Mappy

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a game by Namco Ltd.
Genre: Action
Platforms: GBA, GameGear
Editor Rating: 7/10, based on 1 review
User Rating: 7.5/10 - 11 votes
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See also: Arcade Games
Mappy
Mappy
Mappy

Early 80s arcade games are considered fossils now, but that's not to say that we should marvel at their brilliant simplicity. Mappy is one of Namco's early offerings that hasn't expanded into a colossal gaming franchise but had its moment in time. It definitely found its popularity in Japan upon its release in 1983.

Mappy itself is actually a decent arcade game - it's hard to imagine why this game didn't go further in the market. It did see numerous re-releases throughout the last couple of decades - but no detailed renovations or remakes took place for this nifty little platform game.

Stop, Mouse Police

Mappy is like many arcade games and those of the early '80s in general. There is no detailed backstory beyond him as an honorable law enforcement agent. He is a mouse policeman that enters a mansion to retrieve some stolen goods. His name seems a bit uncorrelated with the game genre, but 'Mappy' is a name derived from 'Mappo,' a Japanese slang term for policemen.

You'll enter the game directly with the task of rounding up all these stolen goods in this flat estate, with a bunch of cats serving as the antagonists in your objectives. You will run through each area of the screen, accessing new floors through doors and trampolines, ensuring that you don't cross these felines along the way. Run into them four times, and it's game over, my friend.

Once you've gathered all the loot on the screen, the job is done. At least for that level anyway. Each new round will gain in difficulty and test your resilience - 256 times worth, to be exact. Nothing much changes apart from a slight increase in obstructiveness from those darned cats. You just keep tallying up your score to be Mappy's best controller - a feat of accomplishment in the old-style arcade games.

Easy to Learn, Hard to Mouse-ter

Mappy is a straightforward arcade game - but beautifully simple in its display. The game mechanics allow anybody to get involved. Its lighthearted context does allow for quite a bit of fun to be had. It's easy to learn the controls and objectives of the game. Mastering it, however, is quite a challenge.

That premise comes inline with other classic arcade games like Donkey Kong Jr. Just keep playing to rack up your core while the game inches to be a little bit harder. Your approach to dodging cats and navigating around the mansion will have to change to adapt to the growing threats. You'll want to watch out for that big boss cat Goro - he's a bit of a nuisance.

It's hard to say why this game hasn't seen a boom of franchise popularity like Pac-Man and Mario. It's not to say that Mappy isn't entertaining, because it is. Perhaps it's the niche way the game was presented. A 'mouse policemen trudging through a house' just doesn't seem to appeal as much as a 'big dinosaur thing that keeps kidnapping a princess.'

7

Mappy is a good, fun game that does everything you'd want it to - provide a challenge, diversifies a little with simple mechanics, and divulge some friendly entertainment. There certainly are more immersive arcade games out there, but you would want to drop a quarter on a playthrough back in the early 80s.

Pros

  • A game that fits all the entertaining classic arcade mechanics
  • Lighthearted, yet challenging

Cons

  • Does require the need for different approaches with difficulty
  • Repetitive music does seem to distract you

Download Mappy

GBA

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
GameGear

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP

Snapshots and Media

GameGear Screenshots

See Also

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Mappy-land
Mappy, who is a policemouse, has been preparing all kinds of wonderful birthday presents for his girlfriend, Mapico.