Almost like the real thing!

Pac-Man must have been released on every conceivable platform since it’s original arcade conception. Namco All-Stars Pac-Man is an official version that brings the original gameplay with a bit of polish and some extra nostalgia.

This demo is limited to only 30 minutes play, unfortunately, but that’s long enough to be reminded about what made Pac-Man so popular. There are two visual modes, classic and enhanced, though the gameplay stays identical in both. It’s easily controlled with cursor keys, and in fact may be easier than with a joystick.

The sound may come as a shock. Namco seem to have produced the sound effects to make you feel like you’re playing an arcade cabinet, which is quite cool. The shocking thing is how grating the effects are in general – this is not a game you want to play loud! There’s nothing wrong with Namco All-Stars Pac-Man, so if you like the game, you’ll enjoy this faithful incarnation.

Namco All-Stars Pac-Man is as close as you are likely to get to traveling back in time to an arcade to play Pac-Man!