Pac-Attack (SNES)

To do: Check Japanese version for the controller test and lockout message. Cover the records background in the Pac-Man Museum+ version.

What happens when Pac-Man munches a few Tetriminos and falls asleep? You get Pac-Attack!

Inexplicably, this version retains the North American title in Europe. The European Game Boy, Mega Drive, and CD-i versions, as well as some modern re-releases, were known as Pac-Panic.

In Japan, the game released as Cosmo Gang: The Puzzle with no connection to Pac-Man and would later release internationally in 2024 as part of the Nintendo Classics library for Nintendo Switch Online.

Unused Text#

Copyright Message#

Located at 0x0000 is a copyright message from Namco.

(c) Copyright 1993 namco Ltd. All Rights Reserved

Reset Check#

To do: This text is in the Japanese version, confirm if it's used.

The string No.022235 NAKA-P is written to $7FFFF0-$7FFFFF at startup. This is used to distinguish between soft and hard resets.

Controller Input Test#

Pro Action Replay code 80817F0F will enable a simple input test screen that displays the status of every bit returned from controller port 1. The last four bits are typically used to identify non-standard controllers and devices, such as the Super Scope and SNES Mouse, and will change accordingly when these devices are connected.

Puzzle Mode Stage Select#

In puzzle mode, get a game over, then on the game over screen, press L to increase the stage number displayed in the top right corner, and R to decrease it, then choose Retry to go to the chosen stage.

Regional Differences#

To do: More pictures. Any changed layouts in puzzle mode?

NOTE: Cosmo Gang refers to the Japanese version and Pac-Attack refers to the international versions.

Title Screen#

While the arcade original was localized normally, the SNES version was reskinned outside Japan to feature Pac-Man. These changes became the basis for most future releases of the game.

Japan	US	Europe

Soundtrack#

To do: Compare the audio changes.

Pac-Attack features different music, and replaces various other sound effects.

Main Menu#

The menu layout has been changed.

Cosmo Gang	Pac-Attack

Puzzle Mode#

The password screen is completely different, and uses letters instead of Japanese characters. Also, the passwords are shortened from four digits to three.

Cosmo Gang	Pac-Attack

In Cosmo Gang: The Puzzle, the introduction is animated, and the dialogue appears one character at a time. The scene ends automatically when finished.

Pac-Attack displays its message all at once, in plain text. It remains until closed by the player.

Cosmo Gang	Pac-Attack

Versus Mode#

In Cosmo Gang: The Puzzle, two-player mode begins immediately. Pac-Attack adds a speed select option.

Controls#

In Cosmo Gang: The Puzzle, only the B button rotates pieces. Pac-Attack also allows A or Y.

Startup Logo#

The European version boots directly to the title screen. The American and Japanese versions however, first display "Namco" and "Namcot" logos respectively.

Lockout Screen#

The European version blocks 60Hz mode with an error message. In the American version this screen exists, but won't appear, because it allows 60Hz. Curiously, this means the American version (as with Cosmo Gang: The Puzzle) does not block 50Hz.