Ms. Pacman I presume

[Atarifever]

Okay, I've recently started to play Ms. Pacman for the first time. Well not really for the first time, but for the first time where I was actually concerned about score (A little arcade rivalry is getting me playing it at home). Anyway, I was like one during Pacman fever I think, so if anyone out there is an expert on all things Pac and could advise me of any strategys to winning at 2600 Ms. Pacman (or the arcade version if you like) that they find works well, I'd love to hear them. My top score right now is only 40150 on the Atari version, so I'm sure I have a lot to learn. And before anyone says it...yes, I've tried the eat the dots and ghosts and fruit and don't die strategy. I know there was a strategy guide for this once, so I'm sure there has to be some pattern or something that works best. Thanks.

[oesii]

Have fun!

 

http://www.atariage.com/2600/archives/stra...l?SystemID=2600

[Clint Thompson]

So what about the 7800 version... is it as perfect as they say the 2600 is?

[Joey Kay]

So what about the 7800 version... is it as perfect as they say the 2600 is?

836647[/snapback]

 

The 7800 version is Cadillac! I have been able to use all my home patterns on the 7800 with the arcade version.

 

 

Cheers!

 

Joey

[Lord Helmet]

Have fun!

 

http://www.atariage.com/2600/archives/stra...l?SystemID=2600

836639[/snapback]

 

The 7800 version is the best home version IMHO. It plays FAST, and it just feels like the arcade game. Not surprising since it was developed by the same guys that developed the arcade version.

[hurt]

You guys are making me want to find a power supply for my 7800.

[Clint Thompson]

You guys are making me want to find a power supply for my 7800. 

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Aren't they only like $20 on eBay these days anyways? I know $20 is a pop in the mouth but still....

MAN I want a 7800....

[AtariDude]

I enjoy both versions although the 7800 version is the one that I enjoy more.

[rockman_x_2002]

The 7800 version is the best home version IMHO. It plays FAST, and it just feels like the arcade game. Not surprising since it was developed by the same guys that developed the arcade version.

836912[/snapback]

 

True enough, but the 7800 version also gives you five lives to play with, instead of the arcade's customary three. Unless there is a way to change this that I don't know about...

[NE146]

Actually a better URL to give him would be when it was the High Score Challenge of the week! Ze_ro always put in the various hints everyone contributed specifically for the 2600 version...

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=52614

 

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!

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.

(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)<tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD">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.

 

- 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)

 

Good luck everyone!

 

--Zero

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[Shannon]

Personally I dont think the 7800 ms pac-man is as great as people make it out to be. The maze layout is not quite right and the rate the speed ramps up is wrong.

 

But still it IS a very good simulatoin.

[Lord Helmet]

The 7800 version is the best home version IMHO. It plays FAST, and it just feels like the arcade game. Not surprising since it was developed by the same guys that developed the arcade version.

836912[/snapback]

 

True enough, but the 7800 version also gives you five lives to play with, instead of the arcade's customary three. Unless there is a way to change this that I don't know about...

837502[/snapback]

 

I don't think there is a way to change that. Still, I dont' think there is a better version out there for any system, unless you count MAME.

[Agent X]

I don't think there is a way to change that. Still, I dont' think there is a better version out there for any system, unless you count MAME.

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I agree, the 7800 version really is one of the best out there. Many other versions are closer in terms of graphics, sound, and the maze layout, but the 7800 game really feels like the arcade game, particularly with regard to speed and the ghost behavior. A lot of the later conversions seem to have problems with ghosts that are too smart or too dumb in certain situations, or move at ridiculous speeds in the later levels.

 

All of the Ms. Pac-Man games for Atari consoles were really good, relative to the hardware. I also like the Lynx version a lot--it's one of the better ports, and it has an alternate version with a boatload of new, larger mazes. (I think the number of new mazes in the Lynx version is 21.) The Genesis and SNES versions also offer several alternate maze sets.