Pac-Man Museum | |
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Developer(s) | Mine Loader Software |
Publisher(s) | Bandai Namco Entertainment [lower-alpha 1] |
Series | Pac-Man |
Platform(s) | PlayStation 3 Microsoft Windows Xbox 360 |
Release | PlayStation Network Xbox Live Arcade
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Genre(s) | Maze, Compilation |
Pac-Man Museum is a 2014 compilation title developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment under the Namco label. It is a compilation of 9 [lower-alpha 2] Pac-Man games, with additional features such as achievements and online leaderboards.
It was released digitally on February 26, 2014, for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but was released on Steam and the North American PlayStation Store a day earlier (February 25, 2014). It was released in Japan for PS3 and Xbox 360 on June 25, 2014. Versions of the game for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U were announced and intended to release on the Nintendo eShop, but was cancelled due to "delayed development". [1] The game was delisted from all platforms on July 20, 2020.
A sequel, Pac-Man Museum + , was released on May 27, 2022.
Pac-Man Museum features 9 [lower-alpha 2] games from the Pac-Man series, ranging from the original maze games, puzzle games and platformers. Each game is based on their original arcade/console release (Pac-Attack is based on the Genesis/Mega Drive version, while Pac-Man Arrangement is based on its Namco Museum Battle Collection port). Additional features in the compilation include a special guide mode for Pac-Man, online and offline leaderboards, and achievements (console versions only).
The game also features an award system for each game (minus Ms. Pac-Man) called the Stampbook. Completing an achievement adds a stamp to the Stampbook (with each stamp representing the bonus fruits from the original Pac-Man). There are 8 stamps to fill for each game, with medals being awarded to the player for completing each game. Additionally, filling in a stamp adds a character or object from Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures to the Pac-Room (which is also displayed in the main menu), where the player can view Pac-Man's apartment from the TV series and view all obtained characters and items. These items range from characters from the series (like Pac-Man and the Ghosts), objects (including a Pac-Man's Arcade Party machine), and figurines based on the characters (as well as Galaga cameos). As well as being able to view close-ups of the characters and objects, they are also accessible through the game's Item List, which also displays information regarding each item or character.
Ms. Pac-Man was originally available as free downloadable content until March 31, 2014. On April 1, 2014, the game became a $4.99 in-game purchase.
Pac-Attack and Pac-Man Battle Royale are the only games that retain their original multiplayer functionality; all other games had their multiplayer features removed.
Aggregator | Score |
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Metacritic | (PS3) 66/100 [2] (X360) 66/100 [3] |
Publication | Score |
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Destructoid | 7/10 [4] |
Game Informer | 7/10 [5] |
Hardcore Gamer | 4/5 [6] |
Push Square | [7] |
Pac-Man Museum received a score of 66/100 on Metacritic, a score of 6/10 on Steam, and Hardcore Gamer gave the game a 4/5, calling it "the best representation of what has been a truly illustrious video game career." [6]
Destructoid gave the game a 7/10 rating, saying "Pac-Man Museum has a bunch of middling pieces, but the addition of Battle Royale is the icing on the cake. If you've never played Championship Edition before and thus do not have DX to compare it to, it's a perfect way to re-acclimate yourself to the franchise, while you use Royale to spice up your next local gathering. Everyone else who lacks friends on-hand or has already played CE should wait for a sale, or pass this one up entirely."
Galaga is a 1981 fixed shooter arcade video game developed and published by Namco. In North America, it was released by Midway Manufacturing. It is the sequel to Galaxian (1979), Namco's first major video game hit in arcades. Controlling a starship, the player is tasked with destroying the Galaga forces in each stage while avoiding enemies and projectiles. Some enemies can capture a player's ship via a tractor beam, which can be rescued to transform the player into a "dual fighter" with additional firepower.
Pac-Land is a 1984 side-scrolling arcade platform game developed and released by Namco. It was distributed in North America by Bally Midway, and in Europe by Atari Games. Controlling Pac-Man, the player must make it to the end of each stage to return a lost fairy back to its home in Fairyland. Pac-Man will need to avoid obstacles, such as falling logs and water-spewing fire hydrants, alongside his enemies, the Ghost Gang. Eating large flashing Power Pellets will cause the ghosts to turn blue, allowing Pac-Man to eat them for points.
Super Pac-Man is a 1982 maze chase arcade game developed and published by Namco. It was distributed in North America by Midway. Super Pac-Man is Namco's take on a sequel to the original Pac-Man; Midway had previously released Ms. Pac-Man, which Namco had little involvement with. Toru Iwatani returns as designer.
Pac-Attack, also known as Pac-Panic, is a 1993 falling-tile puzzle video game developed and published by Namco for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis. Versions for the Game Boy, Game Gear and Philips CD-i were also released. The player is tasked with clearing out blocks and ghosts without them stacking to the top of the playfield — blocks can be cleared by matching them in horizontal rows, while ghosts can be cleared by placing down a Pac-Man piece that can eat them. It is the first game in the Pac-Man series to be released exclusively for home platforms.
Namco Museum is a series of video game compilations developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for home video game consoles. The first title in the series, Namco Museum Vol. 1, was released for the PlayStation in 1995. Entries in the series have been released for multiple platforms, including the Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS and Xbox 360. the latest being Namco Museum Archives Vol. 2, released in 2020.
Pac-Man World Rally, known in Europe as Pac-Man Rally, is a kart racing game in the Pac-Man series. It was published by Bandai Namco Games, and released on August 22, 2006, for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, PlayStation Portable, and Microsoft Windows. An Xbox version of the game was cancelled, though a preview of the game can be found in the Xbox release of Pac-Man World 3.
Pac & Pal is a 1983 maze chase arcade game developed and published by Namco. It is part of the company's Pac-Man series and the third to have been produced in-house. Players control Pac-Man as he must eat the items in an enclosed maze while avoiding four colored ghosts that pursue him. Pac-Man is assisted by a green-colored creature named Miru, the titular "Pal", who brings the items back to the center box. Pac-Man can also collect power-ups that allow him to briefly stun the ghosts.
Namco Museum Remix is a 2007 video game compilation developed and published for the Wii by Namco Bandai Games. The compilation includes nine Namco arcade games and five "remix" games made specifically for this compilation. A remake, Namco Museum Megamix, was released exclusively in North America on November 26, 2010; the game features nine other arcade games alongside the titles from the original, as well as an additional remix game based on Grobda.
Pac-Man Championship Edition is a 2007 maze video game developed and published by Namco Bandai Games for the Xbox 360. It has since appeared on several other platforms, including iOS, Android, and the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable as a PSP mini title available on the PlayStation Store. It is an HD reimagining of the original Pac-Man arcade game; players navigate Pac-Man through an enclosed maze, eating pellets and avoiding four ghosts that pursue him. Clearing an entire side of the maze of dots will cause a fruit item to appear, and eating it will cause a new maze to appear on the opposite side.
Namco Museum DS is a 2007 video game compilation developed by M2 and published by Namco Bandai Games. The game features 7 arcade games previously published by Namco along with a Nintendo DS version of the Nintendo-developed title Pac-Man Vs.
Galaga Legions is a 2008 twin-stick shooter video game developed and released by Namco Bandai Games for the Xbox 360. It is the twelfth game in the Galaxian series, and the third developed for home platforms. The player controls a starship, the AEf-7 "Blowneedle", in its efforts to wipe out the Galaga armada. The objective of the game is to clear each of the five stages as quick as possible. Stages have a heavy emphasis on puzzle solving and chain reactions, which are necessary to clear out enemy formations. The Blowneedle has a pair of satellites at its disposal, and can place them anywhere on the screen to fend off enemies.
Namco Museum Virtual Arcade is a video game compilation developed and published by Namco Bandai Games for the Xbox 360. It was released in North America in 2008 and in Europe and Japan in 2009. Part of its Namco Museum series, Virtual Arcade includes 34 titles; nine of these are Namco Bandai-published Xbox Live Arcade games, and the rest are arcade games that are only accessible through the disc. Players can access the Xbox Live Arcade games through their dashboard if the disc is in the console.
Pac-Man Battle Royale is a 2010 maze battle-royale arcade game in the Pac-Man series. Developed by Bandai Namco Studios and manufactured by Bandai Namco Amusement, it was made in celebration of Pac-Man's 30th Anniversary. The game sees up to four players control multi-colored Pac-Men as they try to compete to be the last Pac-Man standing.
Namco Museum Essentials is a 2009 video game compilation developed by Cattle Call and published by Namco Bandai Games for the PlayStation 3. The collection includes five Namco arcade games from the 1980s: Pac-Man (1980), Galaga (1981), Dig Dug (1982), Xevious (1983), and Dragon Spirit (1987), alongside an exclusive Xevious sequel, Xevious Resurrection. Player progress is rewarded with stamps, which could be redeemed for virtual items in the now-defunct PlayStation Home service. Stamps also award points when collected, used to unlock extra features such as wallpapers.
Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions is a 2011 video game compilation developed and published for the Nintendo 3DS by Namco Bandai Games. It contains six games from the company's Pac-Man and Galaxian franchises—Pac-Man (1980), Galaga (1981), Pac-Man Championship Edition (2007), Galaga Legions (2008), Pac-Man Tilt, and Galaga 3D Impact, the last two being unique games created exclusively for this collection. The collection also includes achievements, online leaderboards, and a trailer for the Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures television series.
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2, also known in Japan as Pac-World 2 is a 2014 video game for the Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, released on October 14, 2014. It is the sequel to Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures. The game received mixed reviews for its lack of innovation.
Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is a maze arcade game in the Pac-Man series which was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on September 15, 2016; an updated version featuring an exclusive 2-player co-op mode, Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 Plus, was released for Nintendo Switch on February 22, 2018. It was developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, and is a direct sequel to Pac-Man Championship Edition, making it an indirect follow-up of Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+.
Pac-Man Museum + is a 2022 compilation video game developed by Now Production and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Being a sequel to the 2014 compilation title Pac-Man Museum, Pac-Man Museum + includes 14 games from the Pac-Man series, with additional features such as missions and online leaderboards.