A big ape collects coconuts while fleeing headhunters. A paint roller tries to cover the floor before ornery pigs chase it down. Someone's nightmare after eating one too many spicy tacos? Possibly, but this is also what takes place in the Konami arcade game Amidar.
Amidar obviously takes its inspiration from Pac-Man, challenging players to conquer maze-like playfields while avoiding the enemies on patrol. Rather than simply clone Pac-Man's playbook, however, Amidar changes a few things around, most obviously in the way the enemies move. Based on the rules of Ghost Leg, or Amidakuji as it is known in Japan, the enemies move in a well-defined pattern, called "Amidar movement" in the game. Conceivably this makes it easier to stay out of the enemies' paths, but with five of them running around, that can still be easier said than done, especially when one of them is allowed eventually to break the pattern.
Amidar enjoyed moderate success in arcades, if not enough to make a significant impact. Parker Brothers acquired a license to bring the game home, but then did so for only one system, the Atari 2600. The game has largely gone missing since then, though it still turns up occasionally, such as in the XBox 360's Game Room. So if you ever get a hankering for gathering coconuts and painting lines, there is a game for that. You'll just have to look for it.