The title also gives players access to a plethora of skins, map styles, colours and even camera angles that can drastically change the look of a level. If I had to pick the two standout aspects of Championship Edition 2 Plus, it would have to be the stellar art direction and the catchy electronic music that help elevate the game, keeping it feeling contemporary. Multiplayer also allows players to save each other if they happen to get caught by an enemy ghost, as long as they can make it in time before a small energy bar depletes. A large chain of blue ghost enemies makes for a satisfying finish when both players are in sync and have successfully trapped and lined up the finishing blow(kiss). Ghosts that turn blue also need to be sandwiched between both players to be squashed (with the power of love). Instead of being able to advance the multi-layered mazes in a level by collecting a piece of fruit, candy or power-up, both players must kiss each other to trigger the level to shift.

Score Attack is similar to single-play but the addition of a second player (which can be controlled by the computer for solo sessions), changes up the basic gameplay considerably. Plus mode forgoes adventure/objective based levels, giving players access to just the Score Attack and Tutorial modes. Dealing damage consists of both players hurling themselves towards the towering ghost, mashing the jump button to zig-zag and ricochet off walls, akin to a game of pinball.

Both players are locked in a tiny arena in which they need to quickly gather points to initiate a damage phase for the boss. Ultimately, Boss encounters feel a bit flat, with most of the fight done automatically for the player.īoss encounters are more fleshed out within the two-player Plus mode of Pac-Man Championship Edition 2. Bosses are defeated once the player completes a set of mini-mazes, culminating in a voxel-based cutscene that shows Pac-Man defeating the end-level ghost. After completing a set of levels, Pac-Man must face an end-level boss. The levels themselves consist of clearing out a handful of mazes within a set amount of time and limited lives. The Adventure mode gives players over a dozen levels spread across two worlds with varying difficulty ratings. Unfortunately, this is also where the Nintendo Switch version of the game suffers from some noticeable framerate drops (especially in multiplayer).įor players that like more objective based games, Namco Bandai has included an Adventure Mode within Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 Plus. Power Pellets, in classic Pac-Man fashion, turn the ghost enemies blue, allowing the player to chew them up in a cool 3D sequence. Occasionally, a Power Pellet will take the place of a piece of fruit or candy. To advance, players must collect enough points or dots, until a piece of fruit appears in the middle of the map, upon eating the fruit, the map refreshes and the game continues.

In Score Attack mode, the player will have a set amount of time to get as many points as possible, by quickly clearing maps and diving deeper into the endless labyrinth. Additional bombs can sometimes be earned by collecting all the dots on a given map.Īdditionally, each maze or layer within a level will have dormant, or sleeping ghosts that only awaken when the player runs past it, joining the ever-growing snake of ghosts chasing Pac-Man.

If you do find yourself in a precarious situation, Championship Edition 2 gives players plenty of bombs that help Pac-Man jump from his current position on any given map to a safer location within the maze. Instead of instantly losing a life, the player can afford up to three hits, with the second hit causing the enemy to become aggroed and potentially deadly. Unlike classic Pac-Man, Championship Edition 2 gives Pac-Man a bit more wiggle room when it comes to getting hit by a ghost. Those unfamiliar with the series will be happy to know that the game offers a tutorial mode, in addition to a Score Attack and Adventure mode option. Initially released in 2016 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC, Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 has landed on the Nintendo Switch, bringing with it an all new Plus mode, which introduces a co-op multiplayer Pac-Man experience to the already frantic game.Įverything from the base version of Championship Edition 2 is available in the Switch release. I instantly fell in love with the fast-paced, 80s, Tron-inspired aesthetics of the game, so naturally, I was excited to check out Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 Plus on the Nintendo Switch. Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 Plus (Switch) – image for this review provided by Bandai Namco Entertainment.

Pacman championship