Page 32 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #8

Originally released in Japan in 1984, Pac-Man for the NES is so nice, they published it thrice. Twice
on the NES due to a licensing issue and once on Game Boy Advance for reasons unknown, since the
superior Pac-Man Collection was already available on the handheld.

The NES version is a competent version of the arcade original with some notable differences. To
preserve the coin-op's aspect ratio, the developers compressed the maze (188 dots to the original's
240), and both the score and fruit level appear within the right margin.

Pac-Man also looks rather large for the maze, and the sound effects are off, especially after eating an
energizer. On the bright side, there's no "kill screen," so you can keep playing to your heart's
content, or until your thumb gives out, whichever comes first. As part of the "Classic NES" series for
Game Boy Advance (2004), the developers added battery backup to save high scores.

The 8-bit handheld's monochromatic display means you can't identify the ghosts by color, so you
can't easily distinguish speedy Blinky from bashful Inky if you're in a pinch. Gameplay involves
guiding Pac-Man through a scrolling maze, giving you a close-up view of the action as you gobble up
dots. The layout is identical to the NES version's, which means there are less things to consume than
in the arcade original. Gameplay is otherwise strong, and the controls are fine as well. The lack of
battery backup means you can't save high scores, however.

Vibrant color, great sound effects, and a choice to play on either a scrolling maze, which moves up
and down, or one that shows the entire layout on a fixed screen. The maze is identical to the one
used in the NES version, with 188 dots to consume along with four energizers. Overall, a great
handheld port that would later be eclipsed by the Neo Geo Pocket Color's version.

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