Munch Man
| Munch Man | |
|---|---|
 Munch Man Manual (Front Cover) | |
| Publisher(s) | Texas Instruments |
| Original Retail Price | $39.95 |
| Programmer(s) | Jim Dramis |
| Part# | PHM 3057 |
| Format(s) | Solid State Software Command ModuleTM |
| Release | 1982 (1st Quarter) |
| Genre(s) | Action, Maze |
Munch Man is a Pac-Man clone released by Texas Instruments in the 1st quarter of 1982, and was distributed on Solid State Software Command ModuleTM. It was programmed by Jim Dramis, who also programmed Parsec and Car Wars. It originally sold for $39.95. Munch Man is one of the most popular titles produced for the TI-99/4A.
Gameplay
Although a Pac-Man clone, Munch Man introduced several differences which make for a unique gaming experience. For example, the Hoonos (equivalent to the Pac-Man ghosts) change from round to round. Each Hoono variety has unique intelligence and capabilities, making it more challenging for the player. There are 20 different Hoonos that the player needs to familiarize him/herself with. With each level, the Hoonos become more aggressive and more intelligent, eventually surpassing the speed of Munch Man.
The Hoonos maintain their color level to level, and each color signifies certain characteristics. For example, the red Hoono is the most intelligent on each level. The yellow is the most stupid but has the ability to disappear for short periods of time.
Another unique feature of Munch Man is that instead of eating pellets to clear the boars, as in Pac-Man, the Munch Man board begins clear, and Munch Man actually lays down links of a chain. To complete a level, the player must completely interlock the chain over the entire maze.
Levels 20, 40, and 60 are completely invisible, although the chain is completely connected, giving the player a fairly good sense of the maze's shape. However, as the player clears the chain, it becomes more difficult to navigate these invisible mazes.
