Pac-Man World 3

"Platforming heaven in Pac Man's best game yet"

Judging by the lack of reviews and FAQ's on this web site, I'd have to say that this game is not performing as well as it should. This is the best platform game I've played in quite some time, and it is miles better than Pac Man World 2.

GRAPHICS: 9/10 This is one huge and colorful world, with very expansive environments. With lots of detail and no slow down whatsoever, it is technically impressive. Among the 15 levels in the game there are about 5 distinctly different environments. The levels are huge, but every aspect is finely realized.

MUSIC/SOUND: 8/10 The music is excellent, even though you will forget it as soon as you finish playing, you will enjoy it while it lasts. The themes have been matched extremely well to the environments they are playing in. The sound effects are also excellent. The voice acting, for the most part is very good, though I personally do not like Pac Man's voice.

CAMERA/CONTROL: 9/10 For the most part the camera is perfect and is easily manipulated by the right stick. The controls are near flawless, and Pac Man ALWAYS grabs the ledges or branches, or any thing else he needs to.

GAME PLAY: 9/10 This is your basic platforming adventure game, with nothing really new, but it is done perfectly. This time around, though, Pac Man has a few new tricks up his sleeve. For one thing, he can punch, which serves him very well, indeed. Also, he will be enlisting the help of some ghosts. There is a lot of exploring as well, and some puzzle solving. On every level, save one in the middle of the game, there is a ton of stuff to find. Besides all the fruit, there are 5 statues, a collectible card, and a lot of pac dots; which you will need to rack up your score because one of the goals on each level is to finish with the high score. Getting the high score; however, proves to be very easy if you find everything else. Of course, finding everything will not be easy, and you should know that if you miss something and leave the level, if you choose level select to go back ,you will only start with three men and a score of zero. There are three save positions, so use them wisely.

VALUE: 9/10 If you choose to run through this game as fast as you can, and not worry about collecting everything, it will still be 12-15 hours, or more. If you elect to find and do everything the game offers, than it could easily take 40 hours or more. At a bargain price of $30, this gem should be flying off the shelves.

FINAL COMMENTS: This game is so much fun to play, and not particularly hard, at least until the later levels. If you care about platforming at all, you need to get this game.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/24/06