Producer: Micromega, 16K
£6.95
Author: Derek Brewster

Derek Brewster is Neptune Computing, but this 3D pacman is marketed by Micromega. The price probably reflects the fact the 3D in a title or game sells better than mere two dimensions, in effect, though, this is very much the ordinary ghost game with a running figure instead of the usual toothy orange

Producer: Micromega, 16K
£6.95
Author: Derek Brewster

Derek Brewster is Neptune Computing, but this 3D pacman is marketed by Micromega. The price probably reflects the fact the 3D in a title or game sells better than mere two dimensions, in effect, though, this is very much the ordinary ghost game with a running figure instead of the usual toothy orange.

Producer: Micromega, 16K
£6.95
Author: Derek Brewster

Derek Brewster is Neptune Computing, but this 3D pacman is marketed by Micromega. The price probably reflects the fact the 3D in a title or game sells better than mere two dimensions, in effect, though, this is very much the ordinary ghost game with a running figure instead of the usual toothy orange.

ELECTRO GOBBLE - PACMAN TYPE GAMES

In our sixth comparison, reviewers CHRIS PASSEY and MATTHEW UFFINDELL snatch a glass of water and a handful of power pills and prepare to do battle with a legion of ghosts...

Pacmania came over from the States quite a while back. Initially the game was regarded as odd in that it was relatively non-violent for a computer game, but it rapidly established itself as the number one arcade favourite. Although the craze is over now, there are still a lot of pacfans around. As a classic maze game, Pacman was among the first arcade originals to be copied in numerous forms on to the Spectrum. Copyright owners, Atari International, have been promoting their expensive 'official' version since before Christmas, but it competes against some very strong 'unofficial versions. Some are good, some not so good, and there are some interesting variants.

In brief, the classic version should have a medium complex maze connected horizontally by a wrap around tunnel. In the four corners are a similar number of power pills. Each pathway of the maze is regularly dotted. In the centre is a 'home' for ghosts of differing colours and point values, which are released into the maze at intervals. The object is to take your Pacman, an orange ball with a gobbling mouth, around the maze and eat all the dots to promote to a more difficult screen with more intelligent ghosts. Eating a power pill will cause all the ghosts to turn blue and edible. In this condition they should run away from your approach at a slower speed than yourself, Strawberries appear at intervals and can be eaten for bonus points.

Producer: Micromega
Memory Required: 16K
Retail Price: £6.95

This is a fairly original game. The maze has been turned into a 3D maze using colour. It is quite realistic too. The man runs behind hedges so that only the top half of him can be seen. Bonus features apart, this is basically a Pacman type game and its a reasonably good one too. The game offers user-definable keys; it's playable but I still prefer the fruity original. Nonetheless this is a good version.
CP

The only 3D maze game out of the bunch, essentially everything else is the same - ghosts chase in a hazardous sort of way, power pills aid your task. The differences are the 3D effect and 'you' are a real running, but small, man that walks over the dots. Sound and colour are average. I didn't really like the 3D effect maze, but the game itself plays averagely. Novel.
MU

16/48K Spectrum
Eat 'em up
Micromania
£6.95

This game is reminiscent of a Pac Man implementation but with gold coins to collect instead of power pills, and ice packs instead of boosters. The maze and its inhabitants are viewed from above and at a slight angle. Excellent graphics, a fast game, with ghosts whose intelligence can be varied from zero to super.