It was only a few months ago that Namco released their up-and-coming game Pac-Pix for the DS. This had fans everywhere not only excited for a fresh and unique DS game, but also had them hoping that one of the most beloved characters in the history of the industry would be able to pull off a comeback. Although Pac-Pix turned out to be little more than a mere tech-demo, it did however help Namco test the waters of the DS, which would eventually lead to the newest iteration of the franchise, Pac ‘n Roll. Luckily, although slightly short in length, Pac ‘n Roll takes a bit of platforming and mixes it with games like Super Monkey Ball and Marble Madness, and believe it or not, it actually does it very well.

The story in Pac ‘n Roll isn’t much to write home about, but it is efficient enough to carry the action throughout the game. Those annoying ghosts are back in full force, and they’ve crashed the summer festival. More importantly, though, is that they’ve brought the most powerful ghost in the land with them to help. This overpowering being known as Golvis has turned his evil ghost light on the entire town, and has managed to transform all of Pac-Man’s family and friends into energy spheres. Now it’s up to Pac-Man to navigate this new ghost land, defeat Golvis, and save his entire pack of friends.

It’s no secret that up until now, many DS titles have tried valiantly to work their respective games into the dual-screen style of play, but most have been little more than a gimmick and haven’t always used the touch screen to better the gameplay. Thankfully not only does Pac ‘n Roll use both screens, it actually requires it.

The top screen is used to showcase the action, and the bottom screen is used to guide the yellow ball known as Pac-Man, all which is done via the stylus. The gameplay is actually very simple, but does offer enough variety to keep it fresh through most of the levels. The faster you swipe your stylus on the bottom screen, the faster Pac-Man rolls. The game isn’t all about how fast you can move, though, considering a lot of strategic moves are required to finish some of the levels. For instance, putting the stylus at the bottom of Pac-Man’s body, and then quickly moving it up to a rest at the top of the screen causes him to dash. In addition, if you are ever out of control and need to stop Pac from rolling off a cliff or keep him from hitting an enemy, just tap him with stylus and hold it there. It’s really quit simple.

Many of the stages require a lot more thought process to be completed, however. There are several power-ups lying randomly throughout the levels, such as Knight and Lightweight Pac-Man, most of which need to be picked up in order to proceed. When Pac-Man is need of a little extra power, he can use the Knight boost, which will allow him to take on armor and deflect certain attacks. He is a little slower in this mode, but also has the ability to destroy metal boxes that are blocking your path, as well as to sink under water to collect the precious pellets that exist throughout the stage. The Lightweight mode allows Pac to fly, move faster, and also float on top of the water when needed. The good thing about these power-ups is that they are placed very cleverly in the various levels, but are never so hidden that it puts much of a strain on your thought process.

One problem that exists during gameplay is also one of the games shining features, the control scheme. Pac-Man navigates like a dream for the most part, but constantly swiping the stylus for long periods will put a slight strain on the wrists of even the most hardcore of gamers. Also sometimes, it’s hard to precisely control Pac, especially near sharp corners and ledges, or when you need to rotate the camera to see your surroundings. This doesn’t happen all the time, though, and it mainly only occurs after long gaming sessions. Thankfully, this won’t happen to often in Pac ‘n Roll due to the fact that the game is only about seven hours long. This will definitely be a problem for some gamers, but a few of the latter levels are just plain brutal, and will require repeated attempts before you’re able to bypass them. If you are ever stuck for too long though, don’t worry, because Namco has added jewels that are hidden throughout the levels that when collected, can be used to unlock hidden levels. One of them being the original Pac-Man. Not only are you able to play the original version when a much-needed break is in order, but it also uses the dual-screen function so that it resembles the old tabletop style from the arcades.

Visually Pac ‘n Roll is what you would expect from a DS game, nothing great, but also nothing shameful either. Each level looks somewhat similar, but is different enough in execution so that they never really draw too much comparison. Not a lot is happening on screen at once either, so the frame-rate stays steady throughout the game and never becomes an issue.

The sound is a slightly different matter, however. Instead of giving Pac-Man English Voice-over, Namco decided to leave it in Japanese. This normally wouldn’t be a problem, but the actual language being spoken isn’t Japanese, it’s frankly just a bunch of gibberish.  A few syllables here and there, and that’s about all that exists. I’m not totally sure that English would have been a better solution, though, and come to think of it, this is a rare case where a few lines of text would have probably been a better solution to the problem.

Pac ‘n Roll turned out to be one of the nicest surprises to hit the DS this year. The idea of mixing the platforming genre, with the gameplay of titles like Super Monkey Ball and Marble Madness seemed quit strange at first, but Pac ‘n Roll actually benefits from the unique style. Be warned though, the short length, slight control issues, and wacky voice-over might frustrate a few people, but anyone looking for a crafty and unique experience will likely find a good time here.

Gameplay: 7.9

Controlling Pac-Man with the stylus works surprisingly well; even it does become tiresome after a while. Be warned though, a few of the later levels are extremely difficult. 

Graphics: 7.4

Visually Pac ‘n Roll delivers, but not by much. This is one of those situations where the look of the game doesn’t really affect the gameplay either way.

Sound: 6.7

The actual sound effects during gameplay are suitable enough, just close your ears during story time, or you will become extremely irritated.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 7.5

The ability to control Pac-Man using the stylus is a fresh take on the series, but if only the journey would have been longer and more exciting, Pac ‘n Roll could have been an incredible experience.

Overall: 7.4

Anytime a DS game actually uses both screens for the better of gameplay, it receives a few bonus points in my book. Pac ‘n Roll isn’t a flawless game by any means, but it does in fact offer a very unique and refreshing twist to one of the most beloved franchises in the industry’s history. Anyone looking for a little bit of platforming fun will definitely want to give this version of Pac-Man a try.