GameSpot editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 05/15/2007
- Updated on: 05/18/2007
- Released on: 05/14/2007
- Originally published on GameSpot: Pac-Man (Wii) Review
Ever since Pac-Man first appeared in arcades back in 1980, countless renditions of the game have been produced for different video game consoles, computers, cell phones, watches, and other electronic gadgets. Some versions duplicate the look and feel of the original arcade cabinet better than others. Namco's Nintendo Entertainment System version, which was released in 1993 (it originally appeared on the Famicom in 1984) and is now available from the Wii's Virtual Console, is one of the better ones. Pac-Man and his ghostly enemies behave just like they do in the arcade game, and the graphics and audio are mostly spot on. The $5 price for Pac-Man and Pac-Man alone seems a little steep compared to the recent Namco Museum and Xbox Live Arcade releases, but this is a decent way to play Pac-Man at home if you don't have access to those other options.
The colors are dull, but in all other regards, the NES version of Pac-Man is true to the original arcade game.
Pac-Man isn't a complex game, and its graphics and audio are ancient by today's standards. Nevertheless, it continues to captivate new generations of players with its simple design and ever-increasing difficulty. You have to try and eat all of the pellets in a maze without getting caught by the four ghosts pursuing your yellow puck-shaped character. A warp tunnel lets you teleport from one side of the maze to the other, and you can gobble power pellets that let you get rid of the ghosts temporarily by eating them. Pieces of fruit also appear in the middle of the maze at regular intervals, which you can eat for bonus points. There's only one maze in the whole game, but the ghosts move faster and the effects of the power pellets wear off sooner with each successive round. The general idea is to amass the loftiest score that you can with the three lives you're given. Owing to the game's simplicity and its roots as a quarter muncher, Pac-Man is best enjoyed in short bursts.
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