Pac-Man 256

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.

In every way that a remake of a classic property can be, Pac-Man 256 soars.

Unshackled from any free-to-play hooks and microtransactions, Pac-Man 256 is one of the most addictive experiences found on consoles. While it's disappointing that this premium version didn't make its way to the Vita, a new multiplayer mode makes it feel at home on TV screens.

PAC-MAN becomes an infinite runner and the result is both challenging and fun.

Overall, I think the intensity and value added in terms of power-ups, how the design of the game works (moving Pac-Man quickly, while making tough strategic decisions on the fly) makes Pac-Man 256 a fantastic experience, as well as a replayable one. Drop the dough on this one, folks. It’s worth the price of admission and then some.

It perfectly combines the classic's simple appeal with a quicker pace and slick new moves, making it more addictive than ever. [Sept 2016, p.108]

Pac-Man 256 takes the original mechanics adding something new to the series, never seen before. You will run through an endless maze, trying to escape from the assault of the Glitch. To make your way across the ghosts, there are 20 upgradable weapons to collect. It may look a simple game, but it hides a surprising depth, and it is really fun to play. Multiplayer co-op is really a blast, but the lack of online multiplayer is a mess.

Pac-Man 256 is an addicting variation on Tōru Iwatani's legacy, updated for the 2010's. One should ask though if Playstation 4 is the best platform for it: sometimes it feels like you're playing a glorified mobile game (perhaps because it is.) Despite the repetitive gameplay - it's modelled after a game from 1980 after all - it's something I often return to and gladly play over and over again. It might even be better than the original, when I think about it.

Pac-Man is one of the mainstays in gaming that continues to stay relevant and Pac-Man 256 proves that the classic formula works even today.

Pac-Man 256 takes the original coin-op's gameplay and gives it a clever new twist to create an endless muncher that's hugely fun to play. On the surface it looks simple, but its gameplay has surprising depth that makes it fiendishly addictive - and highly challenging to master.

Takes the classic addictive gameplay we all know and love and successfully mixes it with the endless runner genre to create a surprisingly good and extremely affordable little gem.

Quotation forthcoming.

It may not be the most engrossing single-player experience, but if you enjoy local co-op multiplayer, you could do a lot worse than Pac-Man 256.

The last installment in an evergreen franchise, Pac-Man 256 smartly renews the game's original concept, transforming it into an endless runner arcade for hardcore puzzle game fans. This PC/console porting adds the coop multiplayer mode, an excellent addition to an already addicting game, and a little bit of monotonous gameplay.

Pac-Man 256 on the PlayStation 4 is not only nostalgic but provides some quick fun!

More creative use of upgrades would've been nice, and as with all endless runners, the appeal will wear off relatively quickly. However, this is a strong outing for Pac-Man that's perfect for short bursts, or, just as likely, one-more-go marathons.

"Sameness" defines 256. It's Pac-Man, with its classic gameplay intact, twisted to the side with an endless runner tint instead of a level-based progression system. It's good, but could have done much more and built on the killer advancements that were made in Pac-Man Championship Edition DX. Maybe that's expecting too much, because for five smackeroos, you could do a whole lot worse.