Mappy

Mappy
U.S. arcade flyer of Mappy.
Developer(s) Namco
Dempa Shunbunsha
Epoch
Publisher(s)
Composer(s) Nobuyuki Ohnogi
Platform(s)
Release
Genre(s) Platform game
Mode(s) Up to 2 players, alternating turns
Cabinet Upright and cocktail
Arcade system Namco Super Pac-Man
CPU 2x Motorola M6809 @ 1.536 MHz
Sound 1x Namco WSG @ 1.536 MHz
Display Vertical orientation, Raster, 224 x 288 resolution

Mappy (マッピー, Mappī) is an arcade game by Namco. First introduced in 1983, it was distributed in the United States by Bally/Midway. Mappy is a side-scrolling platform game that features cartoon-like animals, primarily cats and mice. The game's main character itself is a mouse. Mappy runs on Namco Super Pac-Man hardware, modified to support horizontal scrolling. The name "Mappy" is likely derived from mappo, a Japanese (slightly pejorative) slang term for a policeman. The game has been re-released as part of several Namco arcade compilations, and has spawned a handful of sequels and a 2013 animated web series, developed by cartoonists Scott Kurtz and Kris Straub.

Gameplay

Screenshot of Mappy (arcade version)

The player guides Mappy the police mouse through the mansion of the cats called the Meowkies (Mewkies in Japan) to retrieve stolen goods. The player uses a left-right joystick to move Mappy and a single button to operate doors. The mansion has six floors, four or five in some other versions, of hallways in which the stolen items are stashed. Mappy and the cats move between floors by bouncing on trampolines at various places in the house. Both Mappy and the cats can land on a floor on the way up, but not on the way down. When they pass in the air, Mappy is unharmed by the cats, but if Mappy runs into a cat anywhere else, he will lose a life. The trampolines will break if Mappy bounces on them four times in a row. The trampolines change color depending on how many times Mappy has used them without a rest. In addition to the Meowkies, the boss cat Goro (Nyamco in Japanese) also roams around. He is faster, but less aggressive than the Meowkies. Throughout the levels, Goro hides behind the different recoverable objects. If Mappy recovers an item which Goro is hiding behind, the player receives 1000 points.

A round is completed when all the loot is retrieved. If the player takes longer than usual to clear a round, a "Hurry" message appears after which the music speeds up and the cats move quickly and aggressively, and more Meowkies are added (two will appear ready to drop as the Meowkies normally do immediately following the "hurry" message, and more Meowkies can arrive later on). If the player takes much longer after this, a green disc with Goro's face on it named the "Gosenzo Coin" will drop onto the top-middle platform and chase Mappy more effectively than the Meowkies as it can kill him while jumping. The Gosenzo can open doors and cannot be stopped by microwave doors or any objects. The third round and every fourth round after is a bonus round. Mappy, unbothered by the cats, must bounce across a series of trampolines, popping fifteen different suspended red balloons, with a "Goro" along the way. A bonus is awarded if all the balloons are popped before the music ends. After every bonus round, a new feature is added to the gameplay, such as bells that freeze cats. The "Hurry" message will also appear sooner. There are 256 levels.

Ports and sequels

A Japan-only port of the game was initially released for the Famicom (Japanese version of the NES) and MSX in 1984, followed by a later port to the Sega Game Gear in 1991. This was followed by a video game console-only sequel called Mappy-Land in 1986 (released in the United States by Taxan). In 1998, it was re-released as part of Microsoft Revenge of Arcade for the PC. Mappy also had several Japan-only sequels, including Hopping Mappy in 1986 for the arcades and Mappy Kids in 1989 for the Famicom. There is also a version called Mappy Arrangement which was released in 1995 as part of Namco Classic Collection Vol. 1 in 1995 for the arcades. The Famicom version of the original Mappy was re-released in Japan as part of the Famicom Mini Series in 2004. Mappy is included on the Ms. Pac-Man collection manufactured by Jakks Pacific. It is also featured in the 1996 Game Boy compilation Namco Gallery Vol. 1 and on the later Namco Museum 50th Anniversary Collection, released on the Xbox, GameCube, PC, and PlayStation 2 in 2005 (it did not appear in the Game Boy Advance version), and also appears on Namco Museum DS. Mappy was also re-released as part of the Pac-Man's Arcade Party arcade machine in 2010. Mappy is playable in the PlayStation Portable version of Namco Museum Battle Collection. Mappy was included as a Dot-S set. It is also one of the first arcade titles to have been released on the Virtual Console. In 2002, it was released in Japan as a pachinko under the title of Mappy Park. In 2003, two mobile games were released in Japan with the titles Teku-Teku Mappy (テクテクマッピー) and Mappy De Puzzle (マッピーDEパズル),[1] in 2009 titled MAPPY trampoline puzzle (MAPPYトランポリンパズル), the September 2011, the new mobile game titled Mappy World (マッピーワールド),[2] and Bandai Namco Games was bringing back to series titled Mappī taiketsu! Neonyāmuko-dan (マッピー 対決！ネオニャームコ団, Mappy showdown! Neonyamuko Orchestra) for iOS on 2015 in Japan.

Web series

As part of Bandai Namco's ShiftyLook initiative, an animated Mappy web series, titled Mappy: The Beat, was announced in 2012.[3] The series was written and directed by Scott Kurtz and Kris Straub, who also performed all of the character voices, and presented using limited animation in the style of their Blamimations series. The story follows Mappy, now working a thankless job as a security guard for his former foe Goro's company Nyamco. He is accompanied by his friends and fellow Nyamco employees, the laid-back digging-obsessed Dig Dug and the dim but good-natured Sky Kid, along with other Bandai Namco characters working at the office.[4] Mappy: The Beat premiered on ShiftyLook's YouTube channel on July 22, 2013 and ran for 13 episodes, each roughly eight minutes in length, with the final episode released on January 20, 2014. Kurtz also made a guest appearance as Mappy on the concurrent Bravoman animated series, with Bravoman in turn appearing in the final story arc of Mappy, portrayed by guest voice Dax Gordine. Following the closure of ShiftyLook, their channel was removed from YouTube, making the episodes no longer available.

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"New Hire"Scott Kurtz and Kris StraubScott Kurtz and Kris StraubJuly 22, 2013 (2013-07-22)
Mappy is suspicious when he is offered a security job by former criminal Goro, whose deception cost Mappy his police job years before.
2"Employee Fitness"Scott Kurtz and Kris StraubScott Kurtz and Kris StraubJuly 29, 2013 (2013-07-29)
When Goro institutes a new mandatory employee exercise program, Mappy must help his Muscle March trainer find his missing protein powder.
3"Corporate Spy"Scott Kurtz and Kris StraubScott Kurtz and Kris StraubAugust 5, 2013 (2013-08-05)
Goro is convinced a corporate spy has infiltrated Nyamco, but refuses to believe Mappy's claims that his new assistant Albatross is the spy.
4"Dig Dug and Mappy are Friends"Scott Kurtz and Kris StraubScott Kurtz and Kris StraubAugust 12, 2013 (2013-08-12)
Dig Dug convinces Mappy to go on a road trip with him, but their car breaks down and strands them in the desert.
5"Spring Cleaning"Scott Kurtz and Kris StraubScott Kurtz and Kris StraubAugust 19, 2013 (2013-08-19)
When company janitor the Prince calls in sick, Mappy and Dig Dug attempt to use his Katamari to help with the office spring cleaning.
6"Time Card Crisis"Scott Kurtz and Kris StraubScott Kurtz and Kris StraubAugust 26, 2013 (2013-08-26)
After a safe is stolen from Nyamco with no evidence left behind, Goro calls officers Richard Miller and Keith Martin to find it.
7"Ninja Assault"Scott Kurtz and Kris StraubScott Kurtz and Kris StraubSeptember 23, 2013 (2013-09-23)
When Nyamco suffers an infestation of ninjas, Goro forces Mappy to get rid of them.
8"Buried Treasure"Scott Kurtz and Kris StraubScott Kurtz and Kris StraubSeptember 30, 2013 (2013-09-30)
Dr. Borgnine believes there is a valuable artifact buried under Nyamco, and Mappy and Dig Dug are determined to find it first.
9"Shadowland"Scott Kurtz and Kris StraubScott Kurtz and Kris StraubOctober 14, 2013 (2013-10-14)
With Nyamco under the influence of a curse, Mappy must prevent the office from being overrun by evil spirits with Tarosuke's help.
10"Merry Heistmas Part 1: Bravoman"Scott Kurtz and Kris StraubScott Kurtz and Kris StraubDecember 20, 2013 (2013-12-20)
Following a string of museum heists at Christmastime, Mappy resolves to prove Goro is responsible, but Bravoman is also investigating and suspects Mappy and Dig Dug.
11"Merry Heistmas Part 2: Museum Piece"Scott Kurtz and Kris StraubScott Kurtz and Kris StraubDecember 27, 2013 (2013-12-27)
Mappy, Dig Dug and Bravoman stake out a museum in an attempt to catch the criminal and find the missing artwork.
12"Merry Heistmas Part 3: The Fall"Scott Kurtz and Kris StraubScott Kurtz and Kris StraubJanuary 10, 2014 (2014-01-10)
Goro is arrested for his crimes and placed on trial under Judge Valkyrie, with Mappy acting as prosecutor to prove his guilt.
13"Merry Heistmas Part 4: The End"Scott Kurtz and Kris StraubScott Kurtz and Kris StraubJanuary 20, 2014 (2014-01-20)
Due to Goro's incarceration, Nyamco is forced to close its doors, causing all the employees to lose their jobs, and Mappy decides to make things right.

References

  1. ↑ "ナムコ、iモード「マッピーDEパズル」を配信開始". game.watch.impress.co.jp.
  2. ↑ "ナムコ・ゲームス - バンダイナムコエンターテインメント公式サイト". www.bandainamcogames.co.jp.
  3. ↑ Johnston, Rich (2012-07-14). "ShiftyLook Moves Into Cartoons – Bravoman, Jim Zub, Scott Kurtz And More". Bleeding Cool.
  4. ↑ http://www.siliconera.com/2013/06/24/theres-a-cartoon-parody-of-namco-characters-working-at-namco-bandai
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