Pac-Man Arrangement--History, please?

[bargora]

So I threw my Pac-Man Collection cart into the GBA today, and found myself thinking "damn, this Pac-Man Arrangement is cool". So what's the deal with it? I don't see it at KLOV. It looks several years younger than both Pac-Man or Ms. Pac-Man, but more than that...me don't know...

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

It was part of a 1995 (?) three-in-one arcade game called Namco Classic Collection - Pac-Man, Dig Dug and something else, all three originals plus all three as "arrangement" versions. There was another NAC cabinet combining Mappy, Xevious and Galaga, and they had arrangement versions too. Xevious Arrangement appears on Xevious 3D/G+ for the PS1, and was the first hint I'd ever seen that there were "arrangements" of any of the Namco games.

Wanna know something even stranger? These arcade games had soundtracks.

http://www.thelogbook.com/disc/thumbs/n/namco-io.jpg (http://www.thelogbook.com/disc/q2-02/n.htm)

But yep, Pac-Man arrangement is really cool. That's a GBA favorite for me too. I think at least one of the NAC "volumes" can be played via MAME. It's like Namco Museum, only you have to put a quarter in.

[Jasoco]

It was part of a 1995 (?) three-in-one arcade game called Namco Classic Collection - Pac-Man, Dig Dug and something else, all three originals plus all three as "arrangement" versions. There was another NAC cabinet combining Mappy, Xevious and Galaga, and they had arrangement versions too. Xevious Arrangement appears on Xevious 3D/G+ for the PS1, and was the first hint I'd ever seen that there were "arrangements" of any of the Namco games.

Wanna know something even stranger? These arcade games had soundtracks.


Rally-X is the third game.

I found out about the "New Arrangement" from my favorite Infomercial ever created, TNT Amusements. Worth watching for any arcade/pinball aficionado.
See the Infomercial here:
http://www.uwm.com/tnt.htm

The "Classics" demo is here:
http://www.uwm.com/classics.asx

Side note: If you want to see what happens to an arcade game or pinball machine that doesn't pass their standards...
http://www.uwm.com/10.asx

Anyway..
I like how the Pac-Man Arrangement looks. From that video, does the GBA version look just as good? I like the bobbing "dots".

[bargora]

Neat-o. Now that you mention it, I think that at least the Pac-Man, Dig Dug, and Galaga Arrangements are found on the Namco Museum collections for the current gen systems. But MAPPY Arrangement? That would undoubtedly be cool.

EDIT: Cool links, Jasoco. And I am happy to report that the Pac-Man Arrangement on the GBA Pac-Man Collection looks (at least on the GBA screen) every bit as good as the arcade version in that clip.

[Jasoco]

EDIT: Cool links, Jasoco. And I am happy to report that the Pac-Man Arrangement on the GBA Pac-Man Collection looks (at least on the GBA screen) every bit as good as the arcade version in that clip.
You gotta watch the whole thing. It's a blast. I'd love to visit the warehouse one day. It's not very far from me.

I think I'll have to pick up Pac-Man Collection when I get my GBA. Sounds like fun!

[Pente]

I am happy to report that the Pac-Man Arrangement on the GBA Pac-Man Collection looks (at least on the GBA screen) every bit as good as the arcade version in that clip.

Ever notice though that Pac-Mania's music on the other hand is totally chopped? There's only like a 10 second loop for each song! That totally kills the GBA version for me and I'm a big fan of the arcade game :angry:

[bargora]

I am happy to report that the Pac-Man Arrangement on the GBA Pac-Man Collection looks (at least on the GBA screen) every bit as good as the arcade version in that clip.

Ever notice though that Pac-Mania's music on the other hand is totally chopped? There's only like a 10 second loop for each song! That totally kills the GBA version for me and I'm a big fan of the arcade game :angry:
Actually, I hadn't noticed that. But then, I haven't played so much Pac-Mania. Is the music the way it should be in the Pac-Mania on the Namco Museum Vol. 5 disc for the Playstation?

[Querjek]

In Vegas last year, I saw a machine for Pacman Arrangement. It was in the MGM Grand I think.

To Jasoco: It's funny, I saw the same infomercial a few months ago on G4. I guess I'm not that far away from Pennsylvania.

EDIT: And bargora, I get your sig... I think. You're talking about that one Weebl+Bob, right?

[digitalpress]

I think I'll have to pick up Pac-Man Collection when I get my GBA. Sounds like fun!

I think it's been mentioned but you can also play this with the Namco Museum PS2 compilation, which also contains the "arranged" versions of Dig Dug and Galaga (my personal favorite). A great disc that can be had cheaply.

[PongHit]

I saw the same infomercial a few months ago on G4. I guess I'm not that far away from Pennsylvania. ...

You mean TNT? It's *in* PA!

-PongHit

[bargora]

EDIT: And bargora, I get your sig... I think. You're talking about that one Weebl+Bob, right?
Is your toilet clean? ;)

Yeah DP, I'd mentioned the PS2/GCN/Xbox Namco Museum Arrangements. But I want to know where I'm going to find Mappy Arrangement and Rally-X Arrangement. Surely PDF must know!

[ManekiNeko]

Trust me, Mappy Arrangement is nothing special. I've played the game in an arcade and thought it was mediocre at best. They split the screen in half for two players, but even if you play solo you have to settle for watching the action from half a screen. Blah.

You may want to consider the Game Gear version of Mappy instead. It's got the arcade game and its own "arrangement", an updated version of the original with larger, bi-directionally scrolling playfields.

JR

[Jive3D]

I am happy to report that the Pac-Man Arrangement on the GBA Pac-Man Collection looks (at least on the GBA screen) every bit as good as the arcade version in that clip.

Ever notice though that Pac-Mania's music on the other hand is totally chopped? There's only like a 10 second loop for each song! That totally kills the GBA version for me and I'm a big fan of the arcade game :angry:

Yes I noticed that in the GBA version right away when I bought it when the cart was first released. Pac Mania was my favorite game for a while when I was 8 or so, I would whistle the songs and annoy my family to no end. When I played the GBA version I the music chop was the first thing that I noticed, this really got my goat since I bought it after reading IGN's review where they say that the entire thing is arcade perfect including the sound. What BS. The music in the game is an integral part (well music in almost any game, I'm passionate about sound). Namco botched that one up bigtime.

[Jasoco]

TNT Amusements is located in Southampton PA, "In the heart of Bucks County." Which is very close to where I live. If I had money and space, I would so take a road trip over there and buy me something that catches my fancy. (Of course, my first choices are pretty expensive because they're the rare or popular ones.)

I look forward to his Infomercials. They only come out every few years, but they're worth it. Cheesy acting is king. That's what makes them so watchable. The guy is lovable. He brings his family into the business and the cheesy gags make me crack up every time. (The previous one had a rubber "hand" that he would crush and maim to freak you out. The current one has a Wizard of Oz Hourglass Wicked Witch feel to it.) Plus, the bloopers at the end add to the feel.

I didn't know they ran them on G4! Wish I got G4 in my room.

Anyway, where can I see screenshots of all the "Arrangement" versions of these games? I've only ever seen Pac-Man. But never any of the others.