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NAMCO  and
Nintendo’s new found bond of the little-yellow-muncher seems to
be working overdrive. First rearing it’s blob-like head in the
stunning Pac-Man Vs. for the GameCube and later having
escapades such as StarFox Assault and Donkey Konga
and the soon-to-launch in Japan Mario Kart Arcade GP, NAMCO
have now decided that Nintendo’s shiny new handheld is the best
place to resurrect the infamous Pac-Man once-and-for-all.
Pac-Pix was the first title in the Pac-Man
barrage heading our way, and the next NintendoDS exclusive is
equally as interesting.  Feeling
somewhere between Super Monkey Ball and Marble
Madness, Pac-'N-Roll is a very original concept.
Stroking the Touch Screen in a similar way to Pokemon Dash
will send ol’ Pac in the direction you dictate, gaining speed and
collecting Power-Pellets along the way. The build playable at the
Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) only contained a solitary level,
featuring ramps and bumps aplenty, whilst also showing the
directives for progression within the title. Collecting the
Power-Pellets will allow you to progress through locked doors,
whilst trying to avoid letting your time mount-up and vanquish any
points you may have earnt.
Pac-Man himself handles spotlessly and, even though
the title is being shown only a few months after the release of its
main competitor, seems incredibly well calibrated when compared to
Nintendo’s own Pokemon Dash. The quicker you stroke  with
the stylus the quicker Pac-Man moves, whilst dragging the
stylus firmly in the opposite direction will bring him to an abrupt
stop. Even the control over Pac-Man while he’s in the air
is as responsive as you’d hope.
Seeing that the title is some months from completion, Pac-'N-Roll
is about as entertaining as E3 preview builds come and certainly
shows a great deal of promise for the completed package. After Pac-Man
Vs., Pac-Pix and now Pac-'N-Roll, I think Pac-Man’s
fall from gaming domination did not go unnoticed at NAMCO.
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