Pac-Man Championship Edition 2

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is a different beast than its prequel, and some may find its gimmicks a little too gimmicky this time around, but I find it hard to pick a favorite between the two offerings. There’s no doubt in my mind that this is the cleverer of the two titles, boasting an inventive central mechanic that informs some thoroughly brilliant level design. Regardless of which may be the superior Pac-Man, this second round of Championship remains a bloody terrific time.

Familiar Pac-Man gameplay with an added twist, offering near endless fun.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is simply an incredibly fun and addictive arcade experience that once again reinvents the arcade classic in a compelling way. The visual style feels timeless, looking as great as it did back in 2007.

Boasting a wealth of challenge and a litany of well considered changes, Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 feels like a Grandmasters Tour of series architect Toru Iwatani’s magnum opus. Accessible and compelling, Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is one of the finest arcade games you can buy on PS4.

While Pac-Man CE 2 can't live up to all the expectations of those who deeply loved the first game, it's still pure old/new-school gaming bliss.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is a tough, uphill experience that might have a few things going against it in terms of frustration, but the game also has a lot going for it in terms of challenge. Gamers generally cry about games being too quick and easy, so Bandai Namco Studios has created something that goes against that grain. Certainly this is the Dark Souls of the Pac-Man series.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 could feel like the same title that came out 7 years ago, but it brings new and more challenging features that competitive players will enjoy. The game is fun from the first to the last curse you unblock. It may not have many modes or real Boss Battles, but it is still a fun experience that Pac-Man fans will enjoy.

Despite the lack of innovation, Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is a great arcade game just like its predecessor.

Like the game that started all those decades ago, this is a puzzler at heart, but one played out at a lightning pace. A brave, loving, essential update to a bonafide classic. [Nov 2016, p.87]

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is a good evolution to the classic formula that give us hours of endless score attack fun. Even all its changes are modest compared with Championship Edition DX, is good to have again the frantic and fast gameplay that we love of the series in a well presented arcade style game.

The ultimate success story is that Bandai Namco can take Pac-Man as it is in its basic form and still find amazing new, and very modern, ways to apply that formula.

A faster, more frantic, and fresh take on the old Pac-Man series, and this sequel does a great job of furthering what the original Championship Edition presented. The game is fun, and Pac-Man fans will enjoy the game while also getting a new set of challenges to face. In the end, the game is fairly simple and something you’ve seen before many times, but if you are craving a return to Pac World, this is a great place to look.

Adds a lot of excitement to an already fast paced game that makes Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 a very worthy follow-up on its predecessor.

Pac-Man: Championship Edition 2 creates an exciting dynamic where ghosts are still dangerous, but the overall game is more forgiving than the original--and it’s more entertaining as a result. Arcade ports tend to be games we play in short bursts--mostly for the nostalgia factor. Pac-Man: Championship Edition 2 certainly relies on that nostalgia to a point, but it handles the classic game in a way that plays with expectations to surprise you. It’s the same game enhanced in the right directions to be make an old concept fun, innovative, and challenging all over again.

An unexpectedly brave attempt to once again rewrite the rules on Pac-Man, resulting in another near-classic arcade experience.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 may have a few additions for the sake of it, but it’s still one of the best score-attack games you could hope to play.

Bandai Namco didn't try to reinvent wheel, but it's a very good sequel and a great way to experience Pac-Man.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is a solid sequel that suffers from trying to add too much to a formula that was almost perfect.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is tough to recommend when the first game is still around. This new entry sure is a sequel, but that’s about it.

Pac-Man: Championship Edition 2 is a game for all of you who love chasing after new high scores.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 did not take the direction everyone would have preferred. But great respect goes to the development team for trying to do something different than the usual formula.

Compared to its predecessor, Championship Edition 2 offers more stuff to do, yet it never manages to achieve the pure arcade bliss that entranced the player to spend hours on end.

Too many fruits spoil the broth. [Issue#180, p.85]

If Pac-Man Championship Edition and DX were enjoyable sugar rushes of arcade pleasure, this is the inevitable sugar headache. Lacking the perfect gameplay of its prequels, and also the charm, Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is good but it was supposed to be great.