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Retro redux Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ now $5 on Steam
Steam's Daily Deal has just knocked 50 percent from the price of Namco Bandai's hit Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+, granting the revived incarnation of the pellet-chomping arcade classic a $5 price tag. If you've ever played Pac-Man you're already familiar with the basics of Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+. Navigate a maze, avoid ghosts, eat pellets - you know the drill. Where the new game differentiates itself is in its novel tweaks to the classic formula. Players are given all manner of options to change the core Pac-Man experience, from slowing down time when you run too close to a dangerous ghost, to changing the stage to resemble something out of Dig Dug. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ is less a modern Pac-Man sequel and more a remix of its central concepts mated with the technology of today. To take advantage of this discount, simply visit the Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ page on Steam and purchase the game before Friday, February 14 at 10AM. After that time, Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ returns to its standard $10 price point. [Image: Namco Bandai]
Namco Bandai iOS games on sale through Monday
For those looking to save a few bucks but want some new mobile games to play while waiting in check-out lines on Black Friday, Namco Bandai has you covered. The publisher recently put 20 of its apps on sale on the App Store, giving iPhone and iPad users through Monday, November 19 to cash in on games such as Pac-Man Championship Edition and SoulCalibur.A full list of the games included in the sale can be found after the break.
Namco Bandai discounting iOS stable for Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday (but not Super Tuesday)
Sick and tired of your neighbor Steve Grabowski always showing off with his fancy Pac-Man Championship Edition on iPhone? First and foremost, tell Grabowski to shove it, but more importantly, know that you'll soon be able to afford your very own copy. Namco's Thanksgiving Week slash Black Friday slash Cyber Monday iOS sales are offering dramatically discounted versions of excellent games like Pac-Man CE and Galaga Remix, and the deals kick off at 12AM PST today ... so they're totally live right now. Said deals shall stay that way through November 28, just before midnight PST. At very least, the discounted wares should give you a brief reprieve from that jerk neighbor.
Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions packs in Championship Edition, Legions
Though still not announced for release in North America, Namco Bandai's first (of what will likely be many) iterations of Pac-Man and Galaga on 3DS has already gotten more attractive. The latest issue of Famitsu reports that, in addition to newfangled gyroscope-controlled versions of the two classics, Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions will include Pac-Man Championship Edition and Galaga Legions, plus the original arcade versions of Pac-Man and Galaga. The arcade ports will make use of the 3DS's autostereoscopic effect to create the illusion of looking down on the original coin-op machines -- though purists can always turn down the 3D slider, we assume. Players will also be able to choose between multiple cabinet variants. Of course, this will all seem quaint when we're writing about the seventh repackaging of Pac-Man and Galaga for 3DS four years from now.
Angry Birds continues PSN domination in February
The PlayStation Store had some noteworthy releases in February: Explodemon, Stacking, Bionic Commando Rearmed 2. But none of these new releases managed to chart in PSN's monthly sales numbers. Instead, you'll see some familiar names on the top 5 list, including Angry Birds, which continues its second month of bestselling sales. Angry Birds Plants vs. Zombies Tetris Pac-Man Championship Edition DX Mortal Kombat II In addition to Angry Birds, the appearance of a PopCap game, a Tetris game, and a Pac-Man game tell us that casual games are key to making your way to the top of the PlayStation Network.
Pac-Man CE coming to PlayStation Minis this week
Though there's nothing miniature about Pac-Man: Championship Edition -- or the manner in which it will absolutely devour your free time as you endlessly pursue the highest scores -- the title will be added to the PSN Minis catalog with tomorrow's update of the PlayStation Store. The announcement of the game's imminence didn't include a price point, though it's guaranteed to arrive below the $10 ceiling that's been established for the platform. Considering the Mini-fied version of the game won't have any online support or leaderboards, we hope it arrives under that ceiling with room to spare. Update: The price is right! $4.99.
Pac-Man Championship Edition coming to PSP and PS3
The hypnotic charms of Pac-Man: Championship Edition are being packed into a downloadable Mini for PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3. According to a Namco representative, the Mini should become available sometime this fall. Barring a delay, it would arrive alongside the new game in the series, Pac-Man: Championship Edition DX, which is slated for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. We got a chance to play the PSP game at a Pac-Man 30th Anniversary event in Los Angeles and found it to be identical to the XBLA version, right down to the in-game trophies. The d-pad certainly gives this handheld version the edge, and the colorful visuals look great on the PSP's screen. It should be a perfect distraction during your dull train commute, provided you don't mind missing your stop. And the next one. And the next one. And just one more.
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX coming to XBLA, PSN this fall
The Pac-Man party continues as Namco Bandai has announced a followup to 2007's excellent Pac-Man Championship Edition: simply, Pac-Man Championship Edition DX. The so-called sequel will launch on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network this fall, adding new mazes, modes and enhancements to the CE formula. In fact, DX sounds seriously "deluxe," expanding the original Championship Edition's six mazes to "more than 100 varied and mind-boggling" courses, according to Namco Bandai. Additionally, new modes will include Time Attack Mode, an objective-based Mission Mode and the (devour) Ghost Mode. We'll look to gobble up more details at Namco Bandai's Pac-Man birthday event tonight. (Old Yellow's turning 30!)
Pac-Man CE, more Namco iPhone games on sale
'Tis the season for crazy sales on iPhone games from major publishers. Namco Games has joined EA and Konami with a temporary price drop on a wide selection of touchscreen titles, including the new Pac-Man Championship Edition. While the price of all the DLC hasn't dropped, it's cheaper to try the game now, with a starting price of just .99. Strangely, regular Pac-Man dropped not to .99, but to $2.99. Another big Namco game, Ace Combat Xi, is available for its limited-time launch price of $4.99 once again, down from $7.99. See the list after the break, and just try not to freak out at the prospect of Mr. Driller for a dollar. %Gallery-80013% [Via App Advice]
Pac-Man CE now on iPhone, starting at $3
click for Super Pac-Man sizeNamco Bandai has just released its fourth Pac-Man game to the iPhone/iPod Touch App Store -- but it's Pac-Man Championship Edition, so it's somewhat more interesting than the usual lineup of classic ports that flood every platform. And it's only $3! The iPhone version of the revamped XBLA hit includes a time-limited Championship Mode with 5 courses, and a Mission Mode with 20 missions. DLC expands this to 15 Championship courses and 120 missions, and adds a third Challenge Mode. If you're interested in trying it out, we suggest picking it up with the kind of haste reserved for running from ghosts -- the $3 starting price is a limited-time sale. Might as well save your money for the DLC you know you'll be dipping into. Pac-Man Championship Edition ($2.99): %Gallery-80013% [Via AppShopper]
Pac-Man Championship Edition following the dots to iPhone
Should Pac-Man Remix fail to provide enough remixed Pac-Man for you and your iPhone, Namco Bandai is preparing another version. We think you'll be delighted to hear about this new Pac-Man even if you just bought Pac-Man Remix: Namco Bandai is working on an iPhone version of Pac-Man Championship Edition, the excellent Xbox Live Arcade Pac-Man game created by Toru Iwatani himself. If you were about to buy Remix, then ... don't. According to The Feed, the iPhone version of the modernized maze game will be out later this year. We aren't thrilled with the idea of playing the high-speed Championship Edition with fake buttons or tilt controls, but we're excited enough about the game to give it a try. At least it makes more sense than Tekken.
Namco Bandai planning on more XBLA remakes of arcade classics
Were you a fan of Pac-Man: Championship Edition and the more recent Galaga Legions? Are you hoping for future remakes of games that are likely older than you? You're in luck -- the team at Namco Bandai that updated the two arcade classics for Xbox Live Arcade is reportedly planning updates for other arcade titles of the era, though no specific title has been decided upon as of yet.The director of the small team, Tadashi Iguchi, revealed in an interview with MTV Multiplayer that there's an initiative at Namco to revamp the company's "masterpiece games" -- more specifically, he mentions that he's interested in "making games that players who liked games in the 80's will enjoy." A humble suggestion for the team: Pole Position. Don't think, Iguchi. Just do it.
Trailer-splosion! Galaga Legions, Uno Rush, South Park, Word Soup for XBLA
Grab your welding goggles – that there's a video of the XBLA-exclusive Galaga Legions, the latest update of Namco's coin-op classic. This one's being handled by the team behind Pac-Man Championship Edition, which equals eye-searing effects that are the graphical equivalent of spirit fingers. Keep reading after the break for another salvo of videos showcasing incoming XBLA titles including Uno Rush, South Park, and Word Soup. You can take your welding goggles off for viewing those. We promise it's safe.
GDC08: Bomberman & Pac-Man win big at XBLA Awards
Keeping to their word, Microsoft just announced at GDC the winners of the first annual Xbox Live Arcade Awards and man oh man did Bomberman Live and Pac-Man: Championship Edition win big. Out of the ten award categories, six category winners were chosen by the Xbox Live community who voted online this past January. And after the votes were tallied, Bomberman Live ended up being the big winner taking home the coveted Best Overall Arcade Game of 2007 as well as Best Competitive Multiplayer Game. Pac-Man: CE also came out on top, nabbing Best Original Game, Best Family-Friendly Game and Xbox LIVE Arcade Staff Choice honors. So, between Bomberman and Pac-Man, they took home half of all the awards. Not too shabby. After the break, check out all of 2007's top XBLA Award winners for each of the ten categories. And be sure to begin preparation for 2008's XBLA Awards, we have a feeling that the competition is going to be fierce.
Best of the Rest: Kyle's picks for 2007
kdice (Web)Take Risk. Simplify the rules and create a bunch of new maps. Add an intuitive web-based interface and a complex worldwide ranking system. Make the game entirely free to play and attract a solid stable of online players, available at all hours of the day. The result is one of the most addictive strategy games you've probably never heard of.
Best of the Rest: James' Picks of 2007
Pac-Man Championship Edition (XBLA) If not worthy of a Top 10 spot, then certainly Pac-Man deserves Joystiq's 'Comeback Player of the Year' award. I covered Pac-Man CE's overblown launch in early June, but it wasn't until I became a devoted player at home that I realized the sheer genius of the first true Pac-Man sequel since 'the Ms.' hit the maze in '82. Designer Toru Iwatani managed to scrape off a quarter-century of rust and fashion a remarkably relevant game that held me down during an otherwise punishing summer drought. Geometry Wars might be the most celebrated, but Pac-Man CE is Xbox Live Arcade's true star.
Free Pac-Man Championship Edition from GTR
We were as surprised and delighted as anyone when we Pac-Man Championship Edition turned out to be such a great game. Whether or not it will go down in gaming history is up for debate. Whatever becomes of Pac-Man CE, right now it's simply a good game. "Sure, it's fun, but what about the price?" you say. Well, we've got you covered. Actually, Gamertag Radio has you covered but we won't be bothered by semantics. The point is that GTR is giving away five copies of Pac-Man CE absolutely free. Head on over for your chance to win. Oh, and did we mention this week's episode features Aaron "this will go down in video game history" Greenberg? Well, it does. Listen to Aaron speak his mind and win free Pac-Man CE. Not too shabby, eh?
Microsoft defends Pac-Man CE price
Microsoft exec. Aaron Greenberg defends the 800 MS point ($10) cost of Pac-Man Championship Edition saying that it isn't really a retro title. Although we've certainly sung the praises of this new Pac-Man with the stupid name, we are also fence sitters on this 800 price point. Greenberg said to Gamerscore blog, "Namco came to us with what they thought the content price should be and I do not disagree with it costing 800 points. There's actually a lot of work from a lot of people to bring it all together." Yeah, but it would be nice if people actually played, as Greenberg puts it, "Toru Iwatani's gift to the world," right?The price point is really the most controversial thing about Pac-Man Championship Edition. At 800 MS points it's a good game, some people might see the logic, but most will just see *snore* Pac-Man. For 400 MS points ($5), there's no reason why everyone shouldn't get this game. At $5, it's completely worth it. So, Microsoft's gotta ask itself, does it feel lucky? Will they make more money keeping the game at the questionable 800 point mark, or could they make more at 400 points? Ah, the mysteries of the marketplace. %Gallery-3684%
Microsoft defends Pac-Man CE pricing
During the Gamerscore Blog's Lunchtime Conversation, Xbox group product manager Aaron Greenberg defended the pricing for Pac-Man Championship Edition. Greenberg went on to say that Pac-Man CE is not a simple port of the old game, but is almost a sequel in it's own right with new gameplay, artwork, music and HD implementation added. So, he feels that the 800 Microsoft points that the game costs is more than reasonable for what you're getting.And if you're a regular Fancast listener, you'll know that we were all impressed by the new Championship Edition and most of us were happy to plop down our Microsoft points. We also agree that it's more of a sequel than anything else, but it's ultimately up to you if you think 800 points is worth a new (and extremely fun) Pac-Man experience. So, is the pricing overkill or is it in line with other Arcade offerings?
X3F Achievements 101: Bots, Bosses and Babalities
X3F Achievements 101 is back, and on its regularly scheduled time slot of Sundays. Initial response to our first edition was rather positive, so we're glad you like the concept and hope you enjoy reading, and even participating in the column. Emails with Achievement tips also came in at a good pace, and I look forward to playing and trading with you. One particular email stood out, which came from Casey over at brains-N-brawn.com, and the steps he took to get Achievements in one of the most time consuming Arcade games, Bejeweled 2.
