DESCRIPTION

This sequel to Pac-Man World has the circular yellow star running and jumping through a 3D world instead of the side-scrolling stages found in the original. While clumsily making their way through Pac-Land, the four ghosts inadvertently plucked magical golden fruit from a tree in the center of Pac-Village. This awakened a dark creature named Spooky, who orders the ghosts to hide the fruit throughout the land. Thus begins a quest to regain the golden fruit across six multi-staged areas: Forest, Tree Tops, Snow Mountain, Lava, Ocean, and Ghost Island.

Players begin the game in Pac-Village, which offers a number of dots to munch, fruit to gulp, and tokens to collect, setting the stage for the rest of the adventure. Each level features a specific number of fruit types, which earn players points and contribute to an overall completion percentage. In order to receive a 100 percent rating on each level, every item must be collected. While dots and fruit offer points, tokens hidden throughout the levels allow players access to emulated versions of Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, and Pac-Attack.

Also hidden on certain levels is a Galaxian icon, which opens up a single 3D maze played in a similar manner as Pac-Man. Players can revisit these mazes in the arcade once they are unlocked in the main game. Power-ups found on levels include the Steel Ball, which allows Pac-Man to open crates underwater or withstand fiery blasts, Power Pellets enabling him to munch on the deadly ghosts lurking about, and Shrink, which allows Pac-Man to fit into tiny openings otherwise inaccessible. Health Wedges and Extra Lives are also available at various points.

While levels generally involve jumping, rolling, or bouncing atop suspended platforms while avoiding enemies, other stages have Pac-Man using ice skates, Rollerblades, flippers, and a Pac-Sub. As he progresses through the game, Pac-Man must battle mechanical contraptions piloted by one of the ghosts. Only by successfully defeating these bosses will Pac-Man be able to acquire the golden fruit and advance to the final showdown with Spooky. Players can also revisit completed levels to enter a Time Trial event, where bonus tokens are earned for completing a level within the target time. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide