GENRE
	3D Platform
	DEVELOPER
	Human Soft
	PUBLISHER
	Namco
	LOCAL WIRELESS MULTI-PLAY
	No
	Wi-Fi/GLOBAL ONLINE MULTI-PLAY
	No
	MICROPHONE
	No
	BUY NOW AT

Pac-Man World represents what I hate about video games in the 3D generation. Every character from every game suddenly needs a 3D platformer. I appreciate efforts like Pac-Pix, which put a new spin on familiar gameplay. But Pac-Man has no reason to be starring in a 3D platformer. He could have been replaced with any other generic character and achieved the same effect. That aside, Pac-Man World 3 does do some nice things with the genre, keeping the game interesting to the end. Unfortunately, a few minor problems (and one serious technical goof) cause Pac-Man's 3D DS adventure more trouble than it's worth.

visuals

Rather than be its own unique game, Pac-Man World 3 on the DS is a port of the console versions. The DS does it's best to recreate the same levels with mixed results. Each land is fairly large with plenty of ground to explore, but many levels are not well suited for the handheld's capabilities. The details of the closed levels--those taking place inside buildings--hold up quite well, but the more open areas suffer from considerable draw distance problems. Sometimes it's an aesthetic problem, but occasionally it hinders play. An area may look like nothing more than sky, when in fact it's an entirely new path. Those areas only render upon walking close to what appears to be an edge.

Also, a few glitches reoccur throughout, mainly the appearance of objects that look like collectable items that cannot be collected. Sometimes, the opposite is true. Pac-Man may encounter a walkway or platform he reaches with a well-timed jump, only to pass right through to the ground far below.

audio

Developer Human Soft made some strange choices in background music. Much of it felt like it belonged in a haunted mansion more than a Pac-Man game. The music can be turned off, which is advisable. Sound effects consist of the "Wocka Wocka" sound of eating Pac-Dots and other classic Pac-sounds. Very nice. Unlike the GameCube version, there is no voice work.

gameplay

Somewhere between the GC and the DS, the story of Pac-Man World 3 was lost. There is a quick intro of still screens and subtitles, but it doesn't make any sense and nothing more is revealed until the end. Levels abruptly end (seriously, turn around a corner and suddenly "Level Complete") and there is no flow from one section to the next. The story wouldn't necessarily add anything meaningful, but some context for why Pac-Man is on this adventure would be nice.

At times, Pac-Man World 3 is quite good. Basically, Pac-Man needs to get from one end of a level to the other, finding keys to open doors and activate platforms along the way. While there is an abundance of backtracking, mainly through a lack of knowing where to go, many of the levels offer interesting elements that make exploring fun. Some levels have jump pads and “Pac-Dot Machines” that send Pac-Man to another part of the level. Certain doors and elevators are moved by rotating your finger on the touch screen, which allows, for example, a platform to be raised to the precise height rather than just up or down. Pac-Man also has a special Morphball-esque mode activated by the touch screen, which is needed to climb steep hills or make longer jumps. All of the various controls are very tight. Also, ghosts Pinky and Clyde are playable in certain areas, each possessing a special skill.

The problem is that too many switches and keys activate something unseen, and players will have no idea where to go next. This leads to a lot of wandering and can literally add hours of frustrating gameplay. A few times during play Pac-Man became stuck--usually in a Rev-Roll. Twice I was forced to restart a level because of the glitch.

But nothing is more irritating than the kryptonite of 3D platformers--the camera. At its best, it's an annoyance. At its worst, the game becomes unplayable. Some of the problem is in design. While the camera can be rotated left and right, it cannot be tilted up or down. Therefore players can't always find higher platforms or peek over cliffs, both of which are necessary. Sometimes the camera becomes fixed in the worse possible location, forcing jumps to unseen areas that are guesses at best. Other problems are technical. For example, whenever Pac-Man enters a small room, the camera moves overhead and shakes. This is amazingly uncomfortable. Try to leave the room, and Pac-Man (equally dizzy I suppose) walks in circles. It's like an equilibrium deathtrap that can take minutes to escape.

multiplayer

N/A

overall

Every platforming challenge is camera related. It's sad, because there is a lot of untapped potential in Pac-Man World 3. Along with a small version of the original Pac-Man, genuinely creative and entertaining level design and some nice character abilities are wasted by a spastic, seizure-inducing camera too severe to ignore. Those who can work around the problems will have some enjoyable moments, and with just an adequate camera, Pac-Man World 3 would be a pleasant surprise for everyone. Instead, it falls into mediocrity, worthy only to those blessed with patience and a good supply of Tylenol.

6.5/10