Proved that Pac-Man still had a lot of life in him.
Even as a Pac-Man fan I never even heard of this game until about a week ago after I saw a play through of Pac-Man 256. Many people had recommended it therefore I gave it a shot, and although I don't think it's the best classic style Pac-Man game since that honor still belongs to Pac-Mania. Pac-Man Champion Edition DX is more than a decent enough time killer if racking up points for a respectable high score is your goal.
The game features various modes such as a Time Attack, where the player must eat a certain amount of fruit in a given time, with the fruit only appearing after clearing Pac-Dots from certain areas of a stage. Ghost mode which allows the player to eat as many ghost as possible. Score Attack which is just pile up the points, and Free Mode is just playing the game. For a game so simple it definitely ate up a lot of my time. The stage design is done well enough with a bunch of clever mazes that even changes and switches around sleeping ghost monsters to keep the player on their toes, plus the techno/trance soundtrack works very well with the frenetic pace. This game has some pretty hectic moments when the speed cranks up to about 50. It can some times be tough to control Pac-Man, but this works into the game's toughness and it will definitely challenge players.
Now keep in mind I came into this game immediately after playing Pac-Man 256 so I will make some slight comparisons, and hail this as the better game and definitely the one to pick up. The variety in stages, multiple play modes, and the unlocking of new trials adds something a little more to the game play, and the grind simply feels right mainly due to this game's fairness. There's also a sense of progress that is simply not found in 256. While playing that game it felt as if I wasn't accomplishing anything while with Champion Edition I'm experiencing different stages, such as a dungeon like maze that feels quite claustrophobic, along with darkness stages that lights up only slightly in areas Pac-Man runs to. Champion Edition is without a doubt the more superior game.
There's just so much to like about this game overall from the bright, vibrant visuals found in the neon stage designs, to the leaderboards taunting you to improve. The expert mode will no doubt test one's skill; this is the type of game that is easy to play but difficult to master. I also must point out that older fans of the original Pac-Man will not feel out of place too much. Despite it's modern feel it still sticks to its old school roots and that will always be a good thing. Recommended to fans of Pac-Man, puzzle game fans, and no doubt casuals whom want something simple, fun, and not the least bit complicated.
Rating: 8
Highs: Highly addictive, simple to learn, nice soundtrack, good stage design
Lows: May not hold the more serious gamers attention for too long
