Ms. Pac-Man

From Sega Retro

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MS.Pacman title.png

Ms. Pac-Man
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear
Publisher:
Sega Mega Drive
Tengen (US)
Sega Mega Drive
Time Warner Interactive (EU)
Sega Master System
Tengen
Sega Game Gear
Namco
Sega Game Gear
Majesco (re-release)
Developer:
Distributor:
Sega Master System
Domark (EU)
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US 		301030-0150
Sega Mega Drive
EU 		T-48036-50
Sega Master System
EU 		301030-0160
Sega Master System
AU 		301030-0160
Sega Master System
BR
Sega Game Gear
US 		T-14048
Videogame Rating Council: GA
Sega Game Gear
US
(Majesco) 		T-14048
ESRB: Everyone
Non-Sega versions

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Ms. Pac-Man is a 1981 arcade game developed by Midway Manufacturing as an unlicensed modification of the original Pac-Man, before being taken by Namco as an official game. Its success caused the game to be ported to a plethora of platforms, including the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Master System in 1991 and the Sega Game Gear in 1993.

The Sega ports of Ms. Pac-Man can be confusing. Tengen originally brought the game to the Mega Drive in North America and the Master System in 1991, but four years later the game was brought to European Mega Drives by the successor to Tengen, Time Warner Interactive (although the ROM still credits Tengen). The Game Gear port was handled in-house by Namco and was released twice - initially in 1993, and then re-released by Majesco in 2000.

Gameplay

Players move through a maze gobbling up Pac-Dots while avoiding ghosts. If a big dot (Power Pellet) is eaten by the player, ghosts become edible and if eaten their eyes depart from the body and flee to the center of the maze, where they can claim a new body. Occasionally fruit and other objects float through the maze and give bonus points if eaten.

On the Mega Drive and Master System versions there are many new extras. There are four types of mazes: Arcade, Strange, Big, and Mini. A Pac Booster ability can be turned on and off, which gives the player a boost when pressing a button. There is also two-player simultaneous feature in which the first player will play Ms. Pac-Man and the second will play the original Pac-Man. This can be done in cooperative or competitive modes. The game also would end at level 32 in which a game ending would be displayed. The "fruit" selection is also expanded and objects such as shoes could be eaten for greater points than fruit in the arcade version.

This game doesn't have good compatibility with the Six Button Control Pad, in this case meaning that Ms. Pac-Man responds badly to direction changes. Hold the  MODE  button when booting up the system to switch to 3-button mode and fix this issue.

Production credits

Mega Drive version

  • Programmer: Stephane Leblanc
  • Graphics: Mike Bazzell
  • Music/Sounds: Earl Vickers
  • Music Player: Lisa Ching
  • Thanks to: Jeff Yonan, Franz Lanzinger


Magazine articles

Main article: Ms. Pac-Man/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: Ms. Pac-Man/Promotional material.

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
80 [6]
60 [7]
64 [1]
59 [8]
66
28 №18, p66
Sega Mega Drive
 60
Based on
6 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
40
[9]
Game Informer (US) NTSC-U
74
[10]
Joypad (FR) NTSC-U
80
[11]
Joystick (FR) NTSC-U
60
[7]
Mega Play (US) NTSC-U
63
[12]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
64
[1]
Player One (FR) NTSC-U
59
[8]
Power Play (DE)
66
[13]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-U
28
[14]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
68
[15]
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) NTSC-U
70
[16]
Sega Mega Drive
 61
Based on
11 reviews

Ms. Pac-Man

Mega Drive, US
MsPacman md us cover.jpg
Cover
MsPacman md us cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, US (alt)

MsPacMan MD US Cart Seal.jpg
Cart
Mspacman md us manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US (cardboard box)
MsPacMan MD US Box Back Cardboard.jpgNospine.pngMsPacMan MD US Box Front Cardboard.jpg
Cover
MsPacMan MD US Cart Seal.jpg
Cart
Mspacman md us manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, EU
MsPacman md eu cover.jpg
Cover
MsPacman md eu cart.jpg
Cart

Master System version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Consoles + (FR) PAL
90
[17]
Console XS (UK) PAL
72
[18]
Game Zone (UK) PAL
57
[4]
Hobby Consolas (ES) PAL
55
[19]
Joypad (FR) PAL
78
[20]
Joystick (FR) PAL
65
[21]
Mega Force (FR)
65
[22]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
53
[23]
Mean Machines (UK) PAL
31
[24]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
31
[25]
Player One (FR)
45
[26]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
75
[5]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
72
[27]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
72
[28]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
92
[29]
Supergame (BR)
77
[30]
Supersonic (FR)
73
[31]
Video Games (DE)
57
[32]
Sega Master System
 64
Based on
18 reviews

Ms. Pac-Man

Master System, EU
MsPacMan SMS EU Box.jpg
Cover
MsPacMan SMS EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Ms. Pac-Man SMS EU Manual.pdf
Manual
Master System, AU
MsPacMan SMS AU Box.jpg
Cover
MsPacMan SMS AU Cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, BR
MsPacMan SMS BR Box.jpg
Cover
MsPacmanSMSBrCart.jpg
Cart

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
Sega Game Gear
 Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Game Players (US) NTSC-U
60
[33]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
80
[34]
Game Informer (US) NTSC-U
61
[35]
Sega Game Gear
 67
Based on
3 reviews

Ms. Pac-Man

Game Gear, US
MsPacMan GG US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngMsPacMan GG US Box Front.jpg
Cover
MsPacMan GG US Cart.jpg
Cart
Ms. Pac-Man GG US Manual.pdf
Manual
Game Gear, US (Majesco)
MsPacMan GG US Box Back Majesco.jpgNospine.pngMsPacMan GG US Box Front Majesco.jpg
Cover
MsPacMan GG US Cart Majesco.jpg
Cart
Ms. Pac-Man GG US Manual (Majesco).pdf
Manual

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 af041be6
MD5 cfe7f3023b21bcf697bcf5e1be461ee7
SHA-1 29fff97e19a00904846ad99baf6b9037b28df15f
128kB 1991-03 Cartridge (US/EU)
Sega Master System
 ?
CRC32 3cd816c6
MD5 e492a237f62ea6a5b7e71ff1a3fc0f33
SHA-1 4dd7cb303793792edd9a4c717a727f46db857dae
128kB Cartridge (EU)
Sega Game Gear
 ?
CRC32 5ee88bd5
MD5 d65e3350cba32a42d54130c356feb2a8
SHA-1 dbba762b62e786be2c1df30a595cf3bc11b106c5
128kB Cartridge (US)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mean Machines Sega, "February 1996" (UK; 1995-12-xx), page 84
  2. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "July 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 110
  3. ↑ GamePro, "June 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 40
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Game Zone, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-11-22), page 47
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Sega Power, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-02), page 49
  6. ↑ Joypad, "Avril 1992" (FR; 1992-03-1x), page 84/85 (84)
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Joystick, "Avril 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 118
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Player One, "Mars 1992" (FR; 1992-03-10), page 69
  9. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 200
  10. ↑ Game Informer, "May/June 1993" (US; 1993-0x-xx), page 48
  11. ↑ Joypad, "Avril 1992" (FR; 1992-03-1x), page 84
  12. ↑ Mega Play, "July/August 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 65
  13. ↑ Power Play, "2/92" (DE; 1992-01-xx), page 166
  14. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 66
  15. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 124
  16. ↑ VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "October 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 46
  17. ↑ Consoles +, "Octobre 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 132
  18. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 142
  19. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Octubre 1992" (ES; 1992-xx-xx), page 122
  20. ↑ Joypad, "Janvier 1992" (FR; 1991-12-1x), page 49
  21. ↑ Joystick, "Janvier 1992" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 117
  22. ↑ Mega Force, "Mai 1992" (FR; 1992-05-05), page 65
  23. ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Noviembre 1992" (ES; 1992-1x-xx), page 79
  24. ↑ Mean Machines, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-11-28), page 60
  25. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 135
  26. ↑ Player One, "Octobre 1992" (FR; 1992-10-10), page 138
  27. ↑ Sega Pro, "Christmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-12), page 64
  28. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 71
  29. ↑ Sega Force, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 52
  30. ↑ Supergame, "Outubro 1992" (BR; 1992-10-xx), page 36
  31. ↑ Supersonic, "Septembre 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 21
  32. ↑ Video Games, "2/92" (DE; 1992-04-06), page 36
  33. ↑ Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 7 July 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 68
  34. ↑ GamePro, "May 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 132
  35. ↑ Game Informer, "July/August 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 48


Ms. Pac-Man

MS.Pacman title.png

Main page | Comparisons | Maps | Magazine articles | Reception | Promotional material | Region coding | Technical information | Bootlegs


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Pac-Man games for Sega systems
Sega Game Gear
 Pac-Man (1991) | Ms. Pac-Man (1993) | Pac-Attack (1994) | Pac-In-Time (unreleased)
Sega Master System
 Ms. Pac-Man (1991) | Pac-Mania (1991) |
Sega Mega Drive
 Ms. Pac-Man (1991) | Pac-Mania (1991) | Pac-Attack (1993) | Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures (1994) | Pac-In-Time (unreleased)
Sega Dreamcast
 Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness (2000)
Unlicensed Pac-Man games on Sega systems
Sega Master System
Arcade
Sega Mega Drive
 Pac-Man (19??) | Puckman Pockimon Genie 2000 (2000) | Pac-Man (2018) | Pac-Man Pocket Player (2018)
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