Lost In Translation/Pac-Land

About The Game
Pac-Land is an horizontally scrolling platform arcade video game.

In the cartoon world of Pac-Land, a fairy is lost and needs Pac-Man to help her get back to her home in Fairyland. Pac-Man's efforts are hampered by his ever-present enemies in the form of five deadly ghosts - Pinky, Inky, Blinky, Clyde and Sue - who constantly pursue Pac-Man as he travels through the colourful world of Pac-Land. When Pac-Man has helped the lost fairy get back to her home in Fairyland on the final stage of each trip, he is given a pair of magic shoes to help get back to his own home in Pac-Land.

In this, the 8th game in the seminal series, Namco opted to steer the series away from the maze-based antics of Pac-Man's previous adventures and instead created a colourful, sideways-scrolling platform game. This change of direction necessitated the addition of arms, legs and a face to the previously basic Pac-Man character, although much of the design work had already been completed for the 'Hanna-Barbera' cartoon series upon which the game is based.

Directional buttons make Pac-Man walk right or left, and it's possible to make him run by pressing on a directional button repeatedly. Pac-Man must avoid the ghosts and other deadly objects that populate Pac-Land, either by jumping over or dodging them; unless, of course, he has picked up one of the mandatory Pac-Man 'Powerpills' that litter the levels which, as in Pac-Man's previous outings, make him temporarily invincible and turn the ghosts blue and vulnerable to being eaten. Each stage must also be completed within a set time limit, otherwise Pac-Man will be constantly pursued by a ghost. On some stages, Pac-Man must use a springboard to jump over large ponds. Everytime Pac-Man makes it to the end of a stage, a bonus will be awarded based on how much time is left. On each stage, there are cherries and other items which Pac-Man can collect to score points.

Upon reaching the end of the final stage, Pac-Man will be given a pair of magic shoes that will help him on his way home. When he has reached home, he will meet with Ms. Pac-Man, Baby Pac-Man, Chomp Chomp the Pac-dog and Sourpuss the Pac-cat. The game then begins again.

Trivia
Released in August 1984.

Licensed to Bally Midway for US manufacture and distribution (October 1984).

This game was influenced by Hanna-Barbera's Pac-Man cartoon, which ran from 1982-84. The character designs and music are taken directly from the show. The background music that plays during the levels is the same as the cartoon's theme song.

Mark Mendes holds the official record for this game with 4,150,400 points.

Updates
(Midway), (set 1) and (set 2) versions enable you to pick your stage, (Set 3) just goes into stage 1.

In the Japanese release, Pac-Man's nose is longer, and he wears a hat with a feather in it. Also, the game is much more easier and slower than the others country version.

Round One
Jumping on the first three fire hydrants to generate five cherries is quite safe as you don't have any cars until after the third hydrant. Continuing you can see another fire hydrant just after the Pac-Pill. Straight after getting this you can push the fire hydrant backwards getting a helmet. This enables you to collect the babies that the ghosts throw from their planes (you lose your hat if you run out of time or die).

Round Two - The Forest
The first 'cheat' is achieved by pushing the second cactus back - giving you 80,000 points and transporting you to your house at the end of level two. If this doesn't work then try the second, third and fourth logs in the woods. The machine randomly chooses one of these (pushing the logs only works if you haven't died and you have 15,000 points). Get the cherry that appears as it turns into another three.

Round Three - The mountains
These have no cheats - but watch out for the plane that always flies over the first mountain (a flower sometimes grows here and in many other places, I am sure that this means nothing). After completing the mountains you pass two cacti. Pushing the first one back, on earlier versions, makes you invisible and invincible to everything except the water (which just happens to be the next obstacle!) To jump over the water - run at full speed over the spring board and at the edge press jump and keep on whacking the joystick to the right - you should glide over the pool! You have then reached Fairyland! Here the Queen gives you a gift of magic boots that enable you to fly. You then start Round 4 going back the opposite way.

Round Four - Journey Home
You first encounter cacti that you must jump over. If at any point you see the letter 'S' in a Pac bubble flying about - get it - it's an extra life. There is also another letter in a Pac bubble that flies around the screen - the letter 'L' - this can be achieved after getting a Pac-Pill, getting four ghosts and then Doris fifth (Doris is the one that chases you and the only one that has no hat after eating a Pac-Pill). The last cactus that you jump over is very tall. Try pushing the lower section of it backwards as this generates 7 balloons. Six of which are worth 100 points but one is worth 7650 points. Get this and don't bother with the others. Continue going home once you reach the town, jump on all fire hydrants as this always generates cherries. If pushing the cactus back didn't do anything then try pushing the second to last fire hydrant back - this will generate the balloons. When you arrive home you can still jump to get 7650 points.

Round Five - The Town
Jump on the fire hydrants to generate cherries. Push the third hydrant back to give you the hat. If you pass two fire hydrants on top of each other then jump on top of these. The blue things that push you along (water jets) can also push you on top of the houses. This is advisable as it keeps you away from any double decker buses! If the second fire hydrant didn't give the helmet then the fourth fire hydrant along will.

Round Six - The Water Pool Area
You have two short(ish) pools to clear, followed by more ghosts on pogo sticks (here appears another floating cherry). The last pool is the longest of these and must be judged carefully to clear.

Round Seven - The water Jets
You have three different platforms to jump on (always try to stay on the highest one). If a flying water jet happens to hit you then whack the joystick everywhere and press fire as it is possible to escape. Not much on this round, just collect loads of strawberries. After this you reach fairyland again, you receive the boots again, and have to return home.

Round Eight - The Trip Home
Firstly, you have to cross the long pool - backwards. Jump to the top of the screen straight away to get the cherries and clear the planes. There are stumps sticking out that you can land on and get cherries. After this there is the forest to complete. The first or second to last log will give the balloons.

Round Nine - The Water Pool Area
You leave your house and go straight into the water pool area. There are three cacti on this round. Pushing either the first (before the pool), second (before the skeleton) or third (before the Pac-pill) back will give you the helmet. The pool is slightly different as it has a stump sticking out of the water that has an extra spring board you can land on. After this there is a skeleton (that drags you down into the ground) and must be jumped over.

Round Ten - The Forest
Pushing one of the logs back will make you invincible to the ghosts. This works even if you have died. When you start flashing, the invincibility is about to ware off.

Round Eleven - The Logs and Clouds
Much like the one on Trip 1 except after jumping the logs, you have to jump onto clouds (although not essential as Pac can clear all the cloud jumps in one). After this you reach fairyland yet again and you receive the boots.

Round Twelve - The Trip Home
First collect the three cherries. Then you have to jump backwards over a large pool - with no stumps. After this you reach the town. One of the few fire hydrants gives the balloon's.

Round 13 - The Town
This level has many double hydrants. Jump on these and wait for the water jet to push you up onto the houses. Walking along the houses gives you some cherries. On many versions there is no helmet on this round.

Round 14 - The Cavern
You have to collect the keys to open the doors. The first key is on the top layer. Jump up there to get it. Keep going right and fall down the hole. Keep going right and fall down the next one too (you should now be on the bottom layer). Keep going right (staying on this level) and open the door. Keep going right. Jump up through the next hole and get the apples. Continue right, fall down the hole and get the key. Use this immediately to open the door. Keep going right, do not jump through the first hole and stay on the lowest level. You can then get two apples, jump through the hole and get a key, and then fall through another hole to get another two apples. Continue right and after opening the door, jump through the holes to get from the bottom level to the top. Open the door you reach and go through. Fall through the next two holes (so that you are back on the lowest level). Open the door you reach and get the two apples. Return through the door you've just come through, jump to the middle layer and continue right. You will now be out of the cavern and have reached 'break time'. So long as you don't waste time and keys it is actually easy.

Round 15 - The Water Jets
I think that pushing one of these fire hydrants may give the helmet, but I'm not too sure. Watch out for the planes at the very end of the level. Try to jump on them.

Round 16 - The Trip Home
The first gives the balloon's. Next it's the mountains. The is normally an extra life lurking around the second mountain so go backwards once for it if it doesn't come (an 'S' in a Pac). Then is the forest. The first log encountered gives the balloon's if the cactus didn't.

Round 17 - A Forest Level
On some versions of the machine the very first cactus will give the helmet. Just before the water is a Pac-Pill and it is quite easy to get the time bonus. After the pool, there is a short forest, following that is a spring board that must be used to clear a second pool that cannot be seen from that point.

Round 18 - The Cavern
You only have limited sight. The first key is on the lower level. Go right, then jump up to the middle level, then jump up to the top layer. Keep going right and fall down a hole to the middle layer (you'll be in between two doors). Jump back up to the top level (making sure you don't open either of these. Once back on the top level, keep going right and you'll reach a door. Open it and get the key directly behind. Keep going right, fall down to the middle layer, get the key, fall down to the lower level, collect the fruit. Open the door you come across. Don't jump through the next hole, but through the one after that. Jump to get the key (fall straight back down again). Keep going right. Jump up through the next hole, go right, and fall down the next. Open the next door (you're still on the bottom level) and jump through the next hole. Then jump up to the top level, open the door and get the fruit. Go through on the top and open the end door. Fall through the holes and go to the bottom level. Go right and collect the fruit there. finally, go to the middle level and exit to 'Break Time'.

Round 19 - The Mountains
Clear these and the clouds as usual, but watch out for the planes at the end (over the part with three sets of moving logs). Enter fairyland.

Round 20 - The Return Home
This is very easy. Keep on going left, you first hit a forest. Watch out for the ghost near the end. This is followed by a pool, get all the cherries on the way, but DON'T stop for anything. Then you reach another forest, then another pool, then the last forest (watch out for another ghost here) and then the town. By the time you reach the town you will be out of time and must run full speed from Doris. Try to get the Pac-Pill but if you miss it, don't go back for it!

Round 21 - The Town
This is hard as there are so many ghosts. It is pointless jumping onto the double hydrants as getting on top of the houses may involve hitting a plane. Try to stay on the top of the double-decker busses, jumping from one to another. This will stop you needing a run up. The Pac-Pill at the end can only be got by first jumping onto a ghost. Don't bother with it unless you are already on a ghost. Go straight for 'Break Time'.

Round 22 - The Mountains
As well as the clouds, you meet a new section - four logs in water that must be jumped onto and crossed. Careful judgement is needed here. Get the Pac-Pill afterwards as you'll need it. Time is short so don't stop for anything.

Round 23 - The Water Jets
This gets hard towards the end as there are many ghosts around. Try to stay on the planes. You then reach fairyland.

Round 24 - The Trip Home
First are the water jets to cross. This is quite easy as there aren't many ghosts and enables you to collect a lot of fruit. Then you enter the town. The last part of this is very hard. Just jump for the Pac-Pill when you see it and hope you get it before you are killed! Don't wait around.

Round 25 - The Woods
There are two woods split up by lots of skeletons. DON'T use the spring board or you will hit one of the planes. All of the skeletons are fake apart from the first and last. So don't worry about touching them. When you enter the first wood, look for the helmet at the fourth log. I think it is hidden in there.

Round 26 - The Mountains - Again!
This time you don't have many logs to jump on and there are very few clouds. Most of the mountains have to be jumped without any clouds. This level also contains the logs in water and is the furthest that I've ever got.

Series

 * 1) Puckman (1980)
 * 2) Ms. Pac-Man (1981)
 * 3) Super Pac-Man (1982)
 * 4) Pac-Man Plus (1982)
 * 5) Jr. Pac-Man (1983)
 * 6) Pac & Pal (1983)
 * 7) Pac-Land (1984)
 * 8) Pac-Mania (1987)
 * 9) Pac-In-Time (1994, Nintendo Super Famicom)
 * 10) Pac-Man 2 - The New Adventures (1994, Nintendo Super Famicom and Sega Mega Drive)
 * 11) Pac-Man VR (1996)
 * 12) Pac-Man World (1999, Sony PlayStation)
 * 13) Pac-Man - Adventures in Time (2000, PC CD-ROM)
 * 14) Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness (2000, Sony PlayStation)
 * 15) Ms. Pac-Man - Quest for the Golden Maze (2001, PC CD-ROM)
 * 16) Pac-Man All-Stars (2002, PC CD-ROM)
 * 17) Pac-Man Fever (2002, Sony PlayStation 2)
 * 18) Pac-Man World 2 (2002, Sony PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and Microsoft XBOX; 2004, PC CD-ROM)
 * 19) Pac-Man vs. (2003, Nintendo GameCube)
 * 20) Ms. Pac-Man - Maze Madness (2004, Nintendo GameBoy Advance)
 * 21) Pac-Man World 3 (2005, Sony PSP, Sony PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Microsoft XBOX, PC CD-ROM, and Nintendo DS)
 * 22) Pac'n Roll (2005, Nintendo DS)
 * 23) Pac-Pix (2005, Nintendo DS)

Ports

 * Consoles :
 * NEC PC-Engine (1989)
 * Atari Lynx (1991)
 * Sony PlayStation (1996, "Namco Museum Vol.4")
 * Nintendo Famicom


 * Computers :
 * Commodore C64 (1988)
 * Sinclair ZX Spectrum (1989)
 * Amstrad CPC (1989)
 * Commodore Amiga ("Pac-Land", 1989, Grandslam)
 * Atari ST (1989)
 * Sharp X68000 (1994)
 * MSX


 * Others :
 * LCD handheld game (1984) released by Namco

