First new Pac-Man mazes after 26 years, only on Xbox Live

Namco Bandai and Microsoft have a treat for Xbox 360 owners and it definitely has that creamy retro goodness that we all love. It’s Pac-Man Championship Edition, a remastered title of the game that pretty much expanded the once-niche video game scene into something that’s enjoyed by the masses.

We get you the lowdown on what’s to expect with Pac-Man‘s shiny new look as well as what’s in store for your 800 Microsoft Points.

Pure retro fans should be pleased to know that while Pac-Man gets the usual next-gen benefits (new mazes, new modes, new soundtrack and HD graphics), it’s still the game you’ve sunk quarters into in the arcades – just pure good ol’ dot-chomping, ghost-evading action.

To give you an overall idea on what’s new in Pac-Man Championship Edition, here’s a list for your reading pleasure.

• Pac-Man remastered: new mazes, new modes, new soundtracks. HD graphics.
• Core gameplay: no bells and whistles here. Get to wakka-wakka-ing!
• Championship Mode: Main game mode designed by Iwatani and Namco Bandai for Pac-Man World Championship finals. Redesigned mazes, wider walls, widescreen for faster gameplay.
• Challenge Mode 1: Patience and Reward Course. Patience mazes give you few power pellets, Reward mazes gives you a LOT.
• Challenge Mode 2: Darkness Course. Only Pac-Man and the Ghost can be seen.
• Extra Mode 1: Freeway Course. High-speed gameplay, only for advanced players. Lots of tunnels.
• Extra Mode 2: Manhattan Course. A course inspired by the streets of Manhattan.
• Extra Mode 3: Overall Course. A mish-mash of all the courses, designed to test the ultimate Pac-Man player.

One thing to note is that all the added modes are timed, so you’re not only chomping dots and power pellets for survival, you’re also trying to beat the clock. For those of us worried about online capabilities, there’s the Xbox Live leaderboards, Achievements and Gamerscore to play around with so it’s all good.

Pac-Man Championship Edition will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade starting at 9 a.m . BST on Wednesday, June 6 (that’s 4 a.m. EST for the same date). So keep a close watch if you’re dying to get your Pac-Man fix. It’ll be the best 800 Microsoft points you ever blew on a classic.

Namco Bandai and Microsoft have a treat for Xbox 360 owners and it definitely has that creamy retro goodness that we all love. It’s Pac-Man Championship Edition, a remastered title of the game that pretty much expanded the once-niche video game scene into something that’s enjoyed by the masses.

We get you the lowdown on what’s to expect with Pac-Man‘s shiny new look as well as what’s in store for your 800 Microsoft Points.

Pure retro fans should be pleased to know that while Pac-Man gets the usual next-gen benefits (new mazes, new modes, new soundtrack and HD graphics), it’s still the game you’ve sunk quarters into in the arcades – just pure good ol’ dot-chomping, ghost-evading action.

To give you an overall idea on what’s new in Pac-Man Championship Edition, here’s a list for your reading pleasure.

• Pac-Man remastered: new mazes, new modes, new soundtracks. HD graphics.
• Core gameplay: no bells and whistles here. Get to wakka-wakka-ing!
• Championship Mode: Main game mode designed by Iwatani and Namco Bandai for Pac-Man World Championship finals. Redesigned mazes, wider walls, widescreen for faster gameplay.
• Challenge Mode 1: Patience and Reward Course. Patience mazes give you few power pellets, Reward mazes gives you a LOT.
• Challenge Mode 2: Darkness Course. Only Pac-Man and the Ghost can be seen.
• Extra Mode 1: Freeway Course. High-speed gameplay, only for advanced players. Lots of tunnels.
• Extra Mode 2: Manhattan Course. A course inspired by the streets of Manhattan.
• Extra Mode 3: Overall Course. A mish-mash of all the courses, designed to test the ultimate Pac-Man player.

One thing to note is that all the added modes are timed, so you’re not only chomping dots and power pellets for survival, you’re also trying to beat the clock. For those of us worried about online capabilities, there’s the Xbox Live leaderboards, Achievements and Gamerscore to play around with so it’s all good.

Pac-Man Championship Edition will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade starting at 9 a.m . BST on Wednesday, June 6 (that’s 4 a.m. EST for the same date). So keep a close watch if you’re dying to get your Pac-Man fix. It’ll be the best 800 Microsoft points you ever blew on a classic.