Pac-Man vs. Impressions

Pac-Man vs. is the upcoming multiplayer Pac-Man game developed by Nintendo in cooperation with Namco. The game was first shown at this year's E3 and served as a unique way to demonstrate the possibilities to be found in the connectivity feature between the GameCube and the Game Boy Advance. The multiplayer title supports up to four players, with three using the GameCube controllers and one using the Game Boy Advance and a connectivity cable. Players are cast in the role of Pac-Man or one of the ghosts who are out to stop him from sucking down the pellets in a maze. We recently received a previewable version of the game and were able to see how it has come together.

When you first fire up the game, you'll be prompted to connect a Game Boy Advance to the fourth controller port. Once you've made all the proper connections, the game will ask you to specify how many players will be participating. Then you are prompted to properly connect your controllers. Following the setup stage, you'll be able to choose a target score for victory in the game. You can choose from 7,000, 10,000, and 15,000 points for your target score. The next step is to choose which maze you'll play in. You'll find six mazes from which to choose. They are Original Pac-Man, Panic Pier, Frantic Forest, R.I.P. Park, Manic Manor, and Haunted Hall. Each maze varies in size and layout, and each offers a solid level of challenge.

The basic gameplay is a simple, points-based variation on the classic Pac-Man formula. At the start of each round, a player is randomly assigned the role of Pac-Man. When the game starts, the player using the GBA is able to see the entire map, while the other three players only see a small area around their ghosts on the television. As a result, the players in the role of ghosts must coordinate to track down Pac-Man. The only helpful hint is the color trail that briefly appears in Pac-Man's wake. To add insult to injury, the same power pellet rules from the arcade game apply--ensuring that Pac-Man will eat a power pellet and suck down vulnerable ghosts at the most inopportune times for the ghosts.

The control in the game is as basic as it gets. You essentially just have to worry about which direction you're racing. If you're playing as Pac-Man, you'll want to avoid the ghosts. If you're a ghost, you usually want to find Pac-Man. Although if he's sucked down a power pellet, you'll want to get away until the pill's effect is over.

The graphics don't exactly push the GameCube or the Game Boy Advance. The GameCube graphics are 3D, while the Game Boy Advance serves up an old-school 2D presentation for the action. The audio uses the familiar Pac-Man themes and sound effects, although we don't recall the sirens being quite so grating. You'll also hear Mario offering commentary during gameplay, which makes for an oddly surreal experience.

In the end, Pac-Man vs. is shaping up to be a unique tech demo that seems to have some charm. The gameplay is a bit slow for our tastes, on both the GameCube and the Game Boy Advance, but the classic formula still has the old magic. While Pac-Man vs. won't be sold in stores, the game will be available in a variety of ways in a little over a month. The title will come packaged with R: Racing Evolution and the Player's Choice version of Pac-Man World 2, and it will also be a bonus gift with the purchase of I-Ninja. All three titles that will feature Pac-Man vs. are set to hit retail stores in December.