Pac & Pal
Encyclopedia
is an arcade game
that was released only in Japan
by Namco
in 1983. The game ran on Namco Super Pac-Man
hardware
, and the object of the game was for Pac-Man
to eat all the items before he was caught by the ghosts. Most of the items are fruits from the original Pac-Man
game
with a few new additions. Their value varies, starting with cherries at fifty points. The items had to first be unlocked by turning over cards distributed around the maze (instead of eating keys like in Super Pac-Man
). Very few units still exist, as this is possibly one of the rarest Pac-Man titles to be released.
An alternate version of this game features Chomp Chomp, Pac-Man's dog from the animated cartoon series
, in place of Miru, and the game's name is changed to Pac-Man & Chomp-Chomp.
. Later symbols included a red car from Rally-X
, a trumpet
, a snowman
, and even another Pac-Man. When Pac-Man eats these, instead of the ghosts turning blue, he turns blue, and momentarily has the power to shoot a ray, smoke, musical notes, freezing rays and little Pac-Man at the ghosts (who turn purple and sometimes blue, depending on the item used to stun them). This stuns them and yields the familiar point value of 200, 400, 800, and 1600 for each ghost shot. While ghosts are stunned, Pac-Man can pass right through them. If the stunning effect wears off before the ray-shooting ability wears off, Pac-Man can shoot the ghost again for another 1,600 points. The point values carry over when Pac-Man eats the other bonus symbol before the effect wears off.
Every few levels have a bonus round with the maze containing only cards that yield an increasing number of points, until the player flips over a card with Blinky under it. At that point, the round is over, but no lives are lost. Each level also has a simple musical background, unlike the other Pac-Man games before it.
, Namco Museum Virtual Arcade, and Namco Museum Megamix made it possible for people in the United States to be able to play it, also making the game more common.
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
that was released only in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
by Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
in 1983. The game ran on Namco Super Pac-Man
Namco Super Pac-Man
The Namco 8-bit Super Pac-Man arcade system board was first used by Namco in 1982.-Namco Super Pac-Man specifications:*Main CPU : M6809*Sound CPU : M6809*Sound Chip : Namco custom 8 channel 4-bit WSG....
hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
, and the object of the game was for Pac-Man
Pac-Man
is an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
to eat all the items before he was caught by the ghosts. Most of the items are fruits from the original Pac-Man
Pac-Man
is an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
with a few new additions. Their value varies, starting with cherries at fifty points. The items had to first be unlocked by turning over cards distributed around the maze (instead of eating keys like in Super Pac-Man
Super Pac-Man
, released in 1982 is the third installment of the Pac-Man series of arcade games and the second starring Pac-Man himself. It is also the second game to be created by series originator Namco, as Ms...
). Very few units still exist, as this is possibly one of the rarest Pac-Man titles to be released.
"Pal" character
Introduced in this game is an exclusive character: , the "Pal" of the title. She is a green female ghost (denoted by her hair bow) that looks like a gooseberry with legs. When an item is unlocked, she will wander around, giving Pac-Man some time to try to get the item. After some time, she will take it into the ghost house where it will be lost forever. This might help in clearing the level, however, and if she brings the last one there, it automatically clears the level. Due to the ability of using this advantage, it may be the reason she is called "Pal". She is not affected by the other ghosts. In order to get the maximum points from the items, Pac-Man had to eat them first, or intercept them from Miru.An alternate version of this game features Chomp Chomp, Pac-Man's dog from the animated cartoon series
Pac-Man (TV series)
Pac-Man is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera based on the video game Pac-Man by Namco, which premiered on ABC and ran from 1982 to 1983. During the first airing of the show, the large number of advertisers sponsoring it caused commercial breaks to be double their normal length...
, in place of Miru, and the game's name is changed to Pac-Man & Chomp-Chomp.
New feature
Another new feature for a Pac-Man game (besides Miru) is a shooting capability. Instead of having energizers, two of the collectible items were the level's particular bonus symbol, which line up at the bottom of the screen as each new level is reached. The first two are the flagship from GalaxianGalaxian
is an arcade game developed by Namco in 1979. It was published by Namco in Japan and was imported to North America by Midway in 1980. A fixed shooter-style game in which the player controls a spaceship at the bottom of the screen and shoots enemies descending in various directions, it was designed...
. Later symbols included a red car from Rally-X
Rally-X
Rally-X is a maze driving arcade game that was released by Namco in 1980. It runs on Namco Pac-Man hardware, and was the first Namco game to feature "Special Flags", which would become a recurring object in later games .It was the first game to ever feature a "bonus round." The object is to...
, a trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, a snowman
Snowman
A snowman is an anthropomorphic snow sculpture. They are customarily built by children as part of a family project in celebration of winter. In some cases, participants in winter festivals will build large numbers of snowmen...
, and even another Pac-Man. When Pac-Man eats these, instead of the ghosts turning blue, he turns blue, and momentarily has the power to shoot a ray, smoke, musical notes, freezing rays and little Pac-Man at the ghosts (who turn purple and sometimes blue, depending on the item used to stun them). This stuns them and yields the familiar point value of 200, 400, 800, and 1600 for each ghost shot. While ghosts are stunned, Pac-Man can pass right through them. If the stunning effect wears off before the ray-shooting ability wears off, Pac-Man can shoot the ghost again for another 1,600 points. The point values carry over when Pac-Man eats the other bonus symbol before the effect wears off.
Every few levels have a bonus round with the maze containing only cards that yield an increasing number of points, until the player flips over a card with Blinky under it. At that point, the round is over, but no lives are lost. Each level also has a simple musical background, unlike the other Pac-Man games before it.
Rarity
To many, this is known as the rarest Pac-Man title. However, games such as the Super Pac-Man plug-n-play game, Namco Museum RemixNamco Museum Remix
Namco Museum Remix is a video game compilation for the Wii, featuring a wide array of classic and updated Namco arcade games. Featured in the compilation are the original arcade versions of Cutie Q, Dig Dug, Galaxian, Gaplus, Mappy, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, Super Pac-Man and Xevious...
, Namco Museum Virtual Arcade, and Namco Museum Megamix made it possible for people in the United States to be able to play it, also making the game more common.