Namco Original Arcade TV Games Video Game System
by Hasbro
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Our Price: $96.70 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $26.00 (click here) Category: Toy See more product details |
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Toys and Games Reviews of Namco Original Arcade TV Games Video Game System
Customer Review: "Galaga" works well enough
Summary: 3 Stars
I got this primarily for Galaga and secondarily for Ms. Pac-Man. As others have indicated, the joystick has "issues"; specifically, turning corners in Pac-Man is just as likely to send you careening back the way you came (into pursuing ghosts in my case) as it is to actually turn the corner.
So why did I give it three stars, instead of one? Entirely for Galaga. I was one of those geeks that could spend a half-hour playing Galaga using one quarter. The nostalgia value of that alone is worth $20 plus shipping.
Even for just Galaga, there are issues. It is hard to hit the fire button in the rapid, staccato shots needed for "challenge" stages in Galaga (and helpful elsewhere). You have to use your thumb because of the small size of the unit. On the arcade Galaga, I use the tips of my fingers on the fire button, which is placed several inches away from the joystick.
Some intrepid video game maker needs to make a "universal" video game. It would look like an '80s stand-up or table-top game, but would be able to play many (say, 50) classic '80s games. The software issue would be trivial; the hard part would be having buttons, joysticks, knobs (Tempest), trackballs (Centipede, Missile Command), etc. able to handle the different games. Perhaps there would be modules that could be plugged in to the controls area as needed for different games.
Customer Review: Hey Jakks Pacific. Ever heard of Product Research?
Summary: 2 Stars
I first bought the PacMan one. I loved it's look but hated the way PacMan would run right through ghosts sometimes. And I thought the Galaxian sucked so I returned it. I figured I'd wait for Ms. PacMan which I just bought a couple hours ago. I even read the reviews and I agree: There is a major problem when you try to move up or down on this unit. And sometimes she'd switch directions and run right back in to Speedy the red ghost like he was a magnet. The Galaga worked fine but I did not like the left sided button. I hate to say it , because I loooove Ms PacMan but I will be returning this back to WalMart after playing a few more frustrated hours on it. I am now going to order a "Hot Rod" controller & build a MAME cabinet loaded with every game there is including (MsPacMan,SuperPacMan,DonkeyKong 3,Dragon's Lair,MoonPatrol,Jungle King,Narc,Snow Bros.,Pang,Zaxxon,Tron,Joust, & you name it)
If Jakk's improves this product,Preferably with buttons on both sides of the joystick, I may buy this again because I like the portability aspect of this gizmo but not until they start doing a little product research on this item. I imagine alot of these will be getting returned. I should have trusted the reviews. I heard they're making Frogger next and they better sort it out because that game relies alot on being able to move in all directions as well.
Customer Review: More Ms. Pac-Man mishaps
Summary: 2 Stars
4 of the 5 games aren't that bad. Galaga and Mappy are really well done. Pole Position was baffling until we read the instructions, and now it's ok. I don't remember Xevious that well but it's fun to play.
But we bought this for Ms. Pac-Man, and it's the pits. A bunch of people have already pointed out the almost non-functional joystick. Trying to get MPM to go down is like pulling teeth. And there are many bugs in the program:
1) The ghosts don't "chase" you. They just detect your general where-abouts. Try getting them to follow you so you can chomp them up after eating the big dot. It doesn't happen. Say bye-bye to high scores.
2) The Ms. Pac-Man is too slow in relation to the ghosts, so chasing them when they're blue is very hard, even in the first screen when it's supposed to be easy (and fun).
3) The collision detection is pitiful. In the arcade, if you hit a blue ghost halfway, you still get the points. In Jakk's version, you don't. Sometimes, MPM passes completely and directly THROUGH blue ghosts as if there were nothing there!!
4) Going through the tunnel? Good luck. MPM can get stuck in there, ending up in the "wall" between the two left tunnels, and you cannot move her. The ghosts just circle around her, not sure what to make of it! I'm not sure myself!
Customer Review: Namco should RECALL this item
Summary: 3 Stars
The first Namco Pac-Man was a great idea, hearing of a Namco II w/ Ms. PAcman, and Galaga, and Pole Position had me pumped. I rushed to buy this item the day it was available, and found the controller was horrible. The original pac man worked fine (hint: if its not broke dont fix it)
also i find that the color is very dark for some reason it doesnt have crisp color
So i exchanged it and same thing.
SO although I love the galaga, and poloe position is kinda fun once you get used to the steering and shifter, I will be returning this product for a refund.
It would be interesting to see what Namco or the manufacturer of these joysticks has to say about the outcry of joystick issues, and enormous amounts of complaints and returns.
They should send "WORKING" replacements to all the loyal customers who plunked down (24.99 in my case) $20 for these things opening day, only to find out Ms. Pac Man the flagship game has MAJOR flaws.
Lastly, a little documentation explaining the game play and rules, along with how to use the joystick for particuliar games would enhance peoples experience. I have seen Mappy but never played it, so a "how to" would be helpful. Hello!
What a disappointment. Didnt someone test these for game play?
HORRIBLE HORRIBLE Frustration
Customer Review: Concept: 10 ; Execution: 2
Summary: 1 Stars
Oh, boy.
The main reason we bought this game was for Ms. Pac Man, and it was undoubtedly the poorest quality game on the system.
It is a shame, but a large number of companies, Jakks included, spends lots of money on pretty packaging and flashy looking stickers for their products, but spend little to no time on quality control. I think they believe only kids will play and that they won't know the difference; not the case with these classics. On their website, they show an adolescent holding one of their classic game joysticks.
The joystick would not reliably control the game. This made gameplay nearly impossible, because you had to use lots of pressure and greatly exaggerated movements to get Ms. Pac Man around the maze, and even then, you couldn't always get where you wanted to go. It really diminished the enjoyment of the game, and I can't imagine keeping it for this reason.
Is it me, or does this seem to happen with at least 50% of the products that we buy anymore? Maybe it's time we let Jakks, and all other companies who do this, know how you feel. It is irritating to have your time wasted with such poorly made junk, but as long as people don't contact the companies directly, they won't really care about quality control.