PAC-MAN 256
Overview -
'Pac-Man.' The legendary, iconic video game character. He's a member of the upper bits and bytes pantheon of pop culture mainstays. Mentioned in 'Wayne's World', 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World', 'Futurama' (as the hilarious 'Gender-neutral Pac-Person') etcetera. Mario, Tetris, Pong, Space Invaders ... and Pac-Man. Everybody knows them. Even grandmothers who have never played a video game in their life. Pac-Man is to video games what Pelé is to soccer. Remixed, remade and re-released on every home console since its arcade roots, 2016 brings us 'Pac-Man 256'. An exciting update or a slog to plod through?
Video Review
It's Pac-Man! What do you expect? That said, the 'Classic 80’s' lay-out of the board features very sharp, high-res textures (while still looking like a 30+ years old game). It has been significantly adapted for modern gamers' eyes. Very smooth and crisp settings. If you want blocky, pixely, vintage goodness, then by all means opt for 'Pac-Man 256' in which every pixel can be counted. All a matter of taste, of course. It's slick, it's classy, it's stylish, and yet, it's very vintage. Excellent! No noticeable hints of slowdown, framerate problems, clipping or drop-outs. But then again, if this game did feature hiccups, it would be a shame. This is the kind of game that a Gamecube could pull off in its sleep. And that’s 100% a compliment.
Audio Review
No background music, just classic sound effects. Nleep. Bloop. And bleep. I wouldn't want it any other way. So very satisfying.
Final Thoughts
'Pac-Man 256' is a throwback to simpler times, when gaming was just a few coins, a lot of sweaty palms and fun. All this, and more, and all the better for it. Breezy, enjoyable, cute. My favorite game of 2016 so far. Highly recommended.
