Pac-Man 256 (Photo : YouTube)
Pac-Man 256 will be available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PCs on June 21. Game publisher Bandai Namco announced the big news on May 23, Monday. It is the same game that was produced for smartphones and tablets last year but the versions for consoles and desktops/laptops now include a multiplayer mode.
Developer Hipster Whale produced the mobile version of Pac-Man 256. The console/PC versions will cost about $5.60 to download in Europe but no United States pricing has been announced yet, according to VentureBeat.
The gaming console versions of Pac-Man 256 will include a four-player local co-op game. Players can sit on a couch on rainy weekends or house parties to team up. Their goal is to race around the maze and eat as many pellets while avoiding colored ghosts.
Each player controls a separate Pac-Man but the team must work together to avoid the ghosts. This multi-player mode will only be available for the console and PC versions.
In addition, the console and Steam versions will also get a social sharing feature and extra themes, according to Polygon.
Bandai Namco's co-studio 3 Sprocked said in a statement it hopes fans will have fun playing the newest version of the game. Pac-Man 256 producer Benjamin Prénom explained that is why Bandai Namco gave a thumbs up for the versions.
The Japanese game publisher is also offering a special discount. It is for in-app purchases for Pac-Man 256 on iOS and Android devices. Gamers can get a price cut on in-game items including the coin doubler.
Pac-Man 256 is based on the 256th level of the first Pac-Man arcade game. Players cannot access the level due to a glitch in the game.
The video game industry is worth $99.6 billion. Bandai Namco hopes to increase its market share by using smaller developers and popular franchises such as Pac-Man.
Pac-Man was originally launched in Japan as an arcade game in May 1980. It was licensed in the US by Midway and then released in October 1980.
The game became a pop culture phenomenon that was featured in products such as breakfast cereal and lunch boxes, and an animated TV series.
