Pac-Man 256
Developer : BANDAI NAMCO Studios Vancouver
Publisher: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment
Release Date: June 21, 2016
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One (reviewed), Microsoft Windows
Back in the old days, <boring math stuff> makes the 256th level of the original Pac-Man impossible to play because nonsensical characters crawl over the right side of the screen. Now, in the age of the endless runner, BANDAI NAMCO has teamed with the creators of Crossy Road to give us one of the most creative twists the franchise has ever seen.
Originally developed on mobile, Pac-Man 256 was one of my favorite iOS games of 2015. It was my go-to distraction app while waiting to get my teeth cleaned or standing in line to register my car. Still, I was quite surprised at how well this translates to the big-screen-and-controller environment of the console world because I’m never standing in line while at home. I have plenty of other, ostensibly more complex and rewarding, distractions available on consoles.
At it’s core, Pac-Man 256 is an excellent game because it’s Pac-Man. Little in the gaming world will ever be as satisfying as chomping on a Power Pellet and chowing down on some ghostly goodness. So fundamentally, the gameplay is excellent. And while Pac-Man is traditionally a completionist’s game, this variant introduces the run-for-your-life mechanic that dominates the App Store these days.
Still, I feel duped by Pac-Man 256. It’s not a new game – I’ve played it many times on my iPhone. When assigned this review, I planned to play it for 20 minutes and start writing. That didn’t happen. 20 minutes turned into a couple hours because there is always an objective within reach that kept me playing just one more time. Clever cosmetic variants and insanely addicting power upgrades had my eyes unblinked until 2:00 A.M. this morning.
The multiplayer is a bowl of sweet n’ sour sauce. If you have a few friends, local co-op (up to four players) is a riot. Sadly, Pac-Man 256 does not take advantage of Xbox Live or the PSN for online multiplayer. Playing with members of your friends list would be a welcome addition and blind match-making would be right at home here. It’s quite disappointing, really, because multiplayer is actually my preferred way to play this game but I don’t know how often I can pull my wife away from Fallout 4.
I also would’ve liked to see Leaderboards highlighted a little more to make up for the lack of online play. Sure, you can track your own stats but they are buried in the menu system. Xbox One will keep track of a few metrics on the Game Hub but for a High Score-centric experience, one might expect to find more.
Ultimately, it’s a wonderful collection of gameplay for the price. More robust online functionality would have drastically increased my final score but likely would have come along with a higher purchase price. With cost in mind, I was pleased to see Pac-Man 256 is totally lacking any remnants of the free-to-play model found on mobile. This works beautifully as a pay-once-play-forever download.
Final Verdict
Somehow, BANDAI NAMCO has managed to trick me. I didn’t think I wanted another endless runner in my life, I’ve surely played enough Pac-Man, and I vastly underestimated it as a mobile port. With all that said, the 256 glitch is a clever twist on the ageless franchise and clearly comes from a place of adoration. It is more than worth the 20 quarters to own forever.
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