Waka Waka Waka!
The ST already boasts a wealth of Pac-Man games, and here’s another released in 1997 by Ed Cleveland (the creator of Donkey Island, a fantastic adventure game, albeit unfinished). Super Pac-Man is Ed’s take on the pill-popping classic and supports the JagPad along with DMA samples on the Atari STe.
The concept remains the same: chomp on the pills to complete a level. However, this time there are a few notable changes. Certain sections of the maze are locked and require keys to access. The ghosts are noticeably smarter, providing a tense and satisfying chase - particularly the aggressive red ones. Alongside the traditional blue power pills, green pills supersize Pac-Man and freeze the ghosts in their tracks. Hey, here's a thought: why not try collecting both pills? That will make it easier to swallow all four ghosts at once... ;^)
Super Pac-Man features enough changes to make it feel new and different. I like how the slower movement of Pac-Man is balanced against the livelier ghosts, keeping the challenge fair without becoming frustrating. Best of all, the ghosts’ behaviour seems deliberate rather than random, so getting caught feels intentional rather than accidental. Yes, it’s just another Pac-Man, but it’s different, challenging, and super fun.
- You can grab the download from Atarimania.
- Supporting the DMA means it's entered onto the list of enhanced games!
- If one game isn't enough, there is a "Pac-Man" section here on AtariCrypt.
- This post is dedicated to my beautiful wife, whom I first met 24 years ago today!!
