Psychedelic yellow pizza

[Green Gibbon!]

I just saw this snippet at Magic Box:

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Pac-Man in 2010, Namco Bandai confirmed that Sega's Yasuhara (level designer of Sonic the Hedgehog) will work on a Pac-Man game comeback.

From whence does this info hail? Have I missed something important? I do remember hearing that Yasuhara is at Namco now.

[Segaholic2]

Hello and welcome to last week.

[Green Gibbon!]

You were that fifth grade kid who liked to make the first grade girls cry, weren't you?

[Xyton]

GG!, you always have the best, craziest thread titles. :P

[Ritz]

From whence does this info hail?

Probably here.

He said he wanted to work on another character based game in that last interview of his, but I'd be disappointed if this is really what he had in mind. Here, I was all geared up for the immediate resurgence of the mascot-driven platformer, and all we're getting is Pac-Man, who hasn't made any waves in the past three decades or so. Granted, the Pac-Man Land series wasn't really bad- a bit banal, but still solid as far as platformers go. It'd certainly benefit from his level design, but the character is so vapid that I just can't get excited over this.

[Segaholic2]

You were that fifth grade kid who liked to make the first grade girls cry, weren't you?

I still like making first grade girls cry.

[Baba O'Riley]

You were that fifth grade kid who liked to make the first grade girls cry, weren't you?

Bold is the man who makes an analogy where he compares himself to a first grade girl.

[Oompa Star]

I still like making first grade girls cry.

I can't imagine you being a very loving father.

[Green Gibbon!]

He said he wanted to work on another character based game in that last interview of his, but I'd be disappointed if this is really what he had in mind. Here, I was all geared up for the immediate resurgence of the mascot-driven platformer, and all we're getting is Pac-Man, who hasn't made any waves in the past three decades or so. Granted, the Pac-Man Land series wasn't really bad- a bit banal, but still solid as far as platformers go. It'd certainly benefit from his level design, but the character is so vapid that I just can't get excited over this.

The Pac-Man World games were solid enough, not stellar, but I think the character is well-suited to the genre. He's all round and bouncy and rolly and munchy so the potential for some really satisfying mechanics is there. I'm eager to see what Yasuhara does with it anyway, if he even ends up going the platformer route.

Also, have you played Pac-Man CE? No "waves" per se, but it's still my favorite XBL game (except for Braid, of course).

[Ritz]

The Pac-Man World games were solid enough, not stellar, but I think the character is well-suited to the genre. He's all round and bouncy and rolly and munchy so the potential for some really satisfying mechanics is there.

True enough. Half of the fun for me in Pac-Man World 2 (Because I totally meant World instead of Land) was rolling around everywhere like a bitch in heat. I really don't doubt that whatever Yasuhara's involvement yields will be a thoroughly playable title, but I just sort of really wish it wasn't Pac-Man over something like Klonoa or, well, Klonoa. Namco's totally putting pearls before swine here.

Also, have you played Pac-Man CE? No "waves" per se, but it's still my favorite XBL game (except for Braid, of course).

I definitely want to give it a shot, but I took the Wii route last Christmas because I'm afraid I might die or something if I don't get to play Muramasa on launch and I didn't think it was worth the risk. The next console I get is going to be a PS3 (If the next wave of consoles doesn't roll around by the time I can afford it), so I probably won't ever get the chance. Am I really missing out here?

[Crazy Penguin]

I know it dates back to the art work of the original arcade game, but I just can't get behind Pac-Man with arms and legs and fully defined facial features. Although that's the official "look" of the character, it's the simple and iconic psychedelic yellow pizza representation of Pac-Man that will forever remain ingrained in public consciousness.

Whoever makes Space Invaders games these days (is Taito still around?) was smart enough to realise that the same was true of their classic franchise and switched back to the weird spritey Invaders designs of the arcade original.

[Green Gibbon!]

Taito is totally still around, though it's now completely owned by Square-Enix. They're one of the last major companies actually still producing coin-op hardware - SNK games are all on Taito hardware these days.

[Shadow Hog]

So was Street Fighter 4.

[Crazy Penguin]

That's re-assuring... I think! What are they up to these days?

And what's going on with the Bubble Bobble series? There's been a few released this decade and apparently they all sucked. Even "Bust-A-Move DS" sucked - I didn't think it was even possible to screw up a Puzzle Bobble game.

[Baba O'Riley]

That's re-assuring... I think! What are they up to these days?

And what's going on with the Bubble Bobble series? There's been a few released this decade and apparently they all sucked. Even "Bust-A-Move DS" sucked - I didn't think it was even possible to screw up a Puzzle Bobble game.

What exactly was wrong with it, If I can ask?

[Zeta]

Pac-Man 2 was the funniest fucking adventure game ever. I loved finding new ways to torture Pac-Man.

[Majestic Joey]

Pac-Man 2 was the funniest fucking adventure game ever. I loved finding new ways to torture Pac-Man.

Thank God! I thought I was the only person who took pleasure in torturing Pac-Man.

[Shadow Hog]

I've been tempted to get PMW2, actually. I could get it for the GC or PS2... is there a particular version that's better than the others? I know that the GC version has Pac-Man Vs., but given that the crux of that is the ill-fated GBA-GC link cable, or more importantly, having those mythical beasts called friends come over to play, it's not really a selling point.

[Ngangbius]

And what's going on with the Bubble Bobble series? There's been a few released this decade and apparently they all sucked. Even "Bust-A-Move DS" sucked - I didn't think it was even possible to screw up a Puzzle Bobble game.

Taito recently released Bubble Bobble Plus! on the Wiiware this past Feb. in Japan. It seems to be classic Bubble Bobble gameplay with 4 player action this time. I wish they would release Bubble Symphony and Parasol Stars for xbla/psn/ww also.

[Senbei]

I've been tempted to get PMW2, actually. I could get it for the GC or PS2... is there a particular version that's better than the others? I know that the GC version has Pac-Man Vs., but given that the crux of that is the ill-fated GBA-GC link cable, or more importantly, having those mythical beasts called friends come over to play, it's not really a selling point.

I don't know if there's any other difference between the two, but you may as well get Pac-Man Vs. since you only need one GBA-GC cable (assuming you still have a GBA) and you can sometimes find them at GameStop or wherever. Pac-Man Vs. was my highlight of each week for most of last autumn. If you can get three friends together, it is outrageously and surprisingly fun.

[Blount]

And what's going on with the Bubble Bobble series? There's been a few released this decade and apparently they all sucked. Even "Bust-A-Move DS" sucked - I didn't think it was even possible to screw up a Puzzle Bobble game.

Taito recently released Bubble Bobble Plus! on the Wiiware this past Feb. in Japan. It seems to be classic Bubble Bobble gameplay with 4 player action this time. I wish they would release Bubble Symphony and Parasol Stars for xbla/psn/ww also.

Speaking of, they also released a new Rainbow Islands game for WiiWare. I like Rainbow Islands, but I still prefer Parasol Stars, and the fact that it never gets any love saddens me. I really am looking forward to Bubble Bobble Plus!, though. The original game never gets old no matter how many times they release it.

[Green Gibbon!]

That's re-assuring... I think! What are they up to these days?

Nothing relevant, at least not in terms of games. Alot of remakes and sequels to long-dead "classic" series, but I believe that's the current fad. Their biggest new game in recent years is Cooking Mama. So, yeah.

Did anyone play Legend of Kage 2? Is it any good?




Also, Pac-Man Vs is balls. It's really just a novelty.

[P.P.A.]

Well okay, so I just finished chapter 11. Isara is shot and dies, but of course they have to completely ruin the atmosphere again by having Rosie cheesily sing at her grave while back and white flash back scenes appear and fade away again and damn it why do you have to be so embarrassing
At least everyone in the squad is sad for the next couple of cutscenes and battlefield, so I guess they got at least that right.

Also Alicia is a Valkur, lol

[MiraiTails]

I've never played it, but racketboy.com says Pac-Man Vs. is also on Namco Museum DS,

[Ngangbius]

Wrong thread, P.P.A.

Nothing relevant, at least not in terms of games. Alot of remakes and sequels to long-dead "classic" series, but I believe that's the current fad. Their biggest new game in recent years is Cooking Mama. So, yeah.

Hold up! Here you are praising Pac-Man Arcade Championship Edition and you have the gall to imply that Space Invaders Extreme is irrelevant or less noteworthy than Cooking Mama?

Space Invaders Extreme is to Space Invaders as Pac-Man CE is to Pac-Man