You’ve heard us talk about it, maybe you’ve even watched us stream it on Mobcrush, but now you can pick it up and try it yourself, because Pac-Man 256 [Free] has officially released worldwide.
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It seems like publisher Bandai Namco made the right decision to have Hipster Whale develop the game, as “Pac-Man 256” has been received positively thus far.
It’s named after the infamous glitch in the original Pac-Man arcade machine that filled half the screen with random characters once you reach level 256 and the game ran out of memory. PAC-MAN 256 is available on App Store, Google Play and Amazon stores as we have worked on making the game as accessible to as many players as possible on the same day.
Players move Pac-Man through environments by swiping to change his direction, and must avoid ghosts as they progress.
Dotted around the pathways are the usual Ghosts and Power Pellet items, along with a selection of new Power Ups. Let’s not forget about that nearly Pac-Man inspired space junk eating satellite idea.
What makes this not a total snoozefest is some brilliant design choices by developer Hipster Whale, best known as the company behind the similarly structured megahit Crossy Road. If you want to find out what the “super special surprise” is you’ll have to play the game, or just Google it, but playing is more fun. The finished result is an allowed to-play title that trusts putting players on time-outs will bump them into going after their wallets for more credits. In Pac-Man 256, the maze crumbles a few inches behind, creating a constant sense of panic to continue moving forward.
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Were those Pac-Man 256’s only three play options, I couldn’t recommend it. Unlimited credits can be obtained for £5.99, or 12 can be bought for 79p. “You can earn in-game coins – which boost your power-ups – through gameplay or by watching adverts, and you can also buy them with real money”.
