Namco have already delisted & shutdown PAC-MAN 99 on Nintendo Switch despite having offline gameplay
19Just over two years after it released Namco have already binned the 99 player version of classic arcade game PAC-MAN. Released in 2021 on Switch having been delisted earlier in 2023 the game had the online closed at the start of this month (October 2023). Strangely that seem to coincide with the release of F-Zero 99 and the news that the Stadia only title Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs was getting a console release with extra content. This video showcases a selection of the themes in game and the online mode, the now removed offline DLC modes let you take on 98 CPU opponents and try your hand at score and time attack.
PAC-MAN 99 uses the original arcade map layout and has a few adjustments to the original gameplay format to create this new 99 player version. This time round you can change how the perks affect you and you can spawn extra ghosts and re-spawn pills by picked up up various items on the map. The aim is to rack up a high score while chaining ghosts kills and pills, doing so allows you to send attacking PAC-MEN to other players, the longer the game goes on the more stronger they become. The white and yellow ones just slow and stun you, but the red PAC-MeN are just as deadly as touching a ghost. As the battle goes on more of them spawn and you can't take them out with power pills either. You only get one life so there is no room for error here, last player standing is the winner and trust me when I say it's pretty damn hard to win, so you do need to get good at PAC-MAN for this one.
The game also had a huge selection of skins and themes from other 80s & 90s classic Namco arcade games. So if you ever wanted to see PAC-MAN looking like Rolling Thunder, Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti, Dig Dug, The Tower of Druaga, Dragon Spirit, Mappy, Sky Kid, Cosmo Gang, or Xevious, this was the game for you. With over 25 skin to pick there was plenty to choose from, was "past tense" being the key word here.
Overall it a great little game and I don't see why Namco felt the need to bin it, when they could have just reduced the price and bundled it with the offline mode by default. Sadly unless you have already bought this one or have a time machine then you are out of luck on this one and I can only hope than Namco sees the light and re-issues the offline version.
Time stamp & chapter details:
00:00 PAC-MAN 99 delisting & shutdown
05:49 Full online match with matching (Galaga Theme)
10:26 Match in The Genji and the Heike Clans Theme
14:35 Namco Classic 4 Theme (Dragon Spirit)
18:03 Match in Bravoman Theme
20: 22 Match in Cosmo Gang The Video Theme
23:05 Theme menu and Match in Dig Dug Theme
26:13 Match in Bricks Theme (PAC-Mania)
28:08 Match in Igloo Theme
29:42 Match in Log House Theme
32:34 Match in The Tower of Druaga Theme
35:26 Match in Namco Classic 2 Theme (Mappy)
Developer: Arika
Publisher: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment
Genre: Arcade Maze Puzzle
Players: 1 - 99
Version Shown: PAL
Format: Nintendo Switch / ニンテンドースイッチ
Year: 2021
PAC-MAN 99 was only available on the Nintendo Switch until 2023.
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Footage is captured directly from a Nintendo Switch via HDMI for all games, using an Elgato Pro HD60 capture card.
#PACMAN99 #NintendoSwitch #Namco