You want to know what’s nice about this Pac-Man app? It’s actually Pac-Man!
For only $5.99, this app is a great value. You get all the power of a classic original arcade game in your pocket.
If you are like me, you are an avid hunter of nostalgic video game experiences. I get tired of the “knock-off” asteroids, tetris and tron games. I understand that developers are just trying to fill in where the original makers sometimes fall short, but I always get the more excited about a vintage remake if the look and feel are similar to the old one. Pac-Man and Pac-Man Lite have been developed by Namco and bring the best of vintage gaming to the iPhone.
Official Description
Guide PAC-MAN with three new control modes. Dodge pesky ghosts by tilting or rotating your iPhone in Accelerometer Mode. Navigate through the mazes by touching the onscreen Directional Pad in D-Pad Mode. Chomp on dots with the swipe of a finger in Swipe Mode.
Munch fruits and other items for big points! Gobble blinking Power Pellets to weaken the ghosts temporarily and eat them up before they change back. Avoid Blinky, the leader of the ghosts, and his fellow ghosts Pinky, Inky and Clyde, or you will lose a life. Get an extra life when you reach 10,000 points!
In the full version of Pac-Man, you enjoy various color schemes and difficulty levels as you advance to the next levels. It seems that all of the original features of the arcade game are present in this version, but, honestly, I can’t remember 1985 too perfectly.
Critics say the only downfall to this gaming experience is the method for controlling the Pac-Man. I say, it’s an iPhone. If you are so critical that you need the exact gaming experience as 1985, go buy yourself a vintage machine for $3000.
More Screen Views
The D-pad is the default control method when you boot the game, and I think that is where folks get mixed up. Because they can’t feel the buttons, and they take their eyes off the d-pad, they miss important turns and lose the game. Sure it would be sweet to have a joystick, but this is an iPhone, right?
Graphics Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Usability Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Originality Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Functionality Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Sound Rating: 4 out of 5 stars