High Score Club Week 12: Ms. Pac-Man

[Ze_ro]

Important note: This weeks competition is over. If you still wish to discuss Ms. Pac-Man, then feel free to do so, but no further scores will be accepted. Thanks to everyone for all their contributions! Please join in on the latest High Score Club competition!

 

Alright, so Atari gave your husband a crappy job where he gets ridiculed, and blamed for the crash all the time... well now it's your time to show them the REAL version of the game, because this week's game is Ms. Pac-Man!

 

Game Information
Left Difficulty	N/A
Right Difficulty	N/A
Game Mode	Game 1 (Cherries): Normal Arcade Mode
Chosen By	NE146

 

Post your scores right here in this thread, and I will add them to the list. Remember to play the game with the recommended game mode and difficulty settings as shown above so that your scores will be consistent with everyone elses. The deadline for posting scores will be approximately Sunday, June 28th at midnight (CST). In case you haven't already done so, please read the High Score Club rules. There is other useful information contained in that previous link, including a list of previous High Score Club games!

 

If you don't have a copy of this game, you can find a copy of the ROM at AtariAge's Profile Page for this game. You can find such things as a typed copy of the manual, reviews, screenshots, and other information there.

 

If you are not a member of the High Score Club, but would like to be, then all you have to do is post a reply saying so, and I'll add you to the list!

 

Next week's game will be chosen by Cootster! Please send me a Private Message letting me know which game (and difficulty settings) you've chosen as soon as possible Cootster!

 

High Scores:

• 
  999,990 (sku_u)

[+12]
[*]253,140 (Jeffy Arensmeyer) [+10]
[*]127,650 (Stingray) [+8]
[*]104,130 (NE146) [+7]
[*]86,770 (EricDeLee) [+6]
[*]83,900 (Robert M) [+5]
[*]81,530 (Shannon) [+4]
[*]77,810 (gospeedde) [+3]
[*]76,050 (Nateo) [+2]
[*]72,610 (crsdawg) [+1]
[*]72,130 (khryssun)
[*]69,140 (Malc74)
[*]62,830 (Chris++)
[*]58,160 (maibock)
[*]55,790 (Goochman)
[*]54,800 (keilbaca)
[*]52,560 (InanimateCarbonRod)
[*]52,090 (taxman)
[*]50,640 (bjk7382)
[*]46,360 (Ze_ro)
[*]46,320 (LarcenTyler)
[*]36,880 (Saldo)
[*]29,640 (jedijeff)
[*]27,990 (Gamemaster_ca_2003)
[*]24,130 (Kurushimi)
[*]21,330 (Dan Iacovelli)
[*]19,720 (Tsukasa)
[*]18,230 (Spirantho)
[*]18,210 (Sora)
[*]7410 (FireTiger)
[*]6280 (BigFairy321)Twin Galaxies Top 3:

• 2,654,680 (Ron Corcoran)
  [*]2,596,930 (Todd Rogers)
  [*]290,090 (Chris Parsley)
  

Best Tips:

Score Statistics

• Average Score: 118,569
  [*]Std. Deviation: 41,647
  [*]Total Score: 3,794,210

 

Current Standings [*]Todd Rogers [96] [*]sku_u [73] [*]Jeffy Arensmeyer [72] [*]jedijeff [54] [*]Stingray [40] [*]Ze_ro [40] [*]Chris++ [33] [*]Saldo [27] [*]bobafett07728 [27] [*]stayrunner [24] [*]taxman [23] [*]bjk7382 [23] [*]homerwannabee [17] [*]Shannon [17] [*]The 8th Passenger [17] [*]crsdawg [14] [*]HermChase [13] [*]NovaXpress [12] [*]Christophero Sly [12] [*]NintendoDieScreaming [11] [*]Numan [11] [*]Tsukasa [9] [*]Thomas Jentzsch [9] [*]Goochman [7] [*]Keir [7] [*]dykesr [7] [*]mikeftrevino [7] [*]Kurushimi [6] [*]Paul Slocum [6] [*]StanJr [5] [*]DeV0 [4] [*]khryssun [3] [*]maibock [2] [*]Robert M [1] [*]chrisbid [1] [*]LarcenTyler [1] [*]InanimateCarbonRod [0] [*]gospeedde [0] [*]Kepone [0] [*]Saikyo [0] [*]Scooterb23 [0] [*]moycon [0] [*]gamerz [0] [*]128bytes [0] [*]video game addict [0] [*]Dan Iacovelli [0] [*]LU8 [0] [*]fsuinnc [0] [*]iguana [0] [*]davepesc [0] [*]Albert [0] [*]pmpddytim [0] [*]karnov [0] [*]pitfallaimee [0] [*]Gamemaster_ca_2003 [0] [*]Happy_Dude [0] [*]Kialan [0] [*]xmetalhedx [0] [*]Adrian M [0] [*]intvgene [0] [*]ScottHuggins [0] [*]jeepnut24 [0] [*]figgler [0] [*]Old_Atarian [0] [*]hobbles [0] [*]johnnywc [0] [*]PaulEMoz [0] [*]atari_wizard [0] [*]lost child [0] [*]Nateo [0] [*]NE146 [0] [*]Bunsen [0] [*]chadtower [0] [*]Big Player [0]

Standings are current as of the beginning of this week, and do NOT include points from this week's game. If you think there has been a mistake in any of the scoring, please contact me.

 

Member List

Cootster, 128bytes, Kurushimi, liquid_sky, intvgene, ScottHuggins, InanimateCarbonRod, pmpddytim, Xot, Scooterb23, Dan Iacovelli, LarcenTyler, sku_u, Luigi301, Max-T, adams_ale, gamerz, Christophero Sly, Trooper, Nateo, homerwannabee, lost child, Happy_Dude, video game addict, Spirantho, bobafett07728, mikefrevino, Paul Slocum, fsuinnc, Gamemaster_ca_2003, Robert M, DeV0, Gateway, Mendon, Fretwobbler, PaulEMoz, killersquirel, shining slade, chadtower, gospeedde, stayrunner, Big Player, Swingtown, Chris++, hotpants, hobbles, taxman, Ze_ro, maibock, moycon, somePUNK, Saldo, Stingray, Kepone, xmetalhedx, chrisbid, Kialan, Jeffy Arensmeyer, Keir, ToddRogers, Numan, iguana, LU8, jeepnut24, Albert, Tsukasa, Adrian M, dykesr, EricDeLee, Thomas Jentzsch, The 8th Passenger, the 5th ghost, Bunsen, atari_wizard, jedijeff, davepesc, maximebeauvais, buzzguy, bjk7382, khryssun, HermChase, wiz21mx, karnov, Goochman, NE146, Sora, Malc74, sabeen557

 

Scoring Points in Ms. Pac-Man - Unknown, presumably after 999,990

 

Hints and Tips

As always, you really should read the manual. What's that? You don't have the manual? Well no problem, because AtariAge has a typed copy of the manual available online right over here. What's that? You're too damn lazy to click that link? Well, here's what it has to say: Practice clearing the maze of dots before trying to gobble up the ghosts. [*]Stay close to an energy pill before eating it, and tease the ghosts into moving toward you. When the ghosts get close, eat the energy pill and gobble up as many ghosts as you can. [*]Use the openings in the maze as escape tunnels. Move to either side to quickly evade the ghosts. Don't forget, different mazes have different tunnels.   Good luck everyone!   --Zero (the manual)

This is actually rather general Pac-Man strategy since it works in all the games, but keep in mind that the ghosts can never really "turn around" the way you can... so if you follow behind one of them, you'll be generally safe... well, you'll still have to keep your eyes on the other three ghosts, but its a nice trick nonetheless. (Ze_ro)

The best tip I can give is to familiarize yourself with the doubling back strategy and to try to avoid the large parts of the maze where there are no escape routes when the ghosts are too close to you. Ms. Pacman is one of those games where practice is everything. (sku_u)

Thing about Ms. Pac is it gets to be a crapshoot in later stages because of the random fruits. So you could go a couple of stages fighting for life and limb and get nothing but 100 pt cherries or crappy pretzels. This is especially true in the 2600 version where the fruit you get is for both instances in the entire stage (in the arcade version you could get a different fruit each time). But then on that note, if you luck out and get a 5000 pt banana, then you'll get it twice (NE146)

on the first levels try to max out your score by eating all four ghosts per energy pill. in the early going that's the best way to gain decent points since the fruits aren't worth very much and they stay blue much longer than they do later in the game. the beginning of each stage is a good time to take out the lower dots. the ones around the area where mrs. pac spawns especially. if your like me, and to lazy to have a pattern for the entire map, you can have a short pattern at the start of the rounds for this area. if done right you can pretty much wipe out the lower dots with little trouble. then head to an energy pill because the ghosts will be closing in. when you have a ghost on your tail, turn as many corners as possible(not into other ghost of course) instead of going straight. they don't turn as quickly as mrs. pac and it's the only way to gain ground in the levels where they are faster than you. heading to a energy pill is a pretty good idea too, but you knew that i'm sure. when chasing down blue ghosts, instead of following directly behind them, try to guess where they are going and cut 'em off instead, if done right you can cut your pursuit time down and get more of them. energy pills are not just for scoring big points by eating ghost. you can use that safe time for a lot of things: -clearing out those tough areas, where it's easy to get trapped -clearing the maps in later stages when the ghost are moving fast( actually in the later stages, i don't worry to much about eating ghosts at all, i use that time to eat dots, usually i'm able to eat a ghost or two, but clearing that level is the most important thing) -giving you time to go for fruits(in the later levels when fruits are worth thousands of points, eat a pill and b-line it to them) working out a pattern for each round is the best way to succed. i'm pretty sure that the vcs version of this game is as vulnerable to this tactic as the arcade one. they take a lot of time to generate and memorize, but it is the best way for consistant hi scores. personally i'm to impatient/lazy for this. i usually play by the seat of my pants....... even still, i notice that my games tend conform towards a pattern after so many plays. oh, yeah. one last thing(this is a good one for just about any game). take a breath between rounds and settle down a bit. this game can get hectic, and at times the action can be stressful if your not playing patterns. the calmer you are during the heated moments the better your chances are of doing well. (crsdawg)

Tips: (Jeffy Arensmeyer)

TIPS: - SuPeR GhOsT MuNcH: On early levels if you manage to eat all 4 ghosts (or at least the last 3 of 4) rapidly, then go immediately to another power pill. Eat it when the last pair of eyes enter the ghost house and turn back into a ghost. Now head directly for the ghost house door. The blue ghosts will be forced out the door into your mouth in rapid fire succession. - Ghosts will reverse direction when you eat a power pill. - Be patient on the later levels. Remember there is no time limit for completing a level and the ghosts will not increase difficulty within a level. So take your time getting those last remaining dots on a level. Run around alot and use the tunnels go for a few dots and then run away again. That's how I finally beat the bananna level. (Robert M)

[Dan Iacovelli]

Awsome. Iactually have that game for my 2600 back to actual hardware .

[InanimateCarbonRod]

52,560

[NE146]

Awsome. Iactually have that game for my 2600 back to actual hardware .

 

That's why I chose it Nice and common and it has a pretty nice amount of digits to show your score. If anyone can flip this game, my hat's off to them! (Ron C. and Todd with their previous 2 million pts. notwithstanding)

 

My other choice was SPACE INVADERS GAME VARIATION 7. But with the score rollover at only 10k, I thought that might get too convoluted even at that hard difficulty level.

[FireTiger]

my score 7410

[Stingray]

Ah, I was wondering when someone would pick this one. I almost picked it myself when it was my turn. I can still remember how blown away I was at how much better this game was than the VCS Pac-Man. I'll be back later with a score or three!

 

-S

[Spirantho]

18,230 on my first go... not brilliant but then I'm out of practice!

[Shannon]

And next week! Pac-man! Nah just kidding..

[davepesc]

I've been wishing that someone would pick this game. I can't wait to get home and have at it.

[jedijeff]

And here I thought I had a lot of 2600 games.

Gave it a few tries on the emulator and this is the best I could do.

 

Jeff

[gospeedde]

Sweet!!! I just blew my personal best out of the water. 47470, and I was this close to clearning the first green level (the farthest I've ever gotten before was the very start of the second white level). Looks like dusting out my joystick port did help after all.

 

I'm gonna go strut around my apartment for a little while.

[Dan Iacovelli]

Awsome. Iactually have that game for my 2600 back to actual hardware .

 

That's why I chose it Nice and common and it has a pretty nice amount of digits to show your score. If anyone can flip this game, my hat's off to them! (Ron C. and Todd with their previous 2 million pts. notwithstanding)

 

My other choice was SPACE INVADERS GAME VARIATION 7. But with the score rollover at only 10k, I thought that might get too convoluted even at that hard difficulty level.

 

thanks NE164,

Iwon't be able to take pic of it though no camera (I do have one but my brother has control of it now)

[homerwannabee]

sweet, Finally an arcade classic game

[Saldo]

Ah man, I missed last weeks contest...no time...and Ms Pac this week. I suck at the Pac games!!! Never could get into them in the arcade let alone at home!!! Well, I'll give this one a try, but I don't own an open copy so emulator here I come!!

 

- Sal

[Dan Iacovelli]

my first score:

10570

(actually it wasn't my first score but it was my goal to score 10,000 on this game(I had 4000,5000 and 7000,but thatwasn't good enough for me had to make 10,000 to quit for the night)

[ToddRogers]

Gretings Everyone

Well here i go again im off to Miami this week to meet with Billy Mitchell and Walter Day so i had to do my submisson rather early in the week with a score of 999,990. Have fun and game on everyone lets see some great scores this week Ms PacMan is a fun game.

 

 

Todd Mr Activision Rogers

[Nateo]

Well, I managed to get 76,050. It's been so long since I've been able to participate in this, what with final projects and exams for school and whatnot

[Stingray]

127,650 I think I burned out my eyes.

 

-S

[sku_u]

999,990 until next week...

[Sora]

i would like to join the hsc.

18,210

[bjk7382]

50,640

[Saldo]

A modesty begining..put me on the board!!!

 

36,880

 

 

- Sal

[Goochman]

55790

 

there are those that can group and those who cant - I cant

[Ze_ro]

My first play this week ended up with me getting 46,360.

 

What? No tips yet? Well, here's one from me... This is actually rather general Pac-Man strategy, but keep in mind that the ghosts can never really "turn around" the way you can... so if you follow behind one of them, you'll be generally safe... well, you'll still have to keep your eyes on the other three ghosts, but its a nice trick nonetheless.

 

--Zero

[sku_u]

The best tip I can give is to familiarize yourself with the doubling back strategy and to try to avoid the large parts of the maze where there are no escape routes when the ghosts are too close to you.

 

Ms. Pacman is one of those games where practice is everything.