Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures

Overview

Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures (known in Japan as Hello! Pac-Man) is a side-scrolling adventure game developed and published by Namco for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis throughout 1994.

Although the English title hints that the game is a sequel to the original arcade game, it is actually a spin-off title and a spiritual successor to the side-scrolling platformer Pac-Land. Rather than directly controlling Pac-Man, players instead control a cursor that is used both to interact with objects (using a slingshot) and to communicate with the autonomous (and moody) Pac-Man himself (often breaking the fourth wall).

The game's plot involves the wacky misadventures of the titular hero, who must complete a series of tasks for his family (including fetching milk for Pac-Baby and finding a stolen guitar for Pac-Jr.) while avoiding destruction by the four ghosts (Blinky, Inky, Pinky, and Clyde) and their mysterious leader.

Also hidden in the game are ports of Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man, (the latter modified as "Pac-Jr." in the Genesis version, changing the player character to Pac-Jr.).

The SNES version of the game was digitally re-released for the Wii U (via Virtual Console) on October 8, 2015 in Europe and on March 3, 2016 in North America.

Gameplay

The player is equipped with a sling shot and can shoot at points of interest to bring them to Pac-Man's attention. The player may also tell Pac-Man which way he should go. Pac-Man, however, has a mind of his own and will grow increasingly frustrated if the player leads him into harm's way too many times, and he might just completely ignore the player if he gets too angry. The game also contains super pellets which can be given to Pac-Man at any point to have him transform into Super Pac-Man. In fact, when the ghosts appear throughout random points in the game, Pac-Man is left in paralyzing fear. If the player has run out of super pallets before eliminating all the ghosts, Pac-Man faints.

In the first stage of the game, Pac-Man is tasked with stopping by the farm and picking up milk for Baby Pac. The next section of the game leads Pac-Man to the mountains in search of a flower for Lucy. This section also contains a hand-gliding section in which the player guides Pac-Man in the proper direction. In the third section, Pac-Man must retrive Pac Jr.'s stolen guitar which leads Pac-Man to the city and eventually to a mine cart section that controls much like the hand gliding section. The final stage begins with a broadcast of the ghosts stealing all the ABC gum in the city followed by a message from the Ghost Witch of Netor who goes onto warn Pac-Man of her near completed Gum Monster. Pac-Man must search for the abandoned factory which houses the Gum-Monster and turn into Super Pac-Man to defeat it and all the ghosts. Upon defeating the Gum Monster Pac-Man is congratulated by his friends, family, and the citizens town, but then scolded for not being able to save their ABC gum.