PAC-MAN 256 Reviews
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.
Pac-Man 256 is a fun little excursion for the series that innovates and changes up the formula. Sadly, some of the title’s mechanics don’t work as well on home consoles as they did on mobile platforms. The multiplayer mode is a fun new addition, but the lack of an online component is surprising. Fans of the series will eat up this new entry, but it offers little substance and staying power for a console game.
"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.
Hipster Whale's game is basically the same Pac-Man people were playing 35 years ago, just with an endless maze, more power-ups, and co-op play
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.
In every way that a remake of a classic property can be, Pac-Man 256 soars. By enshrining the classic gameplay beats of the 1980 original and thoughtfully augmenting it with new tweaks and changes to keep the game perpetually fresh, few could have perhaps envisioned that back in 1980 Pac-Man would still prove to be one of the most enjoyable and arguably essential gaming experiences you can buy some thirty-six years on.
The simple presentation and controls allow anyone to pick up a controller and know what to do, while the addition of power-ups and objectives provide a little more depth for die-hard fans to explore. 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.
PAC-MAN 256 is exactly what you probably assume it will be, which is frustrating and disappointing, but also fun enough to probably warrant its tiny price tag of $4.99.
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.
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 256 is everything you'd want out of a modern reinterpretation of the arcade classic. It may not have all the substance in the world, but it's a great time waster to put into the rotation whenever you have a podcast to listen to.
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.
Pac-Man 256 on the PlayStation 4 is not only nostalgic but provides some quick fun!
[Pac-Man 256] is without doubt one of the most addictive games I have ever played
While Pac-Man 256 is hardly award-winning fare, it’s a mobile-to-home port done right, with just the right amount of content (without necessary in-game purchases) and some cool multiplayer to go along with the endless running. You’ll more than likely play it in spurts, but that’s just how Hipster Whale designed it anyway, so no biggie. It’s an enjoyable twist on a classic game that brings it into the here and now – and, at the very least, gives us something to do until the next Pac-Man Championship Edition rolls around.
There's a very good chance that Pac-Man 256 will become your new guilty pleasure when you want a break from the bigger titles. The premise is as simple as can be, but there are enough changes here to make things intriguing. There are plenty of things to unlock and challenges to conquer, and the grind to get them all and power them up doesn't feel as daunting thanks to the generosity of coins and points being given to you. Most importantly, the sessions are short enough that you can spend a few minutes with it and be done, but that call of "one more round" is enough to keep you glued for hours. Cheap but ultimately satisfying, Pac-Man 256 comes highly recommended.
'Pac-Man 256' is 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. Highly recommended.
Pac-Man 256 is a solid attempt at modernizing one of the most iconic arcade experiences in gaming history.
The mobile version was free, but with ads. If you wanted extra currency, you could watch an ad, or you’d have to wait for a reward. PAC-MAN 256 eschews all of that to prove it’s a game that can stand without ad support. It is an endless runner (of sorts) that has you attempting to gain a high score while unlocking power-ups to ensure your place atop the leaderboard. It’s such a unique and exciting way to play, you’ll have a hard time stopping.
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.