Pac-ManPac-Man fever! That's what I have now that I've started work on the Pac-Man chapter in the book I'm currently writing with Bill Loguidice, the acclaimed collector and game historian. :) As usual, I started off by reading the wikipedia entry on the game, which this time was actually extremely detailed and helpful. One interesting thing about the wikipedia article is that it claims that the game designer, Toru Iwatani, was not inspired by a pizza as the old story goes. The article cites a book called Programmers at Work: Interviews, which I unfortunately do not own. If anyone does have this book or has thoughts on this matter, please let me know!

kong invadersYours too, I'm sure. Here's the link. It may take awhile, and I should probably waterproof the place first, but of course it would be worth it. This certainly would entertain the spiders. Hopefully even keep them occupied, so they no longer visit us on the first floor.

As I write this I realize I am posting this 4th generation. But I'm guessing there's plenty of people who still haven't seen it. And I'm pretty sure my three friends who actually read my blog haven't seen it.

Zaxxon (1982, Sega, Arcade Version)The ninth edition of the ColecoNation Web magazine has just been released.

The newest issue of ColecoNation is hot off the press.
You can check out issue #9 now at www.ColecoNation.com

Inside this month's issue you'll find:
+ Interview with Paul Jaquays (worked in Game Design at Coleco from 1980 to 1985)
+ Review of Deflektor Kollection
+ Pac-Man Collection article by Eduardo Mello
+ Reviews of Midwest Gaming Classic, Zaxxon, and Phoenix: The Fall & Rise of
Videogames
+ The latest ColecoVision news

Check it out at www.ColecoNation.com
+ Nathan

Namco's Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga Anniversary Arcade MachineIt's presently 9:52PM EST here in New Jersey and I'm watching the All-Star Game home run derby in hi-def on ESPN HD. Normally I wouldn't watch such a thing, but I'm a huge Mets fan and David Wright, the Mets third baseman, is presently leading. In any case, while watching it, an interesting Taco Bell commercial came on, which is part of their somewhat tiresome "Good to Go" Crunch Wrap Supreme campaign. This particular commercial was interesting for the simple fact that it did kind of the pet peeve of classic game enthusiasts everywhere - it showed someone playing a modern console, but featured classic gaming sound effects.

Neave Pacman

The following clones of these classic games are playable for free directly within your Web browser and were programmed by Paul Neave of Neave Games:

1) Asteroids

2) Pacman