| Game Reviews From a Parental Perspective! | |
|
|
|
| Home | Forums | Review Archive | Columns | Feature Articles |
|
Home >
Review Archive >
Video Games
> Results: Pac'n Roll
Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us | Buy This Game Scroll down for our Kid Factor. 
Get ready for a new and original way to gobble dots and chomp ghost monsters! The story in Pac'N Roll takes place in the Pac past, when Pac-Man was just a boy. One summer he goes to train with the Pac-Master, an expert ghost hunter. There he meets Pac-Girl, the Pac-Master's daughter, who eventually becomes Ms. Pac-Man. They all look forward to having fun at the Power Pellet Harvest Festival. The four ghost monsters are freaking out because the power pellet harvest is so big this year. So they summon Golvis, the intergalactic rock'n roll ghost, to come and take over Pac-Land. Golvis turns all the people of Pac-Land into limbless round balls and kidnaps them. With the help of Pac-Land's fairy, Pac-Man escapes and now must roll around Pac-Land to save his friends, chomp the ghosts, and chase Golvis away.
You view the action on the top screen, and on the bottom is a big 3D rendition of Pac-Man that you can roll around with the stylus, just like using a trackball. This is how you control Pac-Man on the top screen, and the game plays like a cross between Marble Madness, Super Monkey Ball, and classic Pac-Man. Roll around obstacles, moving platforms and teeter totters in themed worlds like Castle Pac, Sweet Land, and a haunted house where the ghosts live. In classic Pac-Man fashion, you have to roll around dot-filled mazes while avoiding those pesky ghosts, too. If one of them catches you, poke them with the stylus on the bottom screen to keep them away from Pac-Man so they don't drain his life energy. Munch on a power pellet to turn the tides temporarily and chomp those ghosts! Pac-Man can also eat special chocolates to give him helmets with special powers. The knight helmet can protect Pac-Man from some traps, but it makes Pac heavier so he is harder to roll up steep slopes and he sinks in water. The winged helmet makes Pac-Man light enough to float in the air but also makes it easier for him to be blown away by wind.  Play control takes about five or ten minutes to get used to, but once you do, you'll be rolling Pac-Man around like it was second nature. Rub the stylus on the screen in any direction to make Pac-Man roll that way, and hold Pac-Man in place with the stylus to put on the brakes. Draw a quick, long stroke across Pac-Man to make him perform a dash attack. There aren't very many worlds and levels, but you can replay them to nab all the dots, race in a time trial mode, or complete other challenges. Collect crystals in each level to unlock other goodies like the original classic arcade Pac-Man to play on your Nintendo DS. The colorful 3D graphics look great. Music is cheery and there are plenty of classic Pac-Man sound effects. Pac-Man talks in this game, and while most of what he says is gibberish, it's kind of weird that he actually has a voice. The levels start out pretty easy but get really challenging in the last few stages. Fans of Pac-Man's classic gameplay will enjoy Pac'N Roll anyway. 
The game is no more violent than the original game in the arcade. Just roll around and chomp dots and ghosts. Reading skills are helpful, but not necessary, to understand the storyline and beginning tutorials. Younger, less experienced gamers may get frustrated with some of the tougher, later levels. But other than that, Pac'N Roll is a great Nintendo DS game the whole family can enjoy.
Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us | Buy This Game Browse Amazon.com's selection of "Pac-Man" themed games Home > Review Archive > Video Games > Results: Pac'n Roll |
Read the GamerDad 2007 Holiday Guide!
|
Please Note: GamerDad is not intended to be read by anyone under 18. We stay clean, but be warned! Content Management System developed by Redbird Solutions. |
