Pacman World - Do You Remember It?
Gameplay - 9/10
Pacman World for PlayStation 1 was one of PlayStation's bestsellers of the early 2000's. Pacman World is known for its 3D Gaming.
Pacman World consists of 6 "Worlds". Each world includes some diverse levels, enemies and a boss. In this review, I will go through each world and level with you, and give each level a rating out of 10, and write a paragraph on it.
WORLD 1 - PIRATES
Level 1 - Bucanner Beach - 9.5/10
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Bucaneer Beach is and excellent start to the game. It introduces you to some enemies, ghosts, power-ups and common controls. It is an excellent way to introduce the game to its audience as it communicates the knowledge of the game clearly. The only problem is that when you start the game, you only start with 2 lives, and right at the start of the level, there are some ghosts. If a player does not know how to play the game, there is a possibility that they will lose all their lives on the first level.
Level 2 - Corsair's Cove - 7/10
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Corsair's Cove is a level that teaches swimming skills. Most of the level is covered in water. In Pacman World, each level has an accompanying maze, which is hidden inside a special door, which can be opened by acquiring a galaxian. In this level, the maze door is underwater, and therefore the whole maze is underwater, which makes the maze difficult for new players and lets the ghosts catch you faster. The following image shows the underwater maze:
Level 3 - Crazy Cannonade - 8.5/10
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Crazy Cannonade is when new players are ready for more difficult levels. This level is probably the most difficult of all the levels in the Pirate's World. It involves the Pacman travelling on a variety of tight platforms on what seems like a large ship. Crazy Cannonade is one of the best Pacman levels and it works hand-in-hand with the other Pirate's levels like a charm.
Level 4 - H.M.S. Windbag - 6/10
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H.M.S Windbag is the easiest of the games six bosses. For every world, there is one boss at the end of it, similar to the Mario games. The first section of this level requires the player to travel on a boardwalk, with a Pirate Ship (Windbag) shooting cannons at the player, and knocking down sections of the boardwalk. The second section requires the player to trigger shields that can rebound the cannons the ship shoots. When enough cannons are rebounded and hit the ship, the player is declared winner.
WORLD 2 - THE RUINS
Level 1 - Crisis Cavern - 9/10
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Crisis Cavern is a level that is quite difficult. This level introduces us to spiders, lava and volcano debris. Crisis Cavern is an excellent level and the game ends when the player goes underwater to another section of the ruins, where there are traps, and eventually, the end of the level.
Level 2 - Manic Mines - 8.5/10
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Manic Mines is a level that is associated with mines, which carry hot coal, over pools of lava. In the game, the player sometimes only has one route over the lava, on the mine track. At times, there is a mine cart on the mine track, and you must jump over it. If you fail to jump at all, it will push you back, or push you into the lava. And if you can't make the whole jump, you can end up losing health from touching the hot coal in the mine.
Level 3 - Anubis Rex - 9.9/10
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Anubis Rex is undeniably the best and most difficult level in the whole game, accompanied by King Galaxian, (see further below). The first part of the level is a long stretch in a temple with a hand of a mummy chasing Pac-Man through the whole level. This would be simple, but there are holes in the floor that shoot arrows out of them. The only other hazard in this level is a gate that smashes up and down. After getting through the second opening door, the second part of the level begins. In this part, Pac-Man is teleported to an area surrounded by lava. In the center, there is a huge temple/statue with it's hands closed together, and a colored diamond on its head. On each side, there are two Rev-Roll Platforms. Pac-Man needs to Rev Roll on all four of these in order for the temple to move his hands to open the path to his heart. Pac-Man then must Rev Roll into this in order for the temple to take damage. This would be easy if there wasn't any hazards.
WORLD 3 - SPACE
Level 1 - Space Race9/10
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Space Race is the 8th level in Pac-Man World, and the 1st level in the Space Area. This level introduces purple aliens, which are spinning aliens that Pac-Man can bounce on. Lasers are introduced as well, which disappear and reappear over and over again.
Level 2 - Far Out - 6/10
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This level is a good level. It consists of alternating lasers, moving platforms and an extremely difficult maze. This levels maze is very hard and even good players will waste many lives on this maze… If you are not trying to beat your highscore, I recommend that you DO NOT do the maze on this level.
Level 3 – Gimme Space – 8.5/10
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Gimme Space is the 3rd Level of Pacman World. This level is probably the hardest of all the Space Levels, beside King Galaxian. This level starts with a large, circular maze and includes many laser towers and enemies. This level is a very creative level, and out of all the space levels, includes the most amount of “Space Physics”.
Level 4 – King Galaxian – 10/10
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This level, and Anubis Rex are undeniably the hardest levels in the game. This level starts off with Pacman on a space-hoverboard, trying to avoid space-rocks and aliens. This level is very different from other levels, with the controls. You use the O button to shoot out of your vehicle. When you reach the end of this section, the King Alien breaks away from an extra-terrestrial structure. During this time you must shoot his 4 eyes. During this time, the alien attempts to suck you into his mouth. After killing the first eye, the other eyes restore their health. After the second eye, the alien starts shooting out of his mouth. After killing the third eye, the alien goes ballistic and rapidly chucks out bullets. After killing the fourth eye, the alien explodes.
WORLD 4 – FUNHOUSE
Level 1 – Clowning Around – 9/10
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Clowning Around is an excellent choice for an introductory to a new world. This level introduces new enemies, and a recurring object in all of the funhouse levels: The Spinning Platforms. There is not one funhouse level where these are not present, and this level includes a bonus level, which has many balloons and fruits. Bonus levels are timed levels added on to a normal level, where the player can gather more fruit and points.
Level 2 – Barrel Blast – 8.5/10
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Barrel Blast is a level that is challenging to pass, but doesn’t challenge your lives. It challenges your mental skills as you have to try and reach the top of many spinning platforms. This level is very good. Towards the end of the level, you have to time your rev-rolls so that you can land on the right spinning platform in time. This level is good for medium players, and as with most of the worlds, the first level is aimed at beginners, the second is aimed at medium-skilled players, and the third is the most challenging.
Level 3 – Spin Dizzy – 9.5/10
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Spin Dizzy is a level full of spinning platforms, hence the name “Spin Dizzy”. All the “training” that the player completed in the previous rounds was for this. This is by far the most challenging level of the funhouse. Unlike Barrel Blast, the possibility of failing does pose a risk of dying. The platforms do twist you up mentally. It seems the producers did actually try and make the funhouse section mess with your time. All the funhouse levels need precision and careful timing, to be completed.
Level 4 – Clown Prix – 9/10
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Clown Prix is one of the most enjoyable levels in the game. It is a race against your clown competitors. In Clown Prix, it is your aim to slide around twists and turns, beating the clown racers. The race takes place in dodgem cars, and therefore the clowns try to knock you off the platform. By the time that the clowns start to lay off you, there are already many clowns ahead, you have to be very fast in order to catch up. Good luck at this level! You’ll need it!
WORLD 5 – FACTORY
Level 1 – Perilous Pipes – 9/10
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Perilous Pipes is a beginner level, where you are introduced to some of the aspects of the Factory World. This level begins with a strange figure, that walks around and tries to injure you. You are slowly introduced to other enemies, which you can use as a platform (the magnet enemies). This level involves explosions!
Level 2 – Under Pressure – 9.5/10
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Under Pressure is an excellent level. It uses explosions to make the game a tiny bit confusing. It is confusing because after explosions occur, or buttons are pressed, the map changes slightly, for example, a platform might aim down rather than up. Its quite hard to explain so I suggest you watch the video.
Level 3 – Down The Tubes – 4/10
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Down The Tubes is a bad level. It starts with lava, and the possibility of falling off a platform into the lava. But that’s not the terrible part. About a third into the level, you find yourself in a place full of water, (or acid, who knows, it’s a factory!) and Pacman has to get out. But before he gets out, Pacman has to collect the bonus items so that he can complete the bonus levels. This level is a maze in itself, and overall a terrible level. It is too confusing for beginners, and I suggest that if you are under 11 years of age, that you don’t play this level, it’s just way too hard…
Level 4 – Krome Keeper – 7/10
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This level is good, but slightly monotonous. The boss (Krome Keeper) is not actually in the same area as you. What you have to do is try and get all the buttons pressed down at the same time, which will trigger an attack on the Krome Keeper. But these buttons are HOT! You need to get a particular power-up so that you turn into metal. And even with this, there’s the possibility of a magnet picking you up and dumping you in acid water, which will make you lose health. Again, hard to explain, but I suggest that you watch the video..
WORLD 6 – MANSION
Level 1 – Ghostly Garden – 8/10
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Ghostly Garden is the first and easiest level of the whole Mansion. Ghostly Garden is an easy level, which is essentially based in a graveyard, adding to the haunt of the last world. This level is an introduction to “bomber-bats”, bats which drop bombs on Pacman, and we are also introduced to skeletons, which blow fire at you. This level uses underground caves to hide power-ups and bonus letters.
Level 2 – Creepy Catacombs – 9/10
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Creepy Catacombs is the second level of the Mansion world. This level is unique because of it’s strange areas and rain filter. The most part of this level is underground, hence the name, “Creepy Catacombs”. This level is very enjoyable because of the moving platforms, hard-to-reach power-ups, and the constant possibility of falling into a void of nothingness. This level is aimed at medium-skilled players.
Level 3 – Grave Danger – 9/10
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This level is fairly expensive, with a droning theme. It involves a pipe organ, and other scary features. All the mansion levels have a very unique maze, for example there might be more ghosts, more dots, or different coloured ghosts. This adds visual interest to the maze. It is this level where Pacman saves Ms. Pacman. This level has nasty weather, and it rains constantly, and you can even hear it pelting. There are sections of the level which involve lightning clouds, which are similar to balloons in the funhouse levels, but the lightning clouds spit out lightning beneath them. These clouds disappear when stood on for too long.
Level 4 – Tocman’s Lair – 10/10 for the final level!
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Tocman’s Lair is the final level of Pacman World. This is where you fight Tocman. I will leave up to the above video to give you most of the information. I will tell you though, that Pacman’s friends are always helping him, by giving him wedges in the game. Look out for them in the video!
Conclusion
Pacman World is an awesome game. To me, it is better than many of the current PS3 games. The gameplay differs between each level, which makes the game fun and memorable.
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I have spent a heap of time writing this review, all for the enjoyment of my audience. Thanks for reading the article, I hope you enjoyed it! Please give it a vote, comment, and tell me if you remember Pacman World, probably one of the first decent console games ever invented!
Thankyou for reading!