Topic: Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions Impressions

[greybrick]

Make new friends, but keep the old.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressions/26721

Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions brings the two classic franchises into, you guessed it, the third dimension. Two of the six titles on this full retail release are brand new, but Namco added new features to each game in the transition to 3D.

The first two titles are classic arcade versions of the original Pac-Man and Galaga that remain virtually unchanged. They are enhanced by a 3D effect, which gives the impression of an old arcade monitor, and online leaderboards that use players' existing Nintendo 3DS friends list. The replication of an arcade monitor was one of the better uses I have seen of the 3DS screen thus far. The next two titles, Galaga Legions and Pac Man Championship Edition, both received a 3D update along with online leaderboards.

These legacy titles look and feel as one would expect, and players have the option of using either the Circle or D-pad for control. No comment was made on why Pac Man Championship Edition DX wasn't included.

The final titles are new and exclusive to the 3DS. Pac-Man Tilt, the first of the two, is a platformer that takes a cue from Kirby's Tilt and Tumble and Sonic. Pac-Man is primarily controlled by means of the D-pad, and is trapped in a side-scrolling neon world filled with ghosts. When the player tilts the 3DS, Pac-Man tucks in his appendages and rolls. This may seem like a great idea, but the titling range of the 3DS is for some reason limited and Pac-Man isn't very fast while rolling. Despite the slow speed, I managed to get caught on elements of the environment multiple times, further impeding my progress. Namco has disabled 3D for this game, which seems to contradict the intentions of the compilation.

Galaga 3D Impact doesn't seem to have much more promise, either. The game is an on-rails space shooter that consists of six levels and several weapon types. While 3D Impact clearly seeks to imitate the Star Fox titles, it doesn't seem to have any personality or compelling reason to play. Taken out of its top-down arcade environment, Galaga 3D Impact doesn't appeal to the nostalgia required to play a Galaga game.

Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions launches this summer, look forward to our full review.