eT) The Book that Gives You All a Tr ree or hl oe ee Need to Challenge the World’s Most Popular Computer Game! a ee) aBY THE EDITORS OF CONSUMER GUIDE Pia PENGUIN BOOKS Penguin Books Ltd, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England Penguin Books. 625 Madison Avenue. New York, New York 10022, U.S.A. Penguin Books Australia Ltd, Ringwood, Victoria, Australia Penguin Books Canada Ltd, 2801 John Street, Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 1B4 Penguin Books (N.Z.) Ltd, 182-190 Wairau Road, Auckland 10, New Zealand Published in Penguin Books 1982 Copyright © Publications Intemational. Ltd. 1982 All rights reserved Made and printed in Great Britain by Fakenham Press Ltd. Fakenham, Norfolk Set in Avant Garde Except in the United States of America. this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publishers prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is Published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed ‘on the subsequent purchaser(cE ES Introduction. . 0.6... 6c cece eee eee eee 3 Tip One: Elements of the Game..........-.0+0eeee eee eee 6 Tip Two: The Cherry Pattern... 2.0.0.0 e cece eee eee eee 8 Tip Three: The Mid-Fruit Pattern... 6.6... eee eee eee 40 Tip Four: The Apple Pattern. ........ 0... c eee ee eee e ee 12 Tip Five: The Ninth-Key Pattern...........-2 0s eee e eee eee 14 Tip Six: Pattern Variations.......... 0.066 c eee eee eee 16 Tip Seven: The Hiding Place. ......... 6.6 cece eee eee eee 18 Tip Eight: The Tunnel.......6. 0.0 c eee eee eee 20 Tip Nine: Fake-Outs. 2.00.6... 6c cece eee es 22 Tip Ten: FIUS:. ce 2c cee cot eew crews ons SMES MEER HES Me Ras 24 Tip Eleven: Don't Eat the Last Dot........... 600. e eee ee eee 26 Ms. Pac-Man. .......... 00. c eee eee eee eee ee 28 Atari Pac-Man. ......0 00. e cece eee eee ee 30 Mr. & Mrs. Pac-Man.......... 60 ee eee eee ee 32 2HOW TO WIN AT PAC-MAN will teach you everything you need to know about the magnificent video game called Pac-Man. Our experts have been pumping numerous quarters into numerous Pac-Man machines throughout the country, testing all kinds of methods to help you build your Pac-Man score. Our research has led us to one overwhelming conclusion: Pac-Man is, without a doubt, one of the most ingenious, thoroughly enjoyable games ever introduced to any public anywhere. If you play the game regularly, you already know that. If you're just starting to hone your Pac-Man skills, start reading, and get yourself involved ina national addiction. Pac-Man is to video games what the Duesenberg SJ isto auto- mobiles or the Queen Anne chair to furniture: an undeniable classic. We use the word “classic” carefully, but it’s the only word applicable to Pac-Man's ingenious design. A classic book can be read over and over again—each time with new under- standing and increased enjoyment. The same is true with Pac- Man. It is impossible to Introduction exhaust its infinite de- lights and possibilities. HOW TO WIN AT PAC- MAN is more than an introduction to the game. It is a book that explains and helps you to understand the intimate nature of Pac-Man. We'll tell you how to use your own individual talents, how to design your personal Pac-Man strategy for maximum Point potential. After reading this book and putting its tips and advice to work at the arcades, you will become, without a doubt, your own Pac-Man hero—a consistently high scorer. Since its development in 1980, 250,000 Pac-Man machines have appeared all over the world. That's a quarter of a million machines! And 95,000 of those are in the United States. In fact, two or three of those machines are probably sitting within walk- ing distance of your home, right now. After reading this book, you should get out of your chair and pump a shiny new quarter into the closest machine. Then put our advice to work. The basics of Pac-Man are simple. You control one joystick that moves the Pac-Man through a maze-—left or right, up or down. The trick is learning standard patterns to guide this Pac-Man through that maze. We offer you four authoritative, meticulously researched and tested patterns that can be (pe 3learned and put to work in a matter of days. These patterns will undoubtedly give you high scores. But you may eventually discover variations in the patterns that work better for you. And that’s what Pac-Man’s all about! Learn to personalize your pattern, give it your mark. The object of the game is, simply, to score as many points as you can. Eating the small dots inthe maze gives you the minimum number of points: 10 points per dot. Big points come when you eat the energizers—the big flashing dots near each corner of the maze—and then kill the fleeing blue monsters. Each energizer is worth 50 points. The points for the monsters double as you eat them during a single blue phase. The first monster is worth 200 points, the second 400, the third 800, and the fourth 1600. During the first three or four screens of play, it’s fairly easy to kill all four monsters with each energizer—for a total of 3000 points. It you kill four monsters at each corner and eat up all the small dots (240 of them), you gather 14,600 points for each screen. If you gobble up a few fruits on each screen, you add their values to the total. The first fruits—cherries—give small bonus points (100 each). Each screen you play gives you different fruits with increasing point values (strawberry, 300, and peaches, 500, for example). You eventually get to high screens where there’s no fruit at all, but bonus thunderbirds, bells, and keys (worth 2000, 3000, and 5000 points, respectively). It's a good thing the bonus fruits and prizes are worth more during the later screens, because it becomes harder and harder to eat all four monsters with each energizer. Eventually, you must be satisfied with eating only one—or maybe two— monsters per energizer. That’s because the monsters stay blue for such a short period of time as the game progresses. Once they return to their original colors, they'll kill you. Every bona fide Pac-Man hero develops a love-hate relation- ship with the monsters. You've got to kill them for points—and they can kill you—so you hate them. But the monsters are so darn lovable—each with its own personality—that you can't help but feel some affection for them. A formal introduction is in order. Meet the red monster Shadow, nicknamed “Blinky.” He's the slyest of the monsters. He always seems to be on your trail (like a shadow). His buddy, the pink monster Speedy (nickname: “Pinky’), is the fastest of SS SS ES ES 4Se the four monsters. Though not as sly as Shadow, he can actually outrun you, unlike the other monsters. The light blue monster is Bashful, and is nicknamed “Inky.” Bashful is the darling of the monsters. He is so shy that he will actually run away from you if confronted. Some of us have at times actually run through Bashful without injury. We're not quite sure why. The orange monster is Pokey, nicknamed “Clyde.” He's an ambitious little monster—always willing to attack you—but he’s quite slow. You can usually outrun him. Getting to know the monsters, their personalities and reactions, is one of the most important aspects of good Pac-Man strategy. In fact, with so many “bootleg” computer chips in existence (components not made by Midway), the patterns in this book may not work on your local machine. Your only choice then is to fall back on those original Pac-Man skills, to plan your move- ments by expert knowledge of the monsters’ movements. Two popular Pac-Man offshoots are Ms. Pac-Man (in the arcades) and Atari Pac-Man (for your television). Tips and strat- egies on how to approach these games are given at the back of the book. Each of these games alters the basic Pac-Man concept in ingenious ways. Those alterations offer the tried- and-true Pac-Maniacs a few novel ways to demonstrate their dynamic skills. The final page of this book introduces you to the newest innovation in Pinball design: Mr. and Mrs. Pac-Man. This exciting machine is just now making its way into the local arcades. Start reading the following pages and begin a new chapter in your Pac-Man development. Maybe take a few days with this book by yourself and improve your game. Then challenge your friends—or your enemies—to a game. You'll amaze them with your daring and skill. Happy Pac-ing! Aa AA €Pac-Man is a game with five basic parts. Get to know these parts before attempting high strategy. Once you master the mechanics of the game, the real fun—and the high scores— will begin. A. Pac-Man (alias The Pac, Jaws, Yellow Man, and Critter). Never hesitate moving the Pac-Man. Hesitation can be a more formidable enemy than the monsters. Courage is one of four ways to stop hesitation. The other three are practice, practice, and practice. You'll probably experience those painful Pac- Man ailments: Pac-Man elbow and Pac-Man blisters. They're but the price you pay for victory. B. Monsters (alias Ghosts, Zombies, Tip One: and Screw-Eyes). Learn the person- ality of each monster. Speedy, nick- Elements of named “Pinky,” is pink, and he’s fast. The red Shadow, nicknamed “Blinky,” the Game is always behind you; it’s hard to shake him. The light blue Bashful, nicknamed “Inky,” is terribly shy and will actually run away from you. The orange Pokey, nicknamed “Clyde,” will try his best to get you, but he’s slow. C. Energizers (alias Power Points, Killer Pills, Fuel Tanks, and Vitamins). Make sure at least three monsters are following you before eating an energizer. You only have four energizers per screen—use them sparingly for maximum point potential. The energizers are to Pac-Man what spinach is to Popeye. They make the Pac-Man powerful enough to kill monsters. D. The Tunnel (alias The Tube, The Time Warp, and The Scoot). The monsters always go slower through the tunnel than the Pac- Man. Use this to your advantage: lure the monsters behind you through the tunnel. This is the best way to get the monsters off your tail. It buys you time. E. Fruits (alias Big Points, Point Pickers, and Weiners). Fruit makes for big bonus points. Try your best to get the fruit, but remember: the monsters know you want that fruit. Lure the monsters away. The speed of the game varies with the fruit showing. The progression from slowest to fastest is: cherries, strawberry, peaches, apples, grapes, thunderbirds, bells, and keys.‘UP HAIGH SCORE 2uP . 000 se 8] 8) a8]It is best to move the Pac-Man by logical and repeatable patterns in order to achieve the highest scores. The Cherry Pattern is the first of three patterns. If these patterns are followed closely, the Pac-Man will safely outwit the monsters. All the other patterns build on the basic Cherry Pattern just like most poker games build on five-card draw. Everything moves slowly in this pattern; monsters stay blue longer after the Pac-Man has eaten an energizer than they will in subsequent patterns. Once you memorize the pattern, you'll be able to relax (many people are Tip Two: seen yawning during the first screen). The toughest part of learning to follow The Cherry a pattern is moving the Pac-Man with- out hesitation. Certain situations may Pattern look like certain death. Be brave. If you run the Pac-Man full throttle around the corners, you'll outsmart the monsters. } oe A. Make absolutely sure to clear the entire bottom row of dots. There's no danger if you do this quickly at the start. If you miss one dot and have to return, you'll mess up the pattern. The Pac-Man is more vulner- able on the bottom row than any other area on the board. The monsters could conceivably block the four entrances and attack. It’s a dangerous place. Beware! B. Three monsters are going to be coming at you here. Don't hesitate. Be courageous. Make this corner as quickly as possible. If you hesitate, prepare to meet your fate. C. Eat this energizer. Then kill the three monsters running from you. The fourth monster, worth 1600 points, will be heading toward the bottom of the screen. Chase him and kill him while he's still blue. D. This is the least predictable part of the pattern. At this point, you're on your own—with a few tips to go by. Two or three monsters will be following you. If they continue to follow you, eat the top right energizer and kill the monsters. If the monsters stop following you and retreat, clear as many dots on the top of the screen as possible and head for the energizer on the top left. The monsters will eventually catch up to you there. Eat the energizer and kill the monsters. ee 8b\UP HIGHSCORE 2UP sls) Oe |e 118) aThe pace speeds up with the second “Mid-Fruit" Pattern. This pattern works for the next three screens. The first will have a strawberry; the second and third will have peaches. The mon- sters don't stay blue as long as they did in the first pattern. Point values for the fruits are up. The tunnel becomes more effective in this fast-paced game because it slows these monsters down. A. Clear the bottom row of all dots as in the first pattern, but retrace your steps quickly before the blue monster attacks. Follow the pattern indication at the bottom right. Tip Three: B. Again, turning this corner is critical. Do not hesitate. The The Mid-Fr. uit monsters are charging faster than in Pattern One. If you slip, Patter. n you're dead. If you're quick, you'll give them the slip. C. Eat this energizer and kill the three monsters. One of them will try to escape through the tunnel. Don't let him. Grab him before the tunnel and then go to the bottom and grab the fourth—1600-point—monster while he's blue. D. You're on your own again. The play will be the same here as in Pattern One. If the monsters keep after you, eat the top right energizer and kill them. If the monsters retreat, eat the dots on the top of the screen and make your way toward the top left energizer. You can meet the monsters there. Pokey “We were all speeding up in the pattern trying to scare the Pac-Man. | could tell his blood pressure was rising when he ate the first energizer and we all turned blue. | made a quick run for the tunnel and he came after me, but | got away. His whole pattern was messed up and he got confused and made mistakes. And they call me Pokey!” 10tUP HIGH SCORE 2uUP ss |0 ee re 1 OB So |8)The Apple Pattern is the third and final Pac-Man pattern. If followed faithfully— and without hesitation—you'll successfully gobble up most of the dots before any monsters are eaten. What remains after the pattern is completed are the four ener- gized corners. Play these corners individually for maximum point potential and downright fun. Remember: The post-apple screens are fast-paced and the monsters don't stay blue for very long. You may be able to eat only one—or perhaps two—monsters after they've turned blue. Don't get too greedy. Fruits play a big role in these Tip Four: final screens. Our Apple Pattern The A pple enables you to easily swallow two big- point fruits per screen. Pattern A. Unlike the previous two patterns, you clear only half the bottom row of dots, and then move up as diagramed. B. Although you have already eaten the dots in this area, make sure to guide your Pac-Man all the way down to the joint of this block. Then double back. This decoy will make the monsters slip right past you. When the coast is clear, you can resume the pattern. C. Two stray dots will remain at this spot. Quickly—and we mean quickly—snap up these dots, reverse, and continue up. If you've lagged previously in the pattern, you may not be able to snatch the dots. If you can do it, do it. It will leave a super-clean board. D. If a monster is charging from your right at this point, hesitate, and let the monster scoot under you. That monster will then devise his own path toward and through the tunnel. Follow him, but not too closely. If you overtake him, you're dead. If no monster is approaching, simply continue the pattern as shown. E. Go through the tunnel. At this point, 80 percent of the screen will be cleared of dots. The only remaining dots are conve- niently positioned around the energizers in the corners. Play each corner individually. Eat the dots around the energizer, shake the joystick to lure monsters toward your trap, eat the energizer, and kill at least one blue monster. Don't get too greedy. Some screens may let the monsters stay blue longer than others. Feel this out and plan your offense accordingly. 12UP HIGHSCORE 2UP es (=2 [0 = 180 S18ES Getting to the ninth key is only half the battle. For you to become a true Pac-Man Superstar, you must be able to consistently progress pass the ninth key—and that means into the hundreds- of-thousands-of-points range. If you've been looking long and hard for a ninth-key pattern, look no longer. You've found the most amazing ninth-key pattern right here on this page. Remember: Monsters do not turn blue at this stage. And your Pac-Man moves slower than in previous screens. Never attempt to kill a monster. All of your points will total from the keys, dots, and energizers. A. If your timing is proper, the light blue monster will lightly ore ea “Sotto er The Ninth Ke isis @ go6d indicat t Pattern yateignontese B. The red and pink monsters will be coming out of the left tunnel as you approach this energizer. Once you gobble the energizer, they'll retreat through the tunnel. This will give you enough time to continue the pattern. C. The light blue monster will approach the last dot from below as Pac-Man approaches it from above. If a quick jerk of the joystick doesn't scare him off, you can loop around the block and grab the dot from below.After Pac-Man developed a dedicated audience in the arcades—and people started scoring lots of points—Midway Manufacturing Company introduced a new Pac-Man machine. This new machine looks the same from the outside, but holds devious little tricks on the inside. The original patterns don't work. After the initial shock, it became evident that Midway had simply switched the order of the patterns. Because both versions of the game are available, it's imperative to know which machine you're playing when you i ir start. By following the diagrams to the Tip SIX: right, you should be able to determine Pattern which type of machine you're playing oe in a matter of seconds. A. If the light blue monster (Bashful) Variations remains in the monster pen as shown in diagram A, you're on a 1-2-5 machine. This means the Cherry Pattern is used during the first screen; the Mid-Fruit Pattern on screens 2, 3, and 4; and the Apple Pattern from screen 5 until your arm falls off. B.If Bashful leaves the monster pen, and goes stair-step fashion down to the bottom right-hand corner, as shown in diagram B, forget the Cherry Pattern and start the game with the Mid-Fruit Pattern. The entire machine will follow a 1-3 design, where the Mid-Fruit Pattern is used on screens 41 and 2, and the Apple Pattern is used from screen 3 until they pullthe plug on you. C. If Bashful doesn't behave as shown in either A or B above, you're on a variant machine. A serviceman may have put ina few new monster computer chips to alter the patterns, or you may be playing on a “bootleg” Pac-Man machine—something not made by Midway. You can try to devise your own original patterns for.these machines, but by the time they start working for you, the arcade may change the formula again. Our advice: Frequent a video arcade that doesn't change the Pac-Man programs from the true, classic patterns. We have tested our patterns on machines across the country, from New York to Chicago to San Francisco. We have come across only one machine that didn't respond properly to our patterns. We believe that only the classic Pac-Man machines will allow you to truly hone your Pac-Man skills. ered 16ila HIGH SCORE avg sein 18) WS900 yaa}Whether or not Midway intended it, there's a secret hiding place in the Pac-Man maze. This magical spot will keep you safe from all monsters for as long as you want, but only during the Cherry and Mid-Fruit Patterns. It does not work during the Apple Pattern. Suppose you get a phone call in the middle of a a Tip Seven: game. You don't have to «de waste coins destined for The Hiding Pac-Man to call anyone Place back. You simply slip into the hiding place, answer your phone call, and then resume your game. It's also a good spot when you're tired or frantic: take some time to massage your arm, to go get a snack, or to simply heave a heavy sigh of relief. A. Enter the hiding place only when the monsters are looking in other directions. Be as cautious as Clark Kent entering the phone booth. Like most hiding places, if you're seen entering, youll surely be found. B. Once you're in the hiding place, the monsters will begin darting frantically around the maze trying to find you. Confu- sion will force them into repetitive patterns —like hamsters on a wheel. We stayed in the hiding place for ten minutes; it would probably keep you safe forever. SOHSHHHOEEHCOOETEOEEOSELELEOSEOOEOE Shadow ‘| didn't know what to make of it, that little yellow guy seemed to have dis- appeared from the face of the screen. Then all of a sudden | sensed a movement—that critter shaking in his hidey-hole. It was none of my buddies so it had to be him. Yellow Man thought he was invisible so | just charged right at him. He had no time to bolt. He wasn't even moving when | nailed him. After the game, us monsters decided that the dumb player must've bumped the joystick while Pac-Man was hiding. Other- wise, we would never have known he was there."tS a Sak) 00) 0 8 += )8/8//8) Ws9Q00 Erie)The tunnel becomes most effective after the Apple Pattern, when the pace of the game is fastest. It's useful in two important situa- tions: when you want to escape the monsters, and when you want a short-cut to the opposite side of the board. The monsters always move slower through the tunnel than the Pac-Man does. Use this to your advantage. The best way to do this is to lure them into the tunnel, slow them down, and Ns . gobble up as many dots on your way Tip Eight: out as you can while the monsters are The Tunnel still coming through the tunnel A. Lure the monsters behind you through the tunnel. This can be done by jiggling the joystick and waiting for them to follow. Or you may be in a situation where they're all upon you, closing in for the kill. Don't panic; just scoot through the tunnel. B. The monsters move through the tunnel slower than the Pac- Man. You'll get a good jump on them. Wolf down some dots while they're caught in the time warp. C. If you have energizers left on the exit side of the tunnel, go for the nearest one, and then ambush the weary blue monsters as they exit the tunnel. The four of them may be like sitting ducks. The ambush only works when the monsters stay blue for a long period of time, however. Otherwise, they'll turn the tables on you and make your little trick fatal. If the monsters are turning back to their natural colors fast, be content with the extra time you get to eat up dots. Bashful “Pac-Man was luring us all toward him, but | was kind of tired and stayed behind. All the others were so excited and making so much noise that | slipped into the tunnel for some peace and quiet. | didn't know that Pac-Man wasluring them into the tunnel on the other side! met him head- on and he died. It scared me, but not to death. Maybe next time | won't be so bashful.” 20(Yan a) Slane 00g aol iots}=0 10 Mumm te 1018) 8) Sy=l8) \UP HIGHSCORE UP [ois tate ON = 101812) 320 7Fake-outs are the hallmark of good Pac-Man strategy. Although there are ingenious individual techniques (see the Testimonials on p. 32), all fake-outs build on two basic concepts: Misdirec- tion and The Lure. Once these concepts become second nature, you'll discover your own per- i FT sonal variations on the themes. And Tip Nine: that’s what Pac-Man's all about. Fake-Outs A Misdirection. Make the monsters think you're doing something you're not. In diagram A, the Pac-Man must escape the approaching monster in order to consume the top right energizer. By hooking around the block as shown, all the monsters believe the Pac-Man is going left, and they readjust their patterns to intercept him. But by hooking around the block, you indeed escape the confused monsters. Solid lines show where the monsters actually go. Dotted lines show where the monsters would have gone if you hadn't misdirected them. B. The Lure. Get the monsters to come to you. This basic fake-out can be utilized in numerous situations at numerous points on the screen. The Pac-Man in diagram B is near an energizer, but wants some monsters nearby before he eats the energizer. If you shake the joystick back and forth or up and down, the monsters will locate and attack the Pac-Man. When they get just close enough to touch, you've got them trapped. Eat the ener- gizer and kill as many monsters as possible. @eoeeeccceccvcecceeseeseseceseseee Speedy “IL may not be that smart, but I'm faster than anybody. | use my speed to my advantage. Pac-Man hooked around a block to fake us guys out, but | guess he underestimated my speed. When he tried to cut in front of me, | slammed right into him. I'll take him any way | can get him.” 22tS aS ae | 8] s “2 16660 Wwsgoo0 320 Ed PETIT TT NV ee ce ie lees eed n/=13]-10 a =f Erle) > C9 OHSESListed below are the bonus fruits, their point values, and charac- teristics. We have indicated which patterns to play with the different fruits and different machines. For a review of the patterns, see pp. 8-13; for a review of variations in patterns, see pp. 14-15. Fruits serve as landmarks, A orienting you to the speed of the Tip Ten: screen you're playing. They will Fruits appear at the bottom of the screen throughout the game as a record of the number of screens you've cleared. Fruits start with a cherry and end with a key (if you're lucky enough to get there). Only seven fruits fit along the bottom, so old fruit, like the cherries and strawberry, disappear to make room for the thunderbirds, bells, and keys as they come up. The mark of an expert Pac-Man operator is a long row of keys at the bottom of the screen. Screen One: Cherries 100 points/slow-moving screen/ Cherry Pattern on 1-2-5 machines; Mid-Fruit Pattern on 4-3 machines Screen Two: Strawberry 300 points/speed accelerates/ Mid-Fruit Pattern on all machines Screen Three: Peach 500 points/same speed as above/ Mid-Fruit Pattern on 1-2-5 machines/ Apple Pattern on 4-3 machines Screen Four: Peach 500 points/speed the same/Mid- Fruit Pattern on 1-2-5 machines/ Apple Pattern on 1-3 machines 0966008 % 24Screen Five: Apple Screen Six: Apple Screen Seven: Grapes Screen Eight: Grapes Screen Nine: Thunderbird Screen Ten: Thunderbird Screen Eleven: Bells Screen Twelve: Bells Screen Thirteen: Keys All future screens: 700 points/speed fast/monsters blue for only 2.5 seconds/Apple Pattern on all machines 700 points/pace may slow down somewhat from the first apple/mon- sters may stay blue longer/Apple Pattern on all machines 1000 points/fast speed/monsters blue for a short period of time/Apple Pattern on all machines 1000 points/may be slower speed than the first grape/monsters may stay blue longer/Apple Pattern on all machines 2000 points/speed fast/Apple Pat- tern on all machines 2000 points/speed may be slower than the first Thunderbird/monsters may stay blue longer/Apple Pattern on all machines 3000 points/speed fast/Apple Pat- tern on all machines Same as above 5000 points/fastest speed/Apple Pattern on all machines will display 5000- point keys. Y Y 44 .W0 ~0 25EE To be a total Pac-Man player is to utilize all 10 tips to your best advantage. That means following the patterns to the best of your ability, knowing which type of machine you're playing on, making full use of the hiding placeand the tunnel, devising inge- nious fake-outs, and get- Tip Eleven: ting the most out of the fruit. s Our patterns are starting Don t Eat the places: good ways to get Last Dot the feel of the game. You may devise or stumble upon different patterns—patterns that work better for you. We won't take offense. In fact, devising a personal, workable pat- tern is one of the most satisfying Pac-Man achievements. We'll make but one demand upon you: Don't Eat the Last Dot. A. Eating blue monsters is like eating your vegetables: they're good for you. And you should finish those vegetables before you start your dessert—that delicious last dot. If you've ended up with one energizer and one dot at the end of the screen, be careful! If you eat the energizer and unwittingly eat the last dot on your way toward the blue monsters, the game will stop, a new screen will appear, and you will have lost all those potential monster points. You should lure the monsters toward the corner, eat the energizer, and avoid the last dot while trying to eat as many blue monsters as you safely can. Then—and only then— eat the last dot and start a new screen. “It worked for me every time. I'd leave Pac-Man an energizer and the dot right next to it for last. When the Zombies started to zero in on me I'd eat the energizer, then gobble them up—one-two- three-four—and then go back for that last dot to finish the screen 1660 points higher. One time | nailed the first two Zombies before they knew what hit them but the third one was beginning to flash when | caught up. with him. | knew my score was close to 100,000 but | didn't have time to check. | got greedy and went for the 4600-point fourth monster. He turned back to pink the last instant before | pounced. | had plenty of time then to study my final score: 99,990. One dot short. Anybody got a quarter?” Fe SE ES ENTS AP 26US a6 ae | 8) 9 ee ae 8) 99990 s900 Tam) ORO Ye ¢The elements of Ms. Pac-Man are basically the same as the original Pac-Man elements. You must gobble up all of the dots and energizers to clear the screen. You're able to kill monsters for points only after energizers are eaten. Otherwise, they'll kill you. One prime strategy in Ms. Pac-Man is good use of the tunnel or tunnels. The intricacies of the mazes make quick tunnel escapes essential. As in the original Pac-Man, you're going to have to manipulate the monsters Ms. Pac-Man toward your end. The computer pro- gram is such that the monsters always track you. Use this to your advantage. Lure them toward you when you're at the energizers or scooting through the tunnel. Other notes and observations concern the fruits. These are dancing fruits—like intermissions at drive-in theaters. You must grab them on the run. Another challenge to Pac-Man players is the split-second reactions of the monsters once you eat an energizer. On the original game, the monsters delayed for a second once you gobbled a power pill. They now run immediately once you've initiated your attack. Illustrated on this page are the ever-dangerous twilight zones in all four of Ms. Pac-Man's screens. And, as in the classic TV show by the same name, you're never sure just what will happen when entering a twilight zone. Just remember: These zones are extremely dangerous! Clear the dots in the zones only when you're absolutely safe. The safest time is, of course, when the monsters are royal blue. Other safe times are dictated by the deadly monsters’ positions on the boards (e.g. far away from you). Why are the twilight zones so dangerous? Because in most cases there are no alternate escapes once you enter them. In other words, the monsters can divide and attack from both ends of the zone. And they'll do just that if given the chance. As all expert Ms. Pac-Maniacs know, twilight zones play the most active role in strategy. Do not rely on patterns. They'll only interfere with what's really important. Play the game as it was meant to be played: scoop up the safe dots, hit the energizers, and then kill monsters and eat twilight zone dots at the same time. Once the locations of the twilight zones are memorized, top Ms. Pac-Man scores will come. ET ES OE RE TS EE 28[LLL ee YZ (J = TWILIGHT CONE pe /77777)Atari introduced their cartridge for the Atari Video Computer System in January of 1982. This introduction was probably the most sensational moment in the history of home video. People were seen across the country standing 30 or 40 deep in line to buy the cartridge. Stores simply couldn't stock enough of them. The game uses a horizontal playing field—unlike the arcade game—because that is how television screens are shaped. For this reason, the escape routes are located at the top and bottom of the screen, instead of on j the sides. Atar. 1 Atari engineers have been gener- Pac-Man ous. You begin the game with four Pac-Men, one on the screen and three in reserve. And you gain another each time you clear a board, which means you can build up quite a number of “lives” During a single energized period, the first monster is worth 20 points, the second 40, the third 80, and the fourth 160. Game Two is—dare we say it?—the best game on the Atari cartridge. The patterns on page 31 will help you clear the first and second screens of Game Two. After learning to master the first two screens, you'll soon be up to screens nine and ten. One trick that must be learned in Game Two is the ability to quickly weave up or down the columns on the far left and far tight of the maze. These are the most dangerous areas on the grid. ‘It takes a lot of practice to move up or down without hesitating or getting stuck. You'll know you've mastered it once the audio sounds like a dash dash dot dash of Morse Code. We suggest that you take an aggressive role in ghost-killing— especially on these first two screens. Don't chase them across the board, but lure them toward you. When the pattern draws you close to a power pill, don't just gobble it up instinctively. Lure a few ghosts into your chamber by rattling the joystick left and right. Once they're close enough to touch, gobble the power pill. This lure and attack will surely result in some top ghost points. 30Mr. & Mrs. Pac-Man successfully blends Pac-Mania with Pinball Wizardry. Not only does it wed your favorite video character with a very good pinball machine, but it also manages to cement the bonds between two otherwise unwed personalities. Strategy for this game is more complicated than it first appears. You should concentrate on five sources of points—three sets of stand-up targets, and two “saucers” or cups. You have three very responsive Mr. & Mrs. flippers to work with. Pac-Man Concentrate first on the saucer skill shot off the plunger. It's the fastest way to activate the Vid-Grid (see below). With just a little practice, you can learn to apply the right amount of plunger pressure on your first ball. If done correctly, the ball will drop into the saucer and you'll get a quick 10 Pac-Man moves. The three other targets to concentrate on are sets of stand-up targets. There are two sets of four, positioned near the center of the board. Knocking all eight of them down requires good “flipper fingers,’ but their elimination will spell out P.A.C.M.A.N. and earn you a total of 10 moves on the Vid-Grid. The third set of stand-up targets is a little tougher. There are only three targets, but you have to use the upper flipper to reach them. This flipper is controlled by the right flipper button. We've found that really slamming that button will often send the ball right back toyour flipper After racking up enough moves, you'll be ready to tackle the Vid-Grid. This Vid- Grid is actually a compact video game. Strategy for this Pac-Maze is limited, as far as we're concerned. We suggest one thing—speed. Get used to the action of the flippers. Remember: you're being timed! 32UK. 95p Games AUST. $2.95 ISBN 0 14 (recommended) 00.6542 3