Pac-Man Championship Edition hands-on
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Jun 6th 2007 at 12:01AM }
At the Pac-Man tournament in New York City, we were able to dedicate ample time (hours, maybe) to the final Xbox 360 version of Pac-Man. Championship Edition is, in fact, a true sequel to the original Pac-Man released 26 years ago. Certainly, that seems unimaginable to some -- but there are significant additions to the classic arcade gameplay that make this far more than a pretty HD remake.
The new widescreen perspective is taken advantage fully in this Xbox 360 exclusive. While the game is still about avoiding ghosts and eating pellets, the wider field of play has created a new dynamic to the title. The maze is now separated into two distinct halves: left and right. Instead of simple mazes that end at the collection of all the pellets, players will find that the mazes feature an endless supply of dots, and a constantly shape-shifting map. When successfully consuming a sufficient amount of pellets on one side of the field, one of Pac-Man's iconic fruits will appear for collection. Eating the fruit will send a rippling shockwave toward the other half of the field, replenishing the dots, and oftentimes, changing the design of the maze entirely.
Gallery: Pac-Man Championship Edition (XBLA)
Through continued play, one can appreciate the meticulous design choices made in the new mazes. Certain maps create new opportunities to be trapped by the ghosts. Of course, it also provides new strategies of escaping the clutches of the ghosts as well. The shifting design of the levels introduces a refreshing, dynamic feeling to the title, forcing players to stay sharp-witted at all times.
The various challenge and extra modes that are included in Championship Edition are interesting. Of particular note is Challenge Mode 2, aka "The Darkness Course." In this mode, only the area around Pac-Man and the ghosts can be seen. As you begin a level, the pellets make it clear what the maze design is. However, as you continue to eat the pellets, you increase the overall darkness of the level, forcing you to rely upon either your memory or sharp reflexes, to avoid the chasing ghosts. Running away from a ghoul, only to crash into a wall that you had forgotten about is devilishly fun.
Extra Mode 1 also deserves special mention. Also known as "The Freeway Course," this variation simplifies the maze designs, and increases the speed of play quite significantly. Observers were shocked to see the more skilled players tackle the challenge, as everything appeared to move at blinding speed.
While certainly not a revolutionary announcement some thought it would be, Pac-Man Championship Edition is definitely a solid title. The subtle layers of complexity are still there -- each ghost will have a slightly different AI pattern to exploit. The new additions to the title have transformed a title from a simple retro classic to something the modern tastes of Xbox Live Arcade players will certainly appreciate. If we had one major complaint, it had to be the suspicious lack of multiplayer. Certainly, having a Pac-Man Versus styled mode (sans GBA connections) should have been an obvious addition to a game entitled Championship Edition. At 800 Microsoft Points, we admit that this is a pricey purchase. However, don't pass this game over because "it's just another Pac-Man."
Pac-Man Championship Edition will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade in less than six hours: 5AM EST.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Brandon Paddock @ Jun 6th 2007 12:08AM
I'm actually pretty excited for this release. I want more originals-based-on-classics like this, and fewer might-as-well-be-in-an-emulator ports.
bearattack79 @ Jun 6th 2007 12:08AM
This whole next gen thing is getting confusing. :)
AgentESPIO7 @ Jun 6th 2007 12:34AM
Actually, the XBLA got me addicted to playing Pac Man and Mrs. Pacman, so I really can't wait to try the new version. Buying it first thing tommorow :)
Hasney @ Jun 6th 2007 1:04AM
Anyways, I cannot wait to play this. After all the pseudo-3D remakes and fan versions over the years. a full on 2D sequel should be amazing.
BPM @ Jun 6th 2007 1:10AM
It should be interesting to note that this isn't the first Pac-Man game to have a wide-oriented field.
The first would be Jr. Pac-Man by Bally Midway:
http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=J&game_id=8246
Though, the difference being Pac-Man CE is made with widescreen in mind. Jr. Pac-Man was just shoehorned into a regular vertical arcade monitor.
Would be interesting to see Jr. Pac-Man re-released as a digital title on any of the three current systems, but allowing you to see all of the maze at once.
Though, that's probably very unlikely, since Bally Midway made the game, and Namco never bought it from them when they broke ties (Namco wasn't too happy with all of the unauthorized Pac-Man sequels they made, including Ms. Pac-Man which they did buy from them).
Jimbo @ Jun 6th 2007 8:45AM
Yes it's very pretty, but is there 2 player mode offline? That kinda killed the other 2 Pac releases for live.
Tron Knotts @ Jun 6th 2007 8:21AM
Jr Pac-Man is my all time favoriate. It doesn't get any harder than that.
In that game, the fruit is sort of an an enemy. It doesn't hurt you directly, but as it moves around the field, any dots it touches get slightly bigger, and take more time to eat.
THAT GAME IS THE BALLS.
I've played every Pac-Man, from Pac and Pal to Pac-Man Arrangement to Pac-Mania to Pac-Man vs. nothing beats Jr Pac-Man
Jeff @ Jun 6th 2007 7:40AM
I still don't really understand what makes this more of a "true sequel" than all the other "true sequels" that have been released over the years, starting with Ms. Pac-Man only a couple years after the original and ending with Pac-Man Collection for handhelds. This list is actually incomplete: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pac-Man_sequels
The whole thing seems like a lot of marketing BS.
Grant @ Jun 6th 2007 8:37AM
it sounds great and all.... but $10? REALLY? i mean it's not that big of a difference, but even if it was 600 points i would go for it. but at 800 points, it's completely out of the impulse buy range.
MS really needs to rethink their strategy, because they are trying to get gamers to "get used to paying money for content" and want items of similar value priced as such, but you can get some pretty good looking arcade games for 800 points, and not so much of retro remakes.
The over priced 120GBHD, shadowrun, now this, all things that microsoft are severely over-pricing, they really need to fix their act.
jay @ Jun 6th 2007 8:44AM
I'd be interested if it was for the Wii and 500 points. But I was never much a fan of Pac Man.
felixlighter @ Jun 6th 2007 8:52AM
Hey, I'll be the first to admit that my comment was an overly dramatic, exaggerated knee jerk reaction to the news. I didn't expect to be singled out in a follow-up post. I actually really wasn't expecting much of an announcement yesterday but I found it funny how the hype spun out of Microsoft's control. They really should have just announced the game at the event without any pre-announcement fanfare.
I'll give the demo a try but at twice the cost of Geometry Wars, I hope your right about it being more than just a shiny Pac-Man remix.
Shogan @ Jun 6th 2007 8:59AM
With this, Tron, Discs of Tron, Worms, etc on Xbox Live, I am REALLY wanting a 360. They seem to be doing some really fun things with the classics, and I'm more excited about playing stuff like this than any of the $60 games. Now if only Nintendo would do some stuff like this for the Wii, it would be heaven for me!!
Galley @ Jun 6th 2007 9:28AM
Please bring this to the PSN!
Matt B @ Jun 6th 2007 9:18AM
That is cool how you signaled out forum posters. XD
Now you guys can do something a little more constructive now that your right hand is free. XD
KilgoreTrout XL @ Jun 6th 2007 9:25AM
If they had made the teaser "A big annoucnement for all pac man fans, as well as retro gamers in general" the new title would have been recieved much better.
konajinx @ Jun 6th 2007 10:03AM
PSN? Wasn't Joust good enough for you?
rockintom99 @ Jun 6th 2007 10:13AM
@grant
So, at $7.50, you would *totally* get this game, but at an additional $2.50, there is no way in hell? What? Where is the huge damn deal here? And why does everyone here seem to think they are in a position to give microsoft advice over anything? Shut up. You are dumb.
Besides that, this game *is* really cool. It's a lot more interesting to not have level breaks, and it is a *lot* more fast paced.
polly @ Jun 6th 2007 10:46AM
I'll admit this looks pretty polished as far as Pac-Man goes. Ten bucks though? Rumor is the Prince of Persia game is coming to XBLA next week, so I'll probably save my points for that.
Kbunch @ Jun 6th 2007 1:12PM
I think I might pick this up. It is funny I got my 360 last week and I have not gotten any "real" games for it like GoW or Crackdown. I just keep downloading things like Uno, Geom Wars and Aegis wings. Now I will be DWling Pac-Man. I sure am waisting the computing power of the 360.
Diskoboy @ Jun 6th 2007 12:09PM
I'm playing this right now. This game is actually pretty damn fun!! It takes the original Pac-Man formula to a completely new level.
But I'd hafta agree... 800 points is a bit much. But as a Pac-Man junkie, I had to buy it.
Anam @ Jun 6th 2007 12:44PM
I got named. Ouch.
Let the humiliation of myself as well as the other Named Ones be a lesson to anyone thinking of being sarcastic during announcements of the glorious Man of Pac.
On topic: Game looks good... for Pac-Man. Which isn't really saying much.
Mike @ Jun 6th 2007 3:48PM
Sigh.. $10 ?! .. really?.. I can't see why MS doesn't see the benefit of pricing these little arcade games cheaper so they can sell MORE of them, which will make them more money then over-pricing them like this. I know I'd be buying every release at $5 a pop.. but these simple games at $10 are starting to piss me off. Guess greed is hard to stop once ya get a taste for it. :(
ackmondual @ Jun 6th 2007 11:06PM
This sounds dangerously close to "Street Fighter 2: Champion Edition"
zero2dash @ Jun 7th 2007 10:04AM
Ok...I made fun of this the other day in the other topic. And after downloading the demo, all's I have to say is I was wrong - Pac-Man C.E. is great. Very neat game. Never thought they could do something different with Pac-Man but man was I wrong. I especially like the mode where the entire board is blacked out...tough but fun. Yes - I ended up paying the $10 and IMO it was worth it, and I'm not a Pac-aholic by any means.
Andrew @ Jun 7th 2007 1:39PM
This game was way more awesome than I thought it would be. I was pretty sick of the idea of another pacman game, but it's really fun and looks cool and I'm definitely getting it.
Ryan LN @ Jun 11th 2007 11:15AM
I downloaded the demo yesterday, and was absolutely stunned by how much fun it was. While it isn't the Second Coming of the Greatest Things Sinced Sliced Bacon, it was substantially more fun than the original Pacman (always been a Ms. Pacman fan) and, on balance, worth the Microsoft points. Definitely agree that the name is incorrect: this is an altogether different game than Pacman.