Hey all - As a child of the 80s, I have always loved the Pac Man franchise. Since getting the iPod Touch for Christmas, I figure its about time I get a Pac Man game for it. I did some research and noticed there is the Pac Man app from Namco, and then there is also the Pac Man Championship Edition (which you also need to buy the upgrades eventually) and there is Ms. Pac Man. I am hearing some things about the controls on the iPhone/Touch as not being the best for Pacman so I am just looking for a recommendation. Has anyone played all three? Any suggestions as to which is the best value for my buck? Thanks!!
I have all 3. Pac Man CE is definitely the best in terms of controls. Rather than just one virtual dpad, you can play it in a portrait mode with one dpad on the left side and another on the right, allowing you (for example) to use your right thumb to move up and right, and your left to move down and left. It sounds confusing, but once you get used to it, it works really well. That being said, Pac Man CE is a "modernized" take, and, while great, isn't the same Pac Man you would have grown up loving (and doesn't include any "classic" options). You're quite right when you say that if you like the game, you're basically going to need to download the DLC, because what it gives you by default is pretty sparse. However, if you wait until Namco has one of their sales (I think their Easter one just finished), you can pick up Pac Man CE for .99, and the DLC for $3.99, making the whole thing $4.98, which is more than worthwhile (and humorously, less than the normal price for Pac Man and Ms. Pac Man... $4.99, though they do often go on sale as well for $2.99). The controls on the classic game are quite a bit touchier. They still have dpad options, but no "landscape" mode, which means you have to use 1 thumb on the dpad. It's not bad, but often imprecise and I guarantee it will be responsible for Pac death on numerous occasions. Once you get used to your thumb's positioning, it's manageable, but the Pac Man CE controls certainly work better. All 3 of the games offer "swipe" controls, which actually work really well... for the first 4 or 5 mazes. Once the action heats up, I find the swipe controls to be a little bit behind the challenge. I've seen youtube vids of some people doing absolutely amazingly later on with the swipe controls, so your mileage may vary. In terms of the original Pac Man vs. Ms. Pac Man, that choice would boil down to which of the two you prefer. I always preferred Ms. Pac Man, but I think that's just because I knew the game a bit better. If I could have only one of them on the iPhone, I think I'd choose Pac Man CE though. It really is a great game, and it definitely has the best controls of the 3 (for me at least). After that Ms. Pac Man, then Pac Man. Avoid Pac Man Remix. It's dreadful.
You picked a very inopportune time to want a Pac-Man game. Namco just got through with a sale where all their Pac-Man games were down to $1 (I think) But back to your decision: Pac-Man: Championship Edition is my choice as well. It's great fun, has some great eye-candy, and will last you a pretty good while. Yes, you will have to buy the expansion at some point in time, but really... that time will probably not be for a while now. It comes with enough content initially that you won't be complaining about the purchase at all. The expansion adds a ton more to it, but until then it will definitely take you a while to do everything, and, if you're a completionist, get Gold on everything. Then you buy the expansion, and you'll be overwhelmed by how much more there is, even then. Get Pac-Man: Championship Edition. That's what I say
Yeah, no doubt. The sale ended yesterday (I think?). Namco holds the same sale for every holiday though, so if you wait a while, it will pop up again. And the only ones that were down to $0.99 were Pac Man CE and Pac Man Remix. Pac Man and Ms. Pac Man were down to $2.99 each (which seems to be the lowest they ever go).
I would say Pacman CE is a better purchase, it looks fantastic, and has a lot of replay value (well, I guess both of them have a lot of replay value).
Hey guys - Thanks so much for all of the info! Thanks esp. to Ouisch for the detailed response!! Based on the recommendations from all you guys, looks like Pacman CE will be the first purchase for me. I am in no rush, so I can wait for the next Pacman sale. I think I will then go with MS. Pacman, always liked that game, and then eventually the original Pacman. But the CE sounds like my first plan of attack. Thanks again. Really appreciated the insight and recommendations for all you guys. Now I feel confident in making my purchase(s).
