Pac-Man World 3 for GameCube Reviews by Gamers

Few videogame mascots possess either the history or the continued popularity of Namco's classic Pac-Man. The little yellow gobbler, whose beginnings can be traced back to a partially eaten pizza, according to series creator Toru Iwatani, has endured for more than 25 years. And like any good mascot, he has adapted to suit the changing tastes of players. But with each new iteration, some hint of the traditional wocka-wocka-surrounded maze presentation that started Pac-Mania remains. In 2002, this generation of players was introduced to Pac's latest form in Pac-Man World 2, a game that married traditional 3D platformer mechanics with Pac-style themes.

Pac-Man World 3 from developer Blitz Games and Namco continues the gameplay fundamentals first laid down with 2002's title. The sequel retains tight character control, some simple, but enjoyable environmental puzzles, and makes good use of the Pac-Man license, but it fails to bring anything new to the platformer table. Three years ago, the lack of any real innovation was much easier to swallow. By today's higher standards, though, it feels and looks significantly more dated. Worse, however, is the fact that the project is dented by some notable technical shortcomings, which can and do interfere with the intuitiveness of the experience.

Old and New
Blitz Games has tried to bring some much-needed personality to Pac-Man's universe and it shows in Pac-Man World 3. The title begins with a simple, but effective cut-scene that reacquaints players with the would-be hero and likewise sets up the adventure to follow. It's Pac-Man's twenty-fifth birthday and he's ready to celebrate, but before he can make it home to gobble up his cake, he's transported away from Pac-Land and into an underground lair. His one-time nemesis turned ally, Orson, has accidentally zapped him into this place, which, as Pac-Man notes, is filled with obstacles and monsters. Orson explains that an evil scientist named Erwin has been sucking the energy away from the Spectral World so he can use it to control his dastardly robots. Of course, it's up to Namco's classic mascot to put things right.

The premise isn't exactly groundbreaking, but it is nevertheless presented with some funny dialogue and occasionally unpredictable encounters and interactions. For example, Pac-Man must eventually team up with Blinky and Clyde, the very ghosts who have over the years famously chased him. In a humorous exchange, Pac-Man patronizes Clyde before rescuing him, and the ghost proposes that he be left alone, his dignity preserved, in lieu of being saved. The cinematics unfold in real-time using the game engine and they are used frequently to present new stages and challenges to gamers.

Gamers at all familiar with traditional 3D platformers will immediately discover that Pac-Man World has unfortunately not strayed far from the original formula. The play controls and level designs follow the guidelines in Platforming 101. Pac-Man explores 3D levels and gobbles up a tedious, never-ending stream of items, from pellets and power-ups to hidden cards and trophies. He jumps from platform to platform, climbs ledges and walls, and more. He punches and butt stomps enemies. And he flips switches, unlocks doors, and continues forward. The fact of the matter is that these traditional mechanics were pioneered nearly a decade ago with games like Super Mario 64 and there have been dozens upon dozens of copycats since. Pac-Man World 3 is admittedly a decent one, but seasoned platformer fans will undoubtedly find the game's me-too design dated by today's standards, and that is something that potential buyers need to be aware of when considering the product.

That said, players who can forgive the title's general lack of originality may still find a fun and rewarding experience as Pac-Man journeys through Pac-Land and the Spectral World. Controlling the hero through the game's some 15 unique levels, which range from industrial factories to underground caverns and psychedelic ghost lands, is oftentimes an entertaining experience. As in Pac-Man World 2, the simple process of moving Pac-Man around the environments is intuitive. This might seem like a given, but too many platformers get it wrong. The fact that we can walk Pac-Man precisely onto beams and ledges and confidently make pinpoint jumps is a gameplay plus. The game also serves up a welcomed selection of power-ups, which enable Pac-Man to take on temporary new abilities, such as shooting electricity from his hands or delivering a powerful butt stomp to dispose of enemies. On top of everything else, the yellow gobbler can sometimes take control of his ghostly allies in order to dispose of enemies or materialize objects normally beyond his visual grasp. In addition, there are occasional level design elements that satisfy. For instance, some stages come filled with trampolines that propel Pac-Man into the air line a pinball, where he is able to reach otherwise unattainable areas and continue onward. In other parts, the worlds themselves form 3D versions of the classic Pac-Man mazes, ghosts appear, and Pac-Man is challenged to go gobble crazy after he first swallows a power pellet. Better yet, some objectives require that players chomp through a classic Pac-Man maze, fully emulated. It's clear that Blitz Games has tried to integrate old and new into the latest title these marriages are often for the better.

The biggest problem with the game is that it just lacks polish, even when compared to Pac-Man World 2. We took a spin through 2002's title before diving into the sequel, and from visual and technical standpoints, the prequel is the more impressive game, which is disappointing. Not only are the character models, environments and animations usually more detailed and in turn prettier, but Pac-Man World 2 shows less mechanical issues. Blitz Games' sequel has a problematic camera system. It doesn't always stay with Pac-Man, which creates some frustrating play situations. It might also get caught on a polygon and stutter uncontrollably. The framerate, particularly on the GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions, is jumpy, to say the least. It dips noticeably and inconsistently below 30 frames per second at times, which makes the fluidity appear worse than it really is. And on top of everything else, we encountered several game-ending glitches as we played through the title. For instance, Pac-Man would sometimes fall off a ledge and perpetually plummet into the sky below; we always had to reset.

Pac-Man junkies will be pleased to learn that the title includes a Museum option with a handful of appreciated additions. The first is a fully playable emulated version of the original Pac-Man, which is immediately unlocked. It looks and plays exactly like its grandfather. Meanwhile, the Museum also features an insightful, but relatively short video interview with Toru Iwatani. And there's even a useful timeline that illustrates the evolution of the Pac-Man franchise with write-ups on each game, along with their original release dates.

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