Pac-Man Review
Game by Namco
Review by The Avardancer
Size: 512 Kilobits
Save: None.
Released: 1991
Works with: Any version of Gameboy; EXCEPT Gameboy Color!

Opening Snide Remarks: Pac-Man, the mere mention of this game brings back
memories for the hardcore gamers, and almost EVERYONE has played Pac-Man.
(Well, except for Mr. Fungi, who lives under the rock in my yard.) A little
known fact about Pac-Man is that his Japanese name was Puck-Man. But Namco
changed it when they realised that sick college kids could scrap out parts
of the letter "P" to make it into an "F". (Do I need to paint you a picture
here?)

I have noticed a sad error in Gameboy Color. Gameboy Color can not seem to
recognize the sound in this game. The sound will buzz and then quit. This has
happened on every Gameboy Color I have tried it on. It also seems to do the
same thing with every Pac-Man game pak I try out. Eek!

Gameplay: Eat pellets, avoid ghosts. Eat super pellet, eat ghosts. Get a
bunch of points, score a lot. (It's like dating. Eat or be eaten.) Get an
obscenely high score, brag to friends. Friends call you a game nerd, beat
thier teeth in. Aww. It's the 1980's all over again. This game plays quick.

Graphics: There's an updated, zoomed in version and a fullscreen 1/2 version.
There are funny cut scenes after certain levels. To access the Full-Screen,
push right on the main screen and a little block with "1/2" in it will 
appear. Cool, isn't it. This game doesn't use Super Gameboy features; but
a smart cookie like you can find color pallettes that make it look just like
the arcade.

Sound: There's that sound you make when you eat the pellets, or get eaten.
Waka. Waka. Waka. Just like the arcade. But, if you pop this pak in to a
Gameboy Color; you get a few weak buzzes and then silence. That's sad....

Music: Just like the arcade. That strange wee-oop noise will drive you nuts.
But you won't care.

Play Control: Pac-Man basically wrote the book on play control ease. Good,
responsive, perfect.

Final Analysis: You can not call yourself a hardcore gamer with out owning
a copy of Pac-Man. Pick up this game. It's a great retro title, and a great
cure for all those new flashy, shallow games that are all the rage. FF8? No,
thanks. Just hand me a copy of Pac-Man and I'm okay. And this game has 
maximum replay value! Though I'm surprised by how relentless those 
ghosts really are. I know that I can never win; but I love tempting death.
You can learn a lot from Pac-Man. Do it all now, because that ghost may be
around the corner waiting to bite you.

Here is another thing you can learn from Pac-Man; sometimes new technology is
bad. Yes, this little guy does NOT want you to play his game on Gameboy
Color.


Score
Gameplay: *****
Graphics: ****
Sound: ****
Music: **
Play Control: *****
Total Score: 20 out of 25

Final Score: 80%

Currently Known Codes:

Normal Mode: Just push right on the title screen and a little box with a 1/2
sign shows up. Now, just press start!