This release brings the iconic arcade experience of a true gaming legend to modern platforms. Originally captivating audiences in arcades in 1980, this title offers a straightforward yet deeply engaging challenge. Players navigate a maze, tasked with consuming all the Pac-Dots while evading four colorful ghosts. The core objective is simple: clear each maze to advance to the next, increasingly complex level.

A key element of the gameplay involves strategically consuming Power Pellets. These temporary power-ups allow the player to turn the tables on the pursuing ghosts, making them vulnerable and enabling the player to score significant bonus points by eating them. This dynamic creates a compelling loop of evasion, pursuit, and opportunistic offense.

Core Gameplay and Mechanics

The fundamental gameplay revolves around directional movement within a confined maze. Players must master precise control to navigate the pathways efficiently, collecting all Pac-Dots scattered throughout the environment. The primary antagonists, the ghosts, patrol the maze with distinct movement patterns, posing a constant threat. The introduction of Power Pellets adds a strategic layer, offering brief windows of offensive capability and the chance to achieve high scores.

What makes this game unique?

The enduring appeal of this title lies in its elegant simplicity combined with its strategic depth. The rules are easy to grasp, making it accessible to anyone, yet mastering the mazes and achieving high scores requires considerable skill, pattern recognition, and quick reflexes. This balance has cemented its status as a timeless classic.

Port Features and Enhancements

As a port of the original arcade masterpiece, this version offers several features designed to enhance the modern gaming experience. Players have the option to enable scanline and sound settings, allowing for a more authentic retro visual and auditory presentation. Additionally, for those seeking an extra challenge or a nod to the game's history, the inclusion of the Round 256 bug is available, replicating a notorious glitch from the original arcade version.

Platform Availability

This classic arcade game is available on multiple contemporary platforms, including PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), and Xbox One, allowing a wide audience to experience its enduring gameplay.

Release Information

The game was released on April 19, 2016.

Game Type

This release is classified as a Port, bringing a beloved arcade title to current gaming systems.