Two arcade classics return...and head to the 3rd dimension!

Posted 1 year ago By EastonAssass1n - Luke Brown

Pac-Man and Galaga are two of video game history’s finest franchises. From humble arcade beginnings to the current hyper-acid trip interpretations, the two Namco classics have seen dozens of variations over the years. As great as the originals were, the latest incarnation - Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions - manages to be a rather mundane affair. With rehashes of four titles and only two new very average game modes, Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions does little to expand the 3DS’ list of quality titles.

All six of Pac-Man/Galaga’s games are available upon start up, and like many Pac-Man fans, I was eager to check out the new game Pac-Man Tilt. Tilt is a very simple side-scrolling platformer that makes use of the 3DS’ motion controls. You guide Pac-Man through a level filled with power pellets and a mere handful of ghosts by jumping, running, and rolling. The landscape and obstacles can be altered to your advantage by tilting the 3DS to the left or right, thus slightly changing the physics of the world. Unfortunately, my eagerness was met with disappointment as the mode is very simple, boring, and doesn’t even utilize the handheld’s 3D technology. Obviously twisting and turning your system isn’t conducive to the 3D, but twisting and turning your system isn’t exactly conducive to fun gameplay either.

Galaga’s newest entry doesn’t fare much better. Playing like an on-rails version of Face Raiders, Galaga 3D Impact puts you in the pilot seat of a spaceship where you’ll blast bug-like aliens as they appear all around you. You’ll have to physically move the 3DS around to get the enemies within your sights, and whipping the 3DS around quickly is about as interesting as Impact gets. Face Raiders was fun for a free title that showcased some of the handheld’s tech. Galaga 3D Impact somehow takes all the fun out of it by putting the game on rails, and making you start over from the beginning every time you die. Fortunately, Impact does have 3D, though it’s tough to keep everything in focus when you’re constantly moving the system in and out of your sight line.

Also included on this cartridge are Pac-Man Championship Edition and Galaga Legions. Both are excellent games in their own right, and these versions do make use of 3D. However, the vibrant colors that make these titles stand out on the home console seem to be dulled a bit for the 3DS. It’s not something that ruins these games by any means, but it certainly doesn’t add to the selling points either. As to the original versions of Pac-Man and Galaga, you can choose to play them three different ways. Two of those ways emulate old school arcade cabinets, right down to the way the 3D makes the game look likes it’s hidden behind a pane of glass. The third way just lets you play the game straight up. I’d be more excited if they weren’t shrunken down to fit into the 3DS’ top screen, but it’s still an interesting way to add some life to the decades old titles.

Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions is about as lackluster an effort as I’ve seen so far on the 3DS. Packaging the legendary originals with their 21st century contemporaries was a good idea. Adding in two very disappointing titles that actually lessen the overall appeal of the bundle, and then charging full retail price is pretty insulting. The arcade versions would have been served better as downloadable content for the 3DS store, and the new versions exclusive to this cartridge were better off not being released. Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions is far from a “must buy,” and I’d have a hard time recommending this to someone even at a steep discount.