ATARI 7800™ VIDEO GAME CARTRIDGE BABY PAC-MAN

Product Information

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the product documentation in this manual. However, because Atari is constantly improving and updating its computer software and hardware, it is unable to guarantee the accuracy of printed material after the date of publication and disclaims liability for changes, errors, and omissions.

ATARI is a registered trademark, and 7800 is a trademark of Atari Interactive, Inc. © 2019 Robert DeCrescenzo

*Pac-Man and characters are trademarks of Bally/Midway Mfg. Co., sublicensed to Atari Corp. by Namco-America. Inc ©1982. Published by AtariAge.com.

This document is the 7800™ Game Manual for Baby Pac-Man.

Cover art for Atari 7800 Baby Pac-Man. Features the Baby Pac-Man character with a pacifier, smiling, surrounded by colorful characters and bubbles. The Atari 7800 logo and 'Baby Pac-Man' title are prominent against a blue background.

Getting Started

1. Insert the Baby Pac-Man™ cartridge into your ATARI® 7800™ ProSystem as explained in your Owner's Manual, and turn on your console.
2. Plug a controller into the left controller jack for one player, and another into the right controller jack for two players.
3. Move the controller handle forward or backward to select an option. Move the controller handle to the left or right to change the selection for that option (e.g., one or two players, the starting number of lives).
4. Press [Reset] or the left controller button to start the game.
5. Press [Pause] to pause the game; press it again to resume play.
6. In maze mode, Baby Pac-Man moves in the direction you move the controller handle. In pinball mode, the left button controls the left flipper, and the right button controls the right flipper (ProLine controller). With the CX-40 controller, moving the joystick left activates the left flipper, right activates the right flipper, up activates both flippers, and down serves the ball.

Options

Upon displaying the 'Selection' screen, you can adjust the following options:

• Number of Players: 1 or 2. Default is 1.
• Beginning Number of Lives: 2 to 5. Beginners may prefer 5, while experts might choose 2. Default is 3.
• Energizers: Choose whether to keep energizers after losing a Baby ('Yes' default) or re-earn them ('No'). This option has no effect in 'Video Mode only'.
• Game Mode: Select 'Full Game', 'Maze only', 'Pinball only', or 'Video Mode only'. 'Maze only' or 'Pinball only' can help players practice specific modes. In 'Video only' mode, you always start a maze with all energizers, and fruit advances with each cleared maze. In 'Pinball only' mode, the number of lives dictates starting balls. Default is 'Full Game'.
• Monster AI: 'Arcade' mode offers monsters that can reverse direction at will, making them more difficult. 'Classic' mode features monsters that do not reverse direction and behave like those in other Pac-Man variants (Pinky is the Green monster in this version).

Scoring (Maze Mode)

Score points by having Baby Pac-Man eat monsters after consuming a power pill. The more monsters eaten per power pill, the higher the score.

Player One's score appears on the top-left of the screen. Player Two's score (in a two-player game) appears on the top-right.

Diagram of a Baby Pac-Man maze. Shows Baby Pac-Man at the start, surrounded by dots and four monsters. Score indicators are shown at the top.

Bonus Lives

The number of Babies (lives) remaining is displayed at the lower middle of the screen. You earn a bonus baby by:

• Clearing the third maze.
• Lighting all of the center arrows in the pinball field, then hitting the blue drop down again.
• Reaching 10,000,000 points.

Differences in 'Pinball Only' Option

If you select the 'Pinball Only' option, the following changes apply:

• You will not return to the maze when you lose the ball or shoot it into a saucer while the blue arrow is lit.
• The 'tunnel speed' indicator now shows the number of remaining balls.
• Earning energizers, and spelling 'Fruits' or 'Tunnel', have no effect on the game (except for earning points and bonus Babies).

Scoring (Pinball Mode)

There are multiple ways to score points in Baby Pac-Man's pinball mode:

• Bumpers: 10 points each.
• Drop down targets (top of playfield): 500 points each, except the center drop down target.
• Center drop down target: Points vary based on the number of arrows lit: 1st time scores 500, 2nd time 2000, 3rd time 4000, 4th time 6000, 5th time 8000, and 6th time 10000 points, earning an extra Baby.
• Knocking the top trapped ball to the opposite side: 1000 points and an energizer (1 or 4, depending on the ball's origin).
• Two top spinners: 10 points per complete spin, or 100 points if the red arrow beneath them is lit.
• Two saucers: 500 points, and spot a 'FRUITS' or 'TUNNEL' letter based on the ball's side.
• Rollovers (behind front bumpers): 500 points, or 1000 points if the yellow light above the corresponding lane is lit.
• 'FRUITS' and 'TUNNEL' rollovers (on either side): 500 points.

Playing the Game (Maze Mode)

This is where each game begins. Baby Pac-Man navigates the maze, eating every dot while avoiding four monsters. You start with 2-5 Babies (lives). You lose a Baby each time a monster catches you.

You have no initial defenses against monsters; power pills must be earned in pinball mode.

Side tunnels function as in other Pac-Man variants, connecting opposite sides of the maze. Tunnel speed starts at '1' (normal) and can be increased to a maximum of '8' in pinball mode, allowing Baby Pac-Man to move very quickly through them.

At the bottom of each maze are two 'one-way' exits that lead to 'pinball mode'. You remain in pinball mode until the ball drains, the table tilts, or you earn an energizer and shoot the ball into the corresponding saucer.

When the ball drains, you return to the maze with both pinball exits sealed. Earning an energizer and shooting the ball into the corresponding saucer (Energizers 1 & 2 for the left, 3 & 4 for the right) returns you to the maze on the side you hit the ball, sealing the opposite exit. You start each maze from that pinball exit until you lose a Baby or drain the ball after re-entering pinball mode. Note that in 'Video only' mode, the exits are always sealed.

Points are earned for clearing the maze of dots (excluding energizers). You also earn an extra Baby after completing the third maze.

Diagram of a Baby Pac-Man maze. Shows Baby Pac-Man at the start, surrounded by dots and four monsters. Score indicators are shown at the top.

Playing the Game (Pinball Mode)

While in Pinball Mode, you must earn energizers by spelling 'PAC-MAN' in the columns under each yellow drop-down target. Spelling 'PAC-MAN' in the first column grants the first energizer (top-left maze), the second column grants the second (bottom-left), the third grants the third (bottom-right), and the fourth grants the fourth (top-right).

You can also quickly earn an energizer by hitting the ball at the top of the playfield. Hitting the ball from the left side to the right earns energizer 1. Hitting it from the right side to the left earns energizer 4. The drop-down target stays down. You must use an earned energizer before earning the same one again.

You can 'bump' the table by hitting the joystick in the desired direction (ProLine) or pressing the button and hitting the joystick (CX-40). Be careful not to bump too much or too quickly, or you will 'tilt' the machine!

The lane between the 'FRUITS' lane and the bumper awards points unless the yellow light above it is lit. If lit, rolling the ball through this lane compares 'PAC-MAN' columns 1 and 2. The column with more lights lit determines the match, or both advance if equal. Earning an energizer in one column earns it in the other. If both columns spell 'PAC-MAN', both energizers are earned. The same applies to the lane between the 'TUNNEL' lane and the right bumper, affecting 'PAC-MAN' columns 3 and 4.

Be aware that if the yellow light is only lit on one side, it changes sides with every bumper rebound. If you launch the ball and immediately drain it without hitting anything (except the left bumper), you can re-launch the ball up to three times.

The center arrows lead to a bonus Baby. Each time you hit the blue drop target (which appears for shorter periods as more arrows are lit) or spell 'FRUITS' or 'TUNNEL', the next center arrow lights up and awards points. If all 5 center arrows are lit or flashing, advancing them again awards a bonus Baby, indicated by the 'PAC-MAN' symbol above the flippers. You are only awarded one bonus Baby this way until a monster catches you.

The far left lane spots the next letter in the word 'FRUITS'. After the last letter flashes, passing through the lane again advances the bonus fruit in the maze. You start with the Cherry, advancing to Strawberry, Peach, Apple, Pear, Orange, Watermelon, and Banana. Each bonus fruit gives higher points. Spelling 'FRUITS' spots the next center arrow.

The far right lane spots the next letter in the word 'TUNNEL'. After the last letter flashes, passing through the lane again increases side tunnel speed (from '1' to '8'). Spelling 'TUNNEL' spots the next center arrow.

The two green saucers above the bumpers spot letters in the closest outside lane (left for 'FRUITS', right for 'TUNNEL'). They also light the 'Even Up' yellow light and the red arrow pointing to the spinner. When the red spinner light is lit, each turn of the spinner is worth 100 points instead of the standard 10.

If the blue arrow flashes under a saucer (after earning an energizer), you return to the maze with the entrance you came through open and the opposite one closed. The left saucer arrow is lit for energizers 1-2; the right for 3-4.

Diagram of the Baby Pac-Man pinball playfield, illustrating gameplay elements such as bumpers, targets, flippers, and scoring lanes. Shows the PAC-MAN character and progress indicators.