PAC-MAN World 2 Re-Pac is a remastered version of the eponymous 3D platformer from 2002 and a sequel to PAC-MAN World Re-Pac from 2022 (the original game came out in 1999). In this 3D platformer, you play as the famous Pac-Man, one of the oldest and most recognisable characters in gaming culture, only this time he jumps more than he runs through mazes and eats pellets. This 3D platformer is certainly a solid attempt to give Pac-Man a break from his traditional gameplay, but it’s not without its flaws.
Pac-Man on a quest for golden fruit
One evening in Pac-Land, four ghosts (the same ones from the original Pac-Man arcade game) invade Pac-Man’s village and steal the golden fruits from the central tree. While they only intend to cause a little mischief, the ghosts accidentally release Spooky, a terrifying monster who was trapped beneath the tree and has been waiting for the day someone would collect all the golden fruits and free him. Spooky recruits the ghosts into his army and plans to take over Pac-Land, and the only one who can save this world is, of course, Pac-Man. Your goal is to travel through six worlds (each representing a path from the village) to retrieve all the fruit and reseal Spooky under the golden tree. As you can see, the story is very easy to follow, and we can’t fault it for that since it’s clearly aimed at a younger audience.
Pac-Man borrows from others, but has his own mechanics
When I first started playing PAC-MAN World 2 Re Pac, I really liked it. The PAC-MAN World games, when they first came out, were a nice mix of 3D platforming from that era (late ’90s and early 2000s). While the levels are linear like Crash Bandicoot games, in Pac-Man, you can freely rotate the camera 360 degrees. Collecting items like regular and golden fruits feels a lot like 3D Mario games, and when you speed up, Pac-Man even reminds you a bit of Sonic. You can even glide through the air by eating a line of pellets to reach new areas (just like Sonic uses rings).
Your goal is to get from one end of the level to the other, ideally collecting as much hidden fruit along the way as possible. Each level is filled with obstacles like chasms, simple enemies, trampolines, and more. Levels usually last from 2 to 10 minutes (longer as you get closer to the end of the game) and follow the same structure: three regular levels followed by a boss fight per world.
As for unique mechanics, Pac-Man can perform a butt-bounce attack, where he jumps and slams into something from the air. If you time it right, you can perform a super version of the move that stuns enemies and breaks slightly tougher obstacles. There’s also a very brief hover in the air, which isn’t all that useful, and we barely used it. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Pac-Man game without pellets. On every regular level, you can collect these pellets for extra points. Additionally, some sections transform Pac-Man into Mega Pac-Man (like when he eats the big pellet from the original game). After consuming a big pellet, Pac-Man can defeat ghosts and break certain obstacles.
Boss fights are generally simple, consisting of battles against robotic animals, where, after three successful hits, the robots change tactics and become more aggressive. Overall, Pac-Man World has a lot of gameplay mechanics that defined early-2000s 3D platformers and implements them well, but after a while, this formula can get a bit repetitive.
Pac-Man isn’t exactly full of surprises
This 2002 Re Pac edition has plenty of quality-of-life improvements that weren’t in the original. First, there’s Assist Mode (an easy mode without lives for less experienced players), along with small additions like a shadow (to know where you’ll land), voice acting, and costumes. Of course, the game can run in higher resolution at 60 FPS without any issues. These are all nice and welcome additions, but many problematic aspects remain unchanged.
The biggest problem in Pac-Man World 2 Re Pac is how predictable the game is. Each level in a world feels similar to the others and doesn’t offer many surprises. The progression through worlds is always the same: three levels and a boss (all in the same biome), which never changes throughout the game. While Pac-Man has a lot of interesting abilities, he doesn’t really learn anything new throughout the game. The difficulty doesn’t ramp up as you progress, so experienced players may quickly get bored with this pacing. Younger players or children shouldn’t have a problem, as the game is clearly aimed at them.
Unfortunately, there’s also an issue with Pac-Man himself. While he’s a well-known gaming character, as a 3D character he’s not particularly memorable or special. At the end of the day, Pac-Man is just a little ball with a mouth that eats smaller balls.
I thought the colorful design and cheerful music would appeal to my daughter, but even she didn’t find much engagement in the 3D levels, which quickly started to feel repetitive. However, you can unlock classic Pac-Man arcade games by defeating certain bosses under certain conditions. Ironically, both I (an older gamer) and my seven-year-old daughter enjoyed the classic Pac-Man arcade more than the main game.
Despite these critiques, I can’t say the game is bad. On the contrary, it has tight controls, nice graphics, a good framerate, fun music, and is perfectly suitable for younger players. If you have someone like that, they might really enjoy this second 3D adventure of Pac-Man.
We would like to thank Bandai Namco Europe for providing us with a copy of the game for review purposes.
PAC-MAN World 2 Re-Pac (Nintendo Switch 2)
Pac-Man World 2 Re Pac is a very nicely remastered version of the 2002 3D platformer that will appeal to kids and less experienced players. While the gameplay can become repetitive, Pac-Man borrows the best mechanics from other 3D platformers while adding his own little twist to the story. It may not be extraordinary, but Pac-Man World 2 Re Pac is a fun and solid adventure for younger players, and perhaps even for older players who feel nostalgic for this title.
