Pac-Man Arrangement
- Not to be confused with a similarly titled but whole different game that appeared in Namco Museum Battle Collection for the PlayStation Portable, Namco Museum Virtual Arcade for the Xbox 360, and Pac-Man Museum for Xbox 360, PS3, and Steam.
Pac-Man Arrangement is a remake of the game Pac-Man. It was released in 1996 by Namco as part of Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2. This was also the first Pac-Man game to officially introduce the Clyde/Blinky naming error, meaning Clyde was red and Blinky was orange almost like a "color swap." In addition, it is the only Pac-Man game to include the ghost Kinky, who combines with the four main ghosts to form stronger, super-powered enemies.
Gameplay
Like the original Pac-Man, Pac-Man Arrangement is a maze game in which the objective is to clear all Pac-Dots on the board by eating them and avoiding hazardous contact with the ghosts that also inhabit the maze.
There are 6 worlds, numbering 0–5, and 23 rounds total.
In the arcade version, if one player is playing and another player inserts a coin (unless free play is selected in the game options) and presses the 2P Start button, Player 2 will spawn a green Pac-Man that will play alongside Player 1. At the end of each level, scores for each player are counted up. The player with the most points wins over the other player.
Each Pac-Dot is worth 10 points (except for the ones placed by Crybaby, which are worth 20). Each Power Pellet is worth 50 points. After Pac-Man munches a Power Pellet, the ghosts will--as in all Pac-Man games--switch direction, turn blue, and become vulnerable to Pac-Man. The first blue ghost eaten after Pac-Man consumes the Power Pellet is worth 200 points. The next one is 400, then 800, then 1600. Since this game features more than four ghosts, it is also possible to consume a fifth blue ghost for 3200 points and, on rare occasions, another one for 7650. Mutated ghosts are worth double the points above. Items (see Items section below) are usually worth 1000 points, with the exception of the yellow pill, worth 100. Fruits vary in point value.
Features
This game, unlike the original Pac-Man, includes plenty of bonus features that make it stand apart. The major difference is the inclusion of the new ghost Kinky, which can combine with other ghosts to form more powerful morphs. These hybrid ghosts, discussed more in the "Ghosts" section, have unique special abilities, are twice the size of the normal ghosts, and are worth double points if eaten.
In the second level of every world, there are single-use dash arrows on the floor that allow Pac-Man to rapidly zip from one end of the board to the other end, though steering is possible. After using up a dash panel, touching ghosts will render them dizzy and temporarily motionless, and they will not be able hurt Pac-Man. However, if Pac-Man traverses the dash arrow opposite the direction it is pointing, he will slow down and be vulnerable to attack.
The fourth levels of each world feature "Warp Gates" that allow Pac-Man and ghosts to travel across the maze. Touching a Warp Gate will transport whomever touched it to the corresponding Warp Gate of the same color on the other side of the map. Encountering a ghost directly after or during a warp also will not harm Pac-Man.
There are also additional power-up items that appear occasionally (see the "Items" section). The dots on the maps of each level will sometimes shimmer and increase in size. Eating the dots in this state will slow Pac-Man down, unless he had eaten an orange pill.
Ghosts
Each ghost has characteristics similar to those displayed by their counterparts in the original arcade game. There is also a new yellow ghost with glasses named Kinky that moves considerably faster than the other ghosts. While the four main ghosts are only edible for a brief period after Pac-Man eats a Power Pellet, Kinky is always vulnerable to attack and is always blue except for when Pac-Man loses a life. If he is eaten by Pac-Man, he acts as a Power Pellet, making the other ghosts vulnerable to attack as well for a brief time. However, when Kinky touches a ghost, they combine and transform into their power form which are harder to avoid. Kinky will choose a certain ghost to go towards each time he comes in.
Kinky's mutations are as follows:
- Kinky and Clyde combine to form Urchin, who resembles a red bull. Whenever Urchin has a direct line of sight to Pac-Man, he will dash in Pac-Man's direction. His motion when dashing is reminiscent of Pac-Man after he uses a dash panel.
- Kinky and Pinky combine to form Romp, a pink bunny. Romp can jump anywhere in the maze, though she almost always chooses a location near Pac-Man. Before she jumps, a target sign will appear above her destination. Her jumps are similar to Pac-Man's movements after using a jump.
- Kinky and Inky combine to create Stylist, a cyan ghost with sunglasses. Stylist creates a reflection of himself about the vertical axis of the map that can harm Pac-Man, effectively becoming two ghosts. (This is similar to Pac-Man's movements after eating the blue power-up.)
- Kinky and Blinky combine to form Crybaby, a chubbier form of Blinky. Crybaby adds 20-point Pac-Dots to the maze.
As levels progress, Kinky appears more often, causing more than one ghost to be transformed unless he is eaten. If you eat Kinky the first time he comes out, he usually reappears and gives it another try. The number of times Kinky appears (even after Pac-Man eats him) increases with each world passed. In some levels, Kinky will not get Clyde; Clyde just gets angry and moves faster.
Worlds
Pac-Man Arrangement features six individual worlds, numbered 0 to 5. Each world, as expected, has a unique maze pattern, color scheme, and difficulty level. Each world has four levels within it, except World 0, which has two. As you travel from world to world, the ghosts get faster and faster, and Kinky appears more and more. The maximum number of mutations Kinky can achieve is equal to the number of the world, except in World 5 (since there are only 4 ghosts available to mutate, there is no way Kinky could mutate 5 times) and World 0 (where Kinky can mutate once).
World 0
The mazes in this world are made up of individual blocks of various colors. Kinky will only combine with a maximum of one other ghost in this world. This world features 2 levels, the second of which introduces dash arrows. The first level's bonus fruit is pineapple, worth 100 points; the second is a mushroom, worth 200 points.
World 1
This world is reminiscent of the original Pac-Man game in that its maze is colored deep blue. Like in World 0, Kinky will combine with a maximum of one other ghost in World 1. This world has 4 levels. Level 1 is a regular level with a 300-point cherry as the bonus fruit. Level 2 is the second level of the game to use dash arrows, and its bonus fruit is a 500-point peach. Level 3 is the first level of the game with stairs, which do not significantly affect gameplay. Level 3's fruit is a strawberry, which is worth 700 points. Level 4 has stairs and also introduces Warp Gates, which upon contact with a ghost or Pac-Man send whoever touched it across the maze to its corresponding Warp Gate. Its fruit is also a 700-point strawberry.
World 2
The first two levels of this world resemble a jungle or forest because of all the plants in them, but the next two are plain gray levels. Here, Kinky can make up to 2 mutated ghosts per level. In level 1, there are no stairs, Warp Gates, or dash arrows. The bonus fruit is a 1000-point peach. Level 2 is similar, but it incorporates dash arrows into its maze. The bonus fruit in level 2 is the same 1000-point peach. Level 3 takes place in a metallic-looking stage with stairs; its bonus fruit is a banana, worth 2000 points. Level 4 has stairs and Warp Gates. Its bonus fruit is the same 2000-point banana as in level 3.
World 3
The first two levels of World 3 are very close in appearance to the first two levels of World 2--both feature lots of plants. Kinky can make up to 3 mutations here. Level 1 is just a regular maze, and its bonus fruit is a cluster of grapes, worth 3000 points when eaten. Level 2, like all other level 2s before it, is virtually the same map as in level 1, but with dash arrows and the same bonus fruit. Level 3's theme is different from that of the first two levels—it has a green pathway and stairs instead of the large hedges for walls. Its bonus fruit is an eggplant that awards 4000 points upon consumption. Level 4, as usual, is a level with stairs and Warp Gates, and its fruit is another 4000-point eggplant.
World 4
World 4's first two levels appear to be in catacombs of some sort. In this world, Kinky can mutate all the ghosts. Level 1 is a regular level, and its bonus fruit is not a fruit at all, but rather a galaxian that is worth 5000 points. Level 2 has the same bonus fruit (5000 points) and has dash arrows. Level 3 has stairs, and its bonus "fruit" is a bell worth 6000 points. Level 4, in typical level 4 format, has stairs and Warp Gates, with another 6000-point bell.
World 5
The first two stages here look similar to those of World 4, except they are gray instead of gold. Kinky will keep appearing until you pass a level, all the ghosts are mutated, or you eat him four or five times. Level 1 is just a regular level. Its "fruit" is a key, worth 7000 points. Level 2 has dash arrows and, in typical Level 2 fashion, also has the same fruit as Level 1: a 7000-point key. Levels 3 and 4 have stairs and the appearance of welded metal. Level 3's "fruit" is a lock, giving you 8000 points. Level 4 has Warp Gates, as expected, and its fruit is another 8000-point lock.
Boss Battle
After you complete Level 4 in World 5, Clyde, Pinky, Inky and Blinky will get in a machine and initiate the boss battle. In this round, you must avoid the ghosts' machine and the Kinky look-alikes that the machine sends out while you try to eat all the dots on the large grid the battle takes place on. Each set of the clones is colored differently, in the ghosts' colors: red, pink, cyan, orange; however, their glasses and facial features make them resemble Kinky. Shortly after each set of Kinky clones is dispatched, an "S" bomb will appear that, when eaten, will destroy all clones of a certain color. The first bomb destroys all the red variants, the second one destroys the pinks, then cyan, then, with the consumption of the last dot, orange. The machine (with Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde still in it) then places a new set of dots on the maze. These new green dots, however, are not eaten by Pac-Man but rather launched at the machine whenever Pac-Man touches them. As the machine takes damage from the dots, the ghosts atop it start turning blue. Once all the ghosts turn blue, the machine goes into a full rampage, whirling about the course. Once all the dots are eaten, a Pac-Man icon appears. Eating that icon destroys the machine, and the game ends, awarding the player 100,000 points.
Items
Items occasionally spawn at Pac-Man's regular spawning spot. These include pills, fruits and other objects.
The 1000-point Red Pill Power-up makes Pac-Man move faster, although bigger dots will still slow him down slightly, just like Urchin can speed up. The Pink Power-up and Orange Sack both send ghosts into a magic sac within the ghost house, rendering them temporarily immobile. The Pink Pill Power-up is worth 1000 points; the Orange Sack is worth 0. The Cyan Pill Power-up, also 1000 points, makes Pac-Man have his own reflection at the opposite place in the maze (just like Stylist's ability) that can also eat dots but is immune to ghosts. The 1000-point Orange Pill Power-up makes Pac-Man eat all pac dots at the same speed. The Yellow Pill Power-up adds an insignificant 100 points. The mini Pac-Man item gives an extra life. The magic wand transforms the ghosts in the maze into harmless presents worth 1000 points each. When eaten, the ghosts remain where they are until the effect wears off or if Pac-Man eats them all. Ghosts in the ghost house when the magic wand is eaten become trapped until the wand wears off.
Ports
This game was packaged along with Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, and nine other games in Namco Museum for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube, which was only released in North America. It was also included in Pac-Man Collection (released worldwide) along with the original Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, and Pac-Attack.
