Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions

 3DS
Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 25
  3. Negative: 5 out of 25
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  1. Nintendojo
    Dec 12, 2011
    75
    Overall, there are some really solid games out of the six games on this compilation, and even though the newest additions may not be as classic as the games from whence they came, they are still interesting twists on a tried-and-true gaming formula. Plus, this is currently the only way to play them in 3D. For people who are fans of Galaga or Pac-Man, this game is definitely one to consider.
  2. Universo Nintendo
    Oct 25, 2011
    65
    In all aspects, Dimensions could be better, but from what is, it's already worth a play.
  3. Gamereactor Denmark
    Oct 19, 2011
    50
    Only two out of the six games in this collection is worth your attention and not even the newest versions, and that's just not good enough. Only for the biggest fans of the pill-eating yellow glutton.
  5. Gameblog.fr
    Sep 29, 2011
    20
    This compilation combines two historic titles from Namco on the 3DS, and offers six games in total. Two of them date back to 80 and 81, and are displayed on such tiny screen that they become unplayable, two others are available in far superior versions (Pac-Man Championship Edition and Galaga Legions in DX versions on the XBLA and PSN), and the final two use the features of the 3DS (gyro for Pac-Man Tilt, a poor platformer, and Augmented Reality for Galaga 3D Impact, a shameful shooter), but both are incredibly lame.
  6. Vandal
    Sep 23, 2011
    48
    Of the six games, only two are original and made for Nintendo 3DS, and are indeed the ones that dissapoint. The rest of games are as fun as ever, but there are much more ways to obtain them. We also miss multiplayer modes.
  7. Gamer.nl
    Sep 23, 2011
    50
    This is a collection of six small games, of which one is actually fun to play. It's difficult to recommend this game for full price.
  8. GamingXP
    Sep 20, 2011
    69
    If you are an Arcade fan and haven`t played Galaga Legions or Pac-Man Championship Edition yet, it's worth trying.
  9. XGN
    Sep 19, 2011
    65
    This game is fun to play but we aren't seeing anything groundbreaking. Because of all rehashes, Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions never feels like a complete game.
  10. GameFocus
    Sep 1, 2011
    48
    Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions is about as lackluster an effort as I've seen so far on the 3DS. Packaging the legendary originals with their 21st century contemporaries was a good idea. Adding in two very disappointing titles that actually lessen the overall appeal of the bundle, and then charging full retail price is pretty insulting.
  11. Metro GameCentral
    Aug 25, 2011
    50
    Cheaply shovelled ports of four classic games, plus two awful new exclusives that do both their franchises and the 3DS an enormous disservice.
  12. Machinima
    Aug 17, 2011
    55
    While the four re-released games are all good in their own right, there's really no need to play them again. On top of that, the two new games aren't enough to warrant a purchase on their own, with Pac-Man Tilt being the only one worth at least some of your time.
  13. Official Nintendo Magazine UK
    Aug 15, 2011
    85
    Pac-Man Tilt is almost good enough to recommend alone. An ace collection. [Sept 2011, p.88]
  14. Nintendo Gamer
    Aug 8, 2011
    65
    It's a decent compilation of games, with lovingly emulated coin-ops and a genuine modern classic in the mix, but for this price it should feature a lot more stuff.
  15. NintendoWorldReport
    Aug 8, 2011
    75
    This title would make a fine addition to the collection of any 3DS owner who loves classic arcade games.
  16. Worth Playing
    Aug 3, 2011
    68
    At the end of the day, Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions feels like little more than a halfhearted attempt to cash in on a couple of long-running franchises. The new games included in the mix are decent, but nothing special, and the other available titles have seen better versions on other consoles. The total package is a passable way to waste some time, but there's no compelling reason to buy it.
  17. GamesRadar+
    Aug 3, 2011
    60
    The biggest problem with Dimensions, is that is never feels like a full game. It's a couple of rehashes, with two elaborate gimmicks, only one of which feels close to a full game.
  18. Gaming Age
    Aug 2, 2011
    58
    The two new titles, Pac-Man Tilt and Galaga 3D Impact are decent additions.
  19. Game Revolution
    Aug 1, 2011
    42
    New games are thin and uninteresting.
  20. IGN
    Aug 1, 2011
    50
    A $40 asking price for Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions is far too high for such a mediocre collection.
  21. Nintendo Life
    Jul 27, 2011
    60
    A decent stab at compiling a pleasant little arcade package, but questionable decisions like squashed playing fields, meagre high-score tables and unerasable save data drop this from "must have" to "it's complicated."
  22. Digital Chumps
    Jul 26, 2011
    76
    For Pac-Man and Galaga fans on the go, this is a nice release, but those looking for just Pac-Man Tilt or Galaga: 3D Impact, both cool games, they may want to catch this one on sale.
  23. GamePro
    Jul 26, 2011
    60
    While none of the games in Dimensions are outright bad, and six is always better than two, they're not entirely thrilling. You can get some good fun out of Pac-Man Tilt, but Galaga 3D Impact wears thin, and there are roughly a bajillion other ways to play Pac-Man and Galaga on the go.
  24. GameSpot
    Jul 26, 2011
    60
    Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions includes some great games, but that's not enough to make it a great compilation.
  25. Gamekult
    Jul 13, 2011
    40
    Quotation forthcoming.
  26. Nintendo Power
    Jul 1, 2011
    70
    It's not for everyone, but Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions is certainly worth checking out if you haven;t tried Pac-Man Championship Edition or Galaga Legions yet. [July 2011, p.90]
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Awards & Rankings

49
#49 Best 3DS Game of 2011
36
#36 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2011
53
#53 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2011

User Reviews

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User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 14 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 14
  3. Negative: 3 out of 14
  1. BalrogTheMaster
    Jul 27, 2011
    7
    This games gets you exactly what you pay for - The original arcade classics, Pac-Man: Championship Edition, Galaga Legions, and 2 new 3DSThis games gets you exactly what you pay for - The original arcade classics, Pac-Man: Championship Edition, Galaga Legions, and 2 new 3DS exclusive games. Is it worth $40 though? Watch my review to entirely know what you're getting into.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8f50ZspgJU    … Full Review »
  2. PacMax
    Nov 13, 2018
    8
    A great mini game compilation for those looking for a fun time. The old games are good enough, but PAC-MAN Tilt is the jewel in this game’sA great mini game compilation for those looking for a fun time. The old games are good enough, but PAC-MAN Tilt is the jewel in this game’s small crown. Such great fun and it makes exceptional use of the 3DS system (despite no 3D during gameplay). This is definitely worth a look if you are a retro game fan or if you want an awesome motion-control experience.… Full Review »
  3. Blue_Yoshi
    Jan 23, 2014
    7
    Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions is a Namco compilation headlining the companies two iconic arcade series, Pac-Man and Galaga by adding therePac-Man & Galaga Dimensions is a Namco compilation headlining the companies two iconic arcade series, Pac-Man and Galaga by adding there classic games, XBLA editions, and two new games that take advantage of the 3DS gyroscope features. Other than those 6 games theres also an online scoreboard, as well as a Pac-Man cartoon. Now lets get down to the basics and review the games themselves.

    Arcade Classics Pac-Man & Galaga

    These are the games that started it all, there gameplay is classic and simple and great for children to play. Pac-Man is a maze style game where you have to eat all the pellets while avoiding 4 ghosts who each have there own way of trying trap you so they can take away your life. There AI isnt that apparent but it still brings some depth to the simple game. Chomp on a big power pellet and you'll be able to eat the ghost and send them back to the center where they'll respond, the more you eat the more points you get. Occasionally fruit will also cross the maze and can also score bonus points.This game goes on forever so its purely based on score. Galaga is my personal favorite, it involves you piloting the ship Galaxian to stop the Galaga Armada which are aliens who pilot insect like ships.While it appears to be a rip off of Space Invaders, it differs with its colors and the enemies attempting to kamikaze your ship as well as others that try and take your ship and use it against you, which you can take back for double the fire power. You can only move left and right to avoid ship missles and kamikaze ships. Every third level theres a bonus stage where you can only shoot ships that fly in a specific pattern but dont attack you. The presentation of the games tries to be a throwback of the arcade originals, having the the sides of the arcade cabinets as well as the original tables pop out at you bring back the old style while sprucing up the games a little bit to be 3D themselves. When you have the sides on, it just makes the 3D in the game blurry but you do get the option of taking the sides off which helps out the effect. Unfortunately the games are really small compared to the wide screen of the 3DS which is disappointing. There still the great games they always were. They even have achievements now that range from being as easy as eating a cherry in Pac-Man, to as hard as reaching level 50 in Galaga

    Pac-Man Championship Edition & Galaga Legions

    When both these games debuted on XBLA they were both instant hits. Namco pretty much modernized the game play of both these games adding new concepts, neon colors, and online scoreboards. These games are killer apps in this compilation which I'd recommend you should play in some form. Pac-Man CE tweaks the old gameplay of Pac-Man while adding the classic feel. Rather than going through the same maze over and over again, theres two mazes attached to each other and theres a time limit. There is also a limited number of pellets but as soon as you eat them all that maze will darken and a fruit will appear on the other side and if you eat it the maze will light up with more pellets than before. The game speeds up as time goes down so it gets really hectic and those ghosts will make you paranoid. Theres ranked mode which is 5 minutes and will put your high score online, and than theres multiple stages. This game gets really addicting. Galaga Legions completely takes away the concept of the original game for a new concept thats original itself. This game is loosely inspired by the originals bonus levels. Rather than only moving left or right you can move in all directions and you have to satellites that you can put down in any direction since you can only shoot up which can be set to auto fire or manual. You can put down the satellite in any direction by pressing the corresponding letter buttons on the 3DS, A,B,X, and Y. The enemies appear as a line on screen telling you what movements there going to make and you have to put your satellite accordingly. Sometimes they come form all directions and you have to know which spot is safe and when you have to move. If you see a black hole on the screen and destroy it, it sucks up all enemy Galaga around you and forms "Legions" which will shoot for you and you can place them with your satellites. Theres ranked adventure mode, where you'll faces bosses, and championship mode where you'll go through wave after wave of enemies. The only thing wrong with this game is the enemies losing there unique insect looks. These both games make the collection worth buying the only complaints I have are the 3D effect not being as deep as it should be but goes great with the neon effects. These games have achievements to them as well.

    Pac-Man Tilt & Galaga 3D Impact

    The two stars of the collection arent as good as was first perceived. While both promising in the nature of gameplay, they both took away what made the original games fun yet are still entertaining nonetheless. Pac-Man Tilt strives to be a full side-scrolling game itself including over 25 main levels and a handful of bonus ones. The game uses the gyroscope to tilt the world around Pac-Man to do various things like rolling down a hill, moving platforms, or bouncing off pinball flippers. While this seems interesting at first you have to tilt the 3DS uncomfortably to the side making it hard to play the game when tilted at full force.The levels are easy but quickly get tedious. There are 3 medals based on your score, these medals open up the bonus levels. Whats really disappointing about the game is the 3D being turned off whenever you play the levels. The design of this game screams 3D yet we get none despite the fact that you can tilt the system while the 3D is on and still see it, granted you dont move the 3DS in any other direction. The game also gives Pac-Man a new modern design which gives him real sneakers and blue eyes as well as giving the 4 ghosts new shapes and faces and even adding 5th green ghost who looks like the classic ones. Galaga 3D Impact is a promising game that actually uses the 3D and the gyroscope efficiently. It plays out like Face Raiders where you use the 3DS itself to shoot enemies. You also have the option of sucking them up and absorbing there power in order to upgrade your ship and all of its weapons. Its really fun except for the fact that the game only has 4 levels and 1 life. I'd love to see a game like this in retail as a full game but its just too short and if you die you have to start all over. In the end its just another arcade title but is still of the best games on this compilation. They really should have looked into making these games a bit like there predecessors or at least twice as long, even achievements would have made them both a more satisfying experience.

    Scoring

    Only one high score per game can be recorded. A big disappointment since I cant see a list of my all times highs. At least they put your one high score online and compare it to everyone else, you can even do that weekly or just in general. Its always nice seeing if I made the top 200 in Galaga this week. Unfortunately it leads me to wonder if I have to beat my high score every week in order to be in that weeks scoreboard. Its kinda confusing they should have left a personal scoreboard.

    Thats all there is too this game, other than that silly Pac-Man 25th anniversary cartoon. Despite all the set backs its worth getting or your a fan of these games. If your looking for a full game experience I'd recommend something different. I give this game a 7/10    … Full Review »
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