"Pac-Man merged with Marble Madness"

If ever there were a DS game that never got the respect it deserved, it was Scurge: Hive.

Wait. Rewind that a bit; if there were ever a DS game that was unique to the hardware that never got the respect it deserved, it was Pac 'n Roll from Namco (released before the merger formed Namco Bandai). Dismissed as too frustrating by the media upon release, ignored by gamers in favor of other, more promoted games (ie - Nintendogs, Mario, etc), and all but forgotten, Pac 'n Roll is easily one of the top ten DS games that never got the respect it deserved.

And what is so great about this game that makes it worthy of such a list? The simplicity of the concept, coupled with a solid level design team and a very arcade-like feel.

The core game play of Pac 'n Roll is that you control Pac-Man in a Marble Madness-like world: Pac-Man needs to roll around as a ball in a 3D world, eating up dots to open gates to progress in a given level, eat Power Pellets (or what have you) to consume ghosts, avoid said ghosts before they kill you, and beat the odd boss that the game throws at you.

Granted, that sounds a big generic. And in truth, it would have been, had it not been for the "gimmick:" to move Pac-Man, you have to use the stylus to "roll" Pac-Man around the world, much like you would spin a track ball back in the Arcade era of games. Holding the stylus still stops Pac-Man, and the faster you spin, the faster he goes. Dragging fast to the edge of the touch screen initiates a hyper-fast dash move that can send you over hills, smashing into crates, or just dodging a ghost. Later levels will have you using a variety of power ups (a Robin Hood-like cap to float, and a Knight Helmet to gain power and wieght) to sink in water, float over platforms, and outsmart/overpower bosses.

There are only a handful of unlockables (the original Pac-Man being one of them), and the replay value is largely dependent on time trials and challenges (not to mention the generic get-the-gems trick). It's simple fun, but it's also addicting.

Should you see this in a bargin bin (like I did), grab it if you have a taste for the unique or old-school. It is certainly worth a look.

Score: 9 of 10

+ Best Features: Graphics, trac-ball controls, original Pac-Man, addictiveness, some music tracks

- Worst Features: Evil Pac-Man voice at start-up, most music tracks, bosses too complex at times, some levels are insane if you make one mistake

* If You Liked: Monster House (DS), Pac Pix (DS)

* Guilty Pleasure: Almost passing out when I discovered this in the US$14.99 bin at Best Buys. And the last one. That was luck.

- (Ugly) Reality: Namco was slow to bring out anything in the US for the DS ever since the system was launced, and after the merger with Bandai (hence the new name Namco Bandai), most of the promising DS games have not seen a release date for the US. Except for the Pac Man DS titles, little else of their library has seen US soil. WHY?

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/14/07, Updated 11/20/07

Game Release: Pac 'n Roll (US, 08/23/05)