Pac-Man 99 Critic Reviews

PAC-MAN 99 may seem initially daunting with mechanics it simply doesn't explain but once you experiment and learn by fire, it won't take long to realise its true potential. Arika and Bandai Namco has barely touched the formula of this 41-year-old classic, and yet with just a few new layers it feels like a brand new game. We've invested more time than we care to admit into the previous '99' entries and it's clear PAC-MAN 99 is destined for evergreen greatness.

PAC-MAN 99 is another hit for Arika, this time with one of the most iconic arcade games of all time. It’s a bit surprising just how well Pac-Man fits into the 99-player battle royale format, but that’s just a testament to the work done by the developers. PAC-MAN 99 has me excited for whatever the developer’s put out next.

Being a free game (outside of DLC options), it's a very welcome distraction from the grief of losing Super Mario Bros. 35.

Overall I’m really enjoying Pac-Man 99. It’s a great pick-up and play title for when you have just a couple of minutes and are looking for something to do. The gameplay is fast-paced, competitive, and surprisingly addicting. If you have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, there’s no reason not to give the game a shot.

Pac-Man 99 is not only an excellent battle royale game; it's also a lovely homage to all things Namco with tons of charming themes to play with. Throw in some clever single player challenge modes and you're left with one impressive package.

Pac-Man 99 is an exceptionally entertaining Battle Royale boasting a genius incorporation of speedy matches and on-the-fly strategy. Its default, free mode, is where players will be spending most, if not all of their time duking it out, while it’s pricey, paid packages are tough sells that offer very little in the realms of replayability or meaning. I personally recommend sticking to the free version, but if you find yourself wanting some more variety, no matter how slight it is, those extra modes are there for you to pick up.

Who knew the classic formula of Pac-Man could be reinvented in such a way? Despite the steep learning curve and the hubbub about single-player paywalls, the pure enjoyment of every new Pac-Man 99 game stands tall above all. Whether you are itching for one short session or a marathon of close calls and satisfactory victory, this battle royale cannot come recommended enough.

With a slew of new mechanics and strategic forks in the road thrown into the mix, Pac-Man 99 is another resounding success at converting a timeless classic into a stressful-but-exciting multiplayer outing.

Pac-Man 99 follows deftly in the footsteps of Nintendo’s Tetris 99 to provide a near-perfect multiplayer Pac experience. Pac-Man 99 is absolutely worth the download. It melds intense online competition with classic single-player gameplay to create a wholly new, yet utterly familiar experience. The extra content is superb, if overpriced. Just the same, whether you opt for the free version or spend for the extra content, there’s no shortage of fun to be had.

Pac-Man 99 is gaming in its purest form, marrying classic arcade nostalgia with a dynamic multiplayer twist that makes it hard to put down.

Pac-Man 99 is not without its faults, but developer Arika made a wonderful experience that brings the iconic Pac-Man gameplay into modern times with a battle royale that is very tough to put down.

What is perplexing, if anything, is the selling price of the add-ons, frankly exaggerated for a bunch of content that is anything but something really special.

To summarize it all. Pac-Man 99 is my favorite of the Nintendo battle royals (Goodbye to Mario 35). It is fast paced; it is fun, and it is addictive. You will catch yourself turning a 10-minute quickplay into a 2-hour power run to be the champion. It may get repetitive as these types of games tend to do, but if you enjoy Pac-Man and miss arcades and high score competitions then please try it. Remember its free… sort of.

By taking up the simple concept of Pac-Man while adding multiplayer elements, it offers short games but of rare intensity thanks to its system of ghost trains and its visual effects, even if it means making the action sometimes confusing.

To enjoy Pac-Man 99, I had to accept the frustrations that came with learning its systems. While it does an embarrassingly poor job of explaining the hows-and-whys of its mechanics, once you figure them out on your own, it's a good way to fill lulls in your day. Pac-Man 99 has become my go-to when I want to do something else, and I can't think of much higher praise for a game of this caliber. It fills a niche in my life where I can stay occupied with something fun without the need to devote all of my increasingly limited attention to it.

Until now there was only one sensible way to play Pac-Man – the Championship Edition. Pac-Man 99 is a new viable option. Even though the presence of other players is barely noticeable and the whole trick gets old quite fast, the game is simply more interesting than the basic version of the classic.

The mass pac-maning is a fresh breeze in this age-old concept, but it lacks detail as well as fine-tuning and leaves players a bit in the dark in the beginning.

Ultimately, Pac-Man 99 doesn't stand up to the instant fun of Tetris 99, but it's better than Super Mario 35 and serves as a worthy addition to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription. The paid modes will be great when the game inevitably goes offline, but feel superfluous in the now. Those looking to expand their game will likely find more use out of grabbing a few skins individually than grabbing the whole bundle, but the free-to-play option will be the best deal for most players.

A fun experiment with too many DLCs and too few tutorials.

Pac-Man 99’s fast and competitive gameplay keeps it fun even if we’re confined to just one maze.