Game 161: Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures (1994) - Introduction

Written by Michael

This might be the most unlikely game I’ll review for the blog, and I’m the one who volunteered for it.  An adventure-ish sequel to one of the most important coin-op games of all time.  Yes, this was added to the blog with a CAP purchase during our year-ahead planning.  Will I regret this?

It’s important to start with the original, I suspect.  In 1979, a team of programmers at Namco aimed to design a game with universal appeal to both genders, since most of the games before then were based on “manly” pursuits like sports.  Simple concept for the game:  our generic character runs around the game board, eating as many dots as possible, avoiding being caught by ghosts.  Not really aimed at any specific gender or demographic, the only requirement was good reflexes.

Another fascinating history, and the source of this image.

Released in 1980, Pac-Man became a world-wide phenomenon, especially here in the states.  Each week, millions of Americans were feeding about $8 million dollars in quarters into machines at their local arcades, bars, and other hangout spots.  It became so overwhelming in some places that towns enacted laws and regulations to limit video games within their borders, blaming the noise but fearing the usual effects video games are often unfairly blamed for.

As is the case of any popular property, sequels were inevitable.  In 1981, the US distributor of Pac-Man, Midway, developed their own sequel, Ms. Pac-Man.  They didn’t actually have the licensing rights to do so, but owner Namco quickly realized how valuable the sequel was, and a deal was made to legitimize it.

No one could resist cashing in on this craze.

Many imitators would soon appear, of varying quality.  One of the best, as history tells us, is the game Jawbreaker released by On-Line Systems, the original name for adventure giant Sierra On-Line.  The story of its creation, a trademark infringement lawsuit, and the life and times of the programmer, John Harris, are an incredible read in a book I will continue to recommend until I draw my last breath: Hackers by Stephen Levy.

Many, many sequels would follow, but most, if not all of them were strictly arcade titles.  While the official history on the Pac-Man web site hasn’t been updated in nearly ten years, it still gives you an idea of just a portion of the ways the franchise was grown.  The 1994 section includes our game today, under an original Japanese nameplate.

In 1982, an animated cartoon hit the television airwaves.  This cartoon introduces some of the characters we’ll be seeing in the game at hand today.  The description from the official franchise history page is a great way to introduce this title:

A unique action game where the player doesn't directly control PAC-MAN. Instead, the player uses items such as a slingshot and Power Pellets to influence PAC-MAN to clear various stages. Each stage holds a number of puzzle elements that requires planned use of various gimmicks. Watch as PAC-MAN goes through his various mood spurts ranging from being happy to being angry as he clears the stages.

So, we’re going to have to deal with his mood swings after he eats?  Much like myself, I suppose.

A gameplay note: I chose to use the SNES version of this game, rather than the Genesis.  The reason is, had I owned a console back in the day, it likely would have been the Nintendo one, so I’m playing what I missed out on.  My personal history with consoles might resonate with a small percentage here.  When I was very young, I owned an Intellivision.  After I turned 8 or so, my grandfather got me a computer, and from that point on, my parents’ view was that “you own a computer, so why do you need a second game-playing device?”  So, I never owned any of the then-modern consoles or devices, including the NES, Sega systems, or a PlayStation.  I went on one school trip where I showed up for the bus with a book to read, but each of my classmates had a Walkman or a GameBoy instead.  It was one of the most socially isolating experiences at 13.

So, who are the stars of this game?

Starting the game, we’re treated to a screen-by-screen introduction of each character, starting with our main character above.  

She’s not bad, she’s just drawn that way.

Ms. Pac-Man is next on the list, followed by Pac-Jr, who seems to be the Bart Simpson of the family, and then Pac-Baby who has such an appetite, the ghosts avoid her.  Later, they add the power-pellet supercharged Super Pac-Man to the group.

Next are the ghosts with their original names, Inky, Blinky, Pinky, and Clyde.  Sorry, Sue, they didn’t have a role for you this time.

This isn’t smurfy.

Then, there’s an unnamed baddie that I expect will be a final boss or something.

This feels like an arcade game from top to bottom.

We start off with a playable intro, to help acclimate us to the controls.  Pac-Man is leading us around, and remarks that “My world can be tricky sometimes, so I’ll need your help finding things, getting out of trouble, and solving weird mysteries.”

We start the tutorial in front of the family home.  First thought: how many people live in homes shaped like their own heads?  (Google answer: none, really.)  We learn how to use the slingshot on the screen with some on-screen instructions.

We are given some targets to shoot at, each one causing a different action.  Shooting at the chimney cover causes it to fall off.  Shooting at the mailbox causes a letter to emerge.  Shooting at the window causes it to swing open, allowing a toy airplane to fly around.

I follow the game’s advice of shooting everything.  I can then shoot the plane, which causes it to lose altitude.  I shoot it again, and it crashes into the bush, lost for good.

I then go and pick up the mail, and I’m still not sure how I maneuvered him there, but the game showed me what button to click to look at it.  I’m not sure what it said, but it pleased him.

Off to the right of the house, there’s a small windmill, which can be shot multiple times before the blade comes off and chases our player.  Unfortunately, it strikes him and knocks him out cold.  The game then advises me to shoot at him to wake him up.

He’s pleased, and tells me so.  “Now that we’re friends, here’s an important hint: When I’m happy, I’ll pay more attention to you!”

The game then shows me some power pellets growing in the tree above us, and advises me to shoot some down to use to power our character.  Just in time, too, because then the ghosts appear.  By shooting a power pellet in front of our guy, we can get him into supercharged mode, and he dines on the tasty ghosts.

After his mid-day meal, his wife peeks her head out of the door to send us on a mission.

It seems we need to get some milk.  And the game deposits us back in front of the house.  

The game is just starting, but this post will be winding to a close.  Ready to guess the score?  Ahem... take a shot.

Some extra notes:  

First, as I started to write this post, I learned of a rather unorthodox entry in the Pac-Man canon. Huh 

Lastly, While you wait for my next post, you can still play the Google Doodle from 2010, a browser playable version of the original game to celebrate the 30th anniversary.