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Lock’n’Chase

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Lock 'n' Chase is an arcade action game similar to Pac-Man. You play a thief who is trapped in a maze like vault. To get out, you need to collect all of the gold dots located in the maze. Your task won't be easy, since there are four police officers in the vault who are constantly trying to catch...

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Developer
Data East

Released on
1981

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Action

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Lock ‘n’ Chase is an arcade action game similar to Pac-Man. You play a thief who is trapped in a maze like vault. To get out, you need to collect all of the gold dots located in the maze. Your task won’t be easy, since there are four police officers in the vault who are constantly trying to catch you! Located throughout the maze are numerous doors. As you run through the maze, you have the ability to temporarily close a door in an attempt to block the police. You can only close two doors at a time, and any closed doors automatically open again after a short amount of time. When all of the gold in the maze has been collected, the exit to the vault will open and you can escape and move on to the next, more difficult vault. Occasionally a bonus item will appear in the maze, such as a cash bag, crown, or briefcase, which can be collected to earn even more points.

Lock'n'Chase

Overview & History

Released by Data East in 1981, Lock'n'Chase is a clever coin-op arcade maze game that borrows the structural DNA of Pac-Man while injecting a distinct industrial heist theme and a novel puzzle mechanic. Players assume the role of Sherlock, a fedora-wearing master thief navigating neon-lit labyrinthine vaults to swipe scattered currency. Originally published during the golden age of arcade gaming and later ported to home consoles like the Intellivision and Game Boy, this title stands out for its emphasis on architectural manipulation rather than pure offensive combat. Instead of relying solely on power pellets to turn the tables on pursuers—here known as Superintendents chased by names like Hathaway, Lockem, and Chlorle—Sherlock must actively remodel the maze on the fly to survive the precinct's relentless dragnet.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The core gameplay loop revolves around collecting gold coins scattered throughout a top-down maze while evading pursuing law enforcement officers. What separates Lock'n'Chase from its contemporaries is the inclusion of sliding doors that Sherlock can push horizontally or vertically. By slamming these doors shut behind him, players can temporarily trap or crush pursuing Superintendents, buying precious seconds to clear sections of the board. However, doors can only be used a limited number of times before jamming, adding a layer of tactical resource management. As players progress through increasingly complex bank vaults, the police become faster and more aggressive. Bonus items like top hats and briefcases occasionally spawn in the center of the grid for extra points, rewarding high-risk routing and memorization of the vault layouts.