PAC-MAN 256

While arcade-style games have always had a huge presence in the mobile-phone videogame market, most attempts at bringing classic arcade IPs to the platform left something to be desired. With those kinds of games originally built with joysticks and buttons in mind, the touch screen just can't match the precision they require. However, attempts at making new games in recognizable franchises could be successful if they were designed with the platform in mind. Bandai-Namco seemed to pick up on this when they hired the studio behind the immensely popular Frogger clone, Crossy Roads. The result of this partnership was a PAC-MAN game that actually feels like it belongs on the platform.

Adopting Crossy Road's blocky aesthetic by default, and adjusting the camera from overhead to an isometric view, PAC-MAN 256 allows its titular protagonist to move the same as he always has, but in a world that's much more akin to a mid-twenty-tens mobile game. Dropping stages in favor of an infinite, randomly generated maze, this game encourages you forward with the unceasing crawl of the fatal glitch (a reference to the "final" level of the arcade original). As you traverse the maze, you'll find dots, fruits, coins, and power-ups for pickup so you can live a little longer or boost your score a little higher. While the classic power pellets are still available, there are also dozens of upgradable power-ups in the game, of which you can pick three to spawn while playing. These abilities have somewhat different functions, but they typically come down to allowing you to take out or avoid ghosts for a few seconds. PAC-MAN 256 also opts for different varieties of ghosts, with their categories separated by color. Each variety has a different pattern, and you'll need to pick up on all of them to be successful.

Luckily, it's not too hard to understand the whole game after playing for even just a few moments. Unfortunately, the game was as easy to put down as it was to pick up. Some people may love working towards a high score or maxing out the power-ups. In 2015, I definitely would have. I just can't find it in me to spend all of that time and energy doing the same thing over and over just to see a higher number anymore. After a few rounds, I was content saying that PAC-MAN 256 is a novel reimagining of the arcade classic, and it feels right at home on a phone, but I had practically seen the whole game by that point, so there really wasn't much of a reason to stick around. If you're interested, this is definitely a fun novelty and worth a few minutes' attention. I just don't recommend you plan on getting very invested.

The game is available for iOS here (as of 9/7/21): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pac-man-256-endless-arcade-maze/id1002340615
The game is available for Steam here (as of 9/7/21): https://store.steampowered.com/app/455400/PACMAN_256/

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