This sequel to Pac-Man from 1981 improves on the original in almost every way. A variety of mazes, smarter ghosts, bonus fruit that bounces around the maze, and improved intermissions (you get to see the birth of Baby Pac-Man!). Ms. Pac-Man definitely proves that she's more than Pac-Man with a bow.
New Rally-X
Released in 1981, a year after Rally-X, this game is more of an enhancement to the original than a true sequel. The only real change here is the addition of a gas bonus flag and slightly improved graphics. Still fun, though.
Pac-Man
If you've not played the 1980 smash hit, Pac-Man, then you don't deserve to play any videogames. This game became a pop culture phenomenon when it was released, and 25 years later, ol' Pac is still starring in new games. The gameplay is simple -- move around a maze, eat all the dots, and avoid the ghosts. Grab a Power Pellet to turn the ghosts blue for a limited time, and you can eat them. This simplicity combined with clean graphics, memorable sound effects, and cute (if not incredibly basic) characters, insured that the world caught Pac-Man Fever in the early 80's.
Namco needs to create some sort of Dig Dug themed ant farm. We'd totally buy one.
Rally-X
This 1980 driving game is essentially a variant on Pac-Man. Viewed from a top-down perspective, you drive a blue car through maze-like streets, collecting scattered flags and avoiding the rival red cars. Since the maze is far bigger than the screen, a radar screen points out where both the flags and cars are on the map. Thanks to a dwindling fuel tank, you're also under a strict time limit to collect the flags. To ward off pursuing cars, you can shoot a smoke screen from the back of your car, but it consumes precious fuel. It's a simple game, and not one of Namco's most well-known titles, but it's actually pretty fun.
The Arrangements
In 1995, Namco first introduced the concept of arranged versions of its arcade classics with the arcade release, Namco Classic Collection Volume 1, which contained updated versions of Galaga, Mappy, and Xevious. Volume 2 followed the year after, containing new versions of Pac-Man, Dig Dug, and Rally-X. Strangely enough, the arranged versions that appear on this Namco Museum are not the arcade versions (some of which have been collected in the Xbox, PS2, and GCN versions of Museum), but new ones specifically designed for the PSP. Here's what games are present:
Dig Dug Arrangement
The arranged version of Dig Dug remains very true to the original, only adding a few extras here and there to enhance the gameplay. Dig Dug (or Taizo Hori, to use his real name) can now collect power-ups that speed him up, extend the length of his air hose, and other such abilities. There are also new enemies to contend with, including a foe that carries a rock on his back. Pop him, and the rock will fall, crushing any enemies below (or even you if you're not careful). There are also defined levels in this game, each with a boss encounter at the end.
