonus fruit or prize that is eaten: cherries, 100 points strawberry, 300 points peach, 500 points apple, 700 points grapes, 1000 points Galaxian, 2000 points bell, 3000 points and key, 5000 points. You will also get a bonus Pac-Man at 10,000 points switch selectable...can also be 15,000 points, 20,000 points, or no bonus.

Pac-Man KLOV/IAM 5 Point User Score: 3.81 (29 votes)

Fun Factor: 3.76

Overall Like 3.89
Fun (Social) 3.52
Fun (Solo) 3.67
Collector Desire 3.61

Technical Rating: 3.95

Gameplay 4.00
Graphics 3.82
Originality 4.41
Sound/Music 3.54

Personal Impressions and Technical Impressions each account for half of the total score. Within the Personal Impressions category, Like carries a little more weight than the other factors.

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Cheats, Tricks, Bugs, and Easter Eggs

It is possible to follow a pattern on each maze that will always clear the screen without being caught by the ghosts.PIt is possible to hide forever in one place on the screen. Here is how where PacMan starts there is a Tlike wall above him. If you go up to the rightmost part of the T from the bottom without any ghosts seeing you go in, they will never enter that spot. Also, do not move stay still, facing up.

Hacks

ULLIIBrakmanI Replaces the ghosts with Braks and changes the maze. It also changes the ready text to YOWZALIIClydes RevengeI Lets you play as a ghost.LIIDizzyGhostI Lets you play as a ghost. It also changes the maze.LIIIm Going BerzerkI Chicken Eat all the dots like a robotliiMr. Pac Mani Uses the original Pac Man character while playing Ms. Pac Man.liiPacKongi Uses the original PacMan graphics in a Donkey Kong game.LIIPacMan 2600I Changes the maze and graphics to make them look more like those from the Atari 2600.LIIPopManI A six IC update that changed the main character to Popeyes head. Featured a disappearing maze and six warp tunnels. This hack could also be used in IPacMan PlusI.LIIPuckman RenaissanceI Changes the graphics to make them look better.LIISnowy Day PacManI Has a Christmas theme.LIIPikaManI Changes PacMan to Pikachus head, changes the maze, and changes the ghosts to Haunter. It also changes the Ready message to PIKACHUUL

Images

Trivia

The single most popular game of all time. The game spawned several lines of merchandise and a Saturday morning animated series on ABC that lasted two seasons from 1982 to 1984. There was even a primetime animated Christmas special called IChristmas Comes To PacLandI which was first broadcasted on ABC sometime in December 1982. Actor Marty Ingels supplied the voice for the main character in both of these animated shows and he was even given a genuine IPacManI arcade game by the people who hired him.PThe games hero was born from a pan of pizza with one slice missing, as Toru Iwatani Namco, tried to think of a character for his new game. He gazed down at the pizza, then it dawned on him ... a circle with a wedge missing for a mouth ... and so, PacMan was born.PThe game was, at first, called IPuckmanI. It was later changed due to the fact that the middle section of the P could be scratched away making the name offensive to people.PThe American rights were to go to Atari originally, but they turned them down, saying the game was too easy.PA game called PacMan World 20th Anniversary was released for the PlayStation Game Console in late 1999. In this 3D game, PacMan has to save his friends and family from TocMan a robotic PacMan from Ghost Island, whose name is Namcos original name, Namcot, spelled backwards. The friends and family are here as follows Pooka from IDig DugI, ChompChomp the Dog from IPacLandI, Professor Pac from IProfessor PacManI, Baby Pac from IBaby PacManI and IPacLandI, Junior Pac from IJr. PacManI and IPacLandI, and Ms. PacMan from IMs. PacManI and IPacLandI. PacMan has learned some new moves to save his family like swimming, revving and more. This release also contains the original PacMan game.

Cabinet Information

These cabinets will sometimes be speckled with pink or blue paint on top of the yellow coat. Also because of its high popularity, most cabinets tend to have wear marks where players would rest the hand they were not using to control the game. The plastic edging on the cabinets was originally orange. The sides show PacMan trying to run away from a ghost with his mouth wide open. The kickpanel displays the same artwork.

Conversion

This can be converted to IPacMan PlusI, IMs. PacManI, or IJr. PacManI by switching the marquee, control panel overlay, monitor bezel, kickpanel art if necessary, and PCB.

Miscellaneous

LICENSOR NamcoBRSPINOFF IKick ManI PacMan and the ghosts appear in this gameBRWWW httpwww.emuunlim.comdoteatersplay2sta4.htm

VAPS Arcade/Coin-Op Pac-Man Census

There are 15,343 members of the Video Arcade Preservation Society / Vintage Arcade Preservation Society, 9,702 whom participate in our arcade census project of games owned, wanted, or for sale. Census data currently includes 167,309 machines (7,016 unique titles).

Very Common - There are 1,380 known instances of this machine owned by Pac-Man collectors who are active members. Of these, 1,140 of them are original dedicated machines. 35 of them are conversions in which game circuit boards (and possibly cabinet graphics) have been placed in (and on) another game cabinet. 194 of them are only circuit boards which a collector could put into a generic case if desired.

For Sale - There are 47 active VAPS members with a Pac-Man machines for sale. There are 9 active VAPS members with a Pac-Man circuit boards for sale.

Wanted - Very Popular - There are 51 active VAPS members currently looking for Pac-Man. There is one active VAPS member looking for a Pac-Man circuit board set.

This game ranks a 99 on a scale out of 100 (100 = most often seen, 1=least common) in popularity based on census ownership records.

This game ranks a 75 on a scale out of 100 (100 = most often seen, 1=least common) in popularity based on census want list records.

Rarity and Popularity independently are not necessarily indications of value. [More Information]

Flyers

Technical

The game uses a Z80 microprocessor and a Namco 3channel PSG for sounds. Troubleshooting manuals can be found at httpwww.erinet.comjamesmtechtech.htm. The Pacman SUPER ABC kit replaces the chips at 6E

Legacy

  1. Pac-Man
  2. Ms. Pac-Man
  3. Super Pac-Man
  4. Pac-Man Plus
  5. Baby Pac-Man
  6. Jr. Pac-Man
  7. Pac & Pal
  8. Pac-Land
  9. Pac-Mania
  10. Pac-Man V R

Manuals

Foto-Finder® (Books)

  1. Arcade 1 Historical Guide to Arcade Machines Vol. 1 Bueschel (ISBN 086667-051-3) Page: 300; Black and white photo
  2. Arcade Treasures Kurtz (ISBN 088740619X) Page: 108; Color photo
  3. The Encyclopedia of Arcade Video Games Kurtz (ISBN 0764319256) Page: 97; Color photo Price guide: No
  4. Arcade Fever Sellers (ISBN 0762409371) Page: 56; Color photo
  5. Encyclopedia of Arcade Video Games Kurtz (ISBN 0764319256) Page: 97; Color photo

Additional References (logged in members often see more)

  1. 3D Model (External): Caberet (ffa641f6-4a56-4f7c-9440-a6d21973f2ae)
  2. 3D Model (External): Upright (Caberet) (81d2e6eb0768c15110145cc1b33dac39)
  3. 3D Model (External): Upright (4654dd563b37d3e215000ab5e56184f5)
  4. 3D Model (External): Cocktail (7e2f642512d4ca52b832a6a1caceb543)

Arcade Map - Play This Game

Our members have reported that Pac-Man is playable at 5 locations:

Name Location State Country Details Check-ins
8-Bit Beans 100 Brock St South, Whitby Ontario Canada Unknown 0
Arcade Monsters - San Diego 704 J St., San Diego California United States Arcade 1
Sting Rays Bar And Grill 3112 East State Road 60, Valrico Florida United States Unknown 0
The Very Best Arcade (The Very Best Weiner Shop) 252 E High St, Pottstown Pennsylvania United States Arcade 1
Upstate Pinball & Arcade Museum 109A West Trade St, Simpsonville South Carolina United States Arcade 2

eBay Listings

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PAC-MAN Numskull Quarter Arcade Machine 1/4 Scale Hardly Used

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PAC-MAN Micro Arcade Game Pocket-Sized Series 1 USB Rechargeable F2A

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Retro Pac-Man Tabletop Arcade Video Game

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Arcade1Up Pac-Man 1 Player Countercade

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Vintage 1982 Bally Midway Ms. Pac Man Glass Tumbler

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Pac-Man Vintage Mugs 1980 Midway Set Of 2

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Auction Results

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Auctions Recap

Year Count Median $ Average $
2018 3 885.00 865.33
All Years 3 885.00 865.33

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