Atari 400/800/XL/XE/XEGS systems

PAC-MAN

· 3 Atari-made versions exist!  Besides the original cart release, there’s a more complete version (that may have been released on disk) that includes the omitted (due to cart memory constraints) intermissions (picture #1) and attract mode screens (pictures #2 - #4).  It also has a more arcade-like dot-eating sound f/x.  There’s also a slightly different version that is similar to the cart version (pictures #5 and #6), except that the copyright date is larger (picture #7) and it also appears on the options menu screen (picture #8), there’s a different sound f/x for eating monsters (same as prototype version), and characters “pop from one side of the tunnel to the other (same as prototype version).  It’s unknown if this version was released either.  It could be a later prototype version than the one described below.

· A prototype version exists that has a number of differences from the cart version.  It doesn’t have a title screen, options menu, or intermissions - it simply alternates between the character/nickname screen (picture #9) and an ‘empty’ maze (picture #10).  Also, monsters reverse direction more frequently, and are slower and never speed up on higher levels; no bonus Pac-Man at 10k; Pac-Man’s mouth has slightly less resolution (picture #6); different sound f/x for eating monsters; characters “pop” from one side of the tunnel to the other.

·  Datasoft also released a disk-based version in 1984.

· There are some differences between the 5200 version and the 400/800 cart version.  Besides the title screen, the 5200 version has all the intermissions, plus a sound f/x for earning an extra Pac-Man (at 10k), as well as an Easter egg.

· BUG: The player’s speed doesn’t increase after each level, unless you lose a life.  This is most noticeable when going from the peach board to the apple; if you start a game on the apple board, you’ll move at the correct speed. It’s unknown whether or not this bug is present in all versions. {Bob DeCrescenzo}








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