The original Pac-Man maze.
The Maze is the central location in the Pac-Man series. First appearing in the original arcade game, it generally acts as the main playfield for the player to navigate Pac-Man through.
Overview[]
The original Pac-Man maze is dark blue, and is filled with Pac-Dots and Power Pellets. In the center of the maze is the “ghost home”; which the Ghosts come out of, and return to if eaten by Pac-Man. There is also a pair of “side doors”, which will warp Pac-Man from one side of the screen to the other.
Almost all later Pac-Man titles, such as Ms. Pac-Man and Jr. Pac-Man, feature additional mazes, with unique layouts and colors. The more “adventure”-styled Pac-Man games, such as Pac-Man World, feature small maze sections integrated into the levels; as well as having an additional separate “Mazes Mode”, with gameplay closer to the original arcade games.
Split-screen level[]
Main article: Map 256 Glitch
Due to an error in programming, the 256th level in the original Pac-Man has a glitched maze; with the entire right-hand side of the screen being a jumbled mess of letters and numbers. This would later be used as a proper aspect of the maze some later Pac-Man titles, most notably in Pac-Man 256.
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures[]
Maze 256
In Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, the original Maze (named Maze 256, referencing the aforementioned Map 256 Glitch) is an important location in the series. At the center of this giant hedge maze is the gateway into the Netherworld from which Ghosts go in and out. Pac-Man usually chases down Ghosts into the maze and finishes them off there, and other times he travels to the center of the maze to enter the Netherworld whenever the situation warrants it.
Trivia[]
- The maze has been referred to as both the Pac-Labyrinth and the Pac-Maze in certain games.
- This maze also appears in Pac-Mania where it gets the name: Pac-Man's Park.