Every gaming fan has heard of classic games like Pac Man, Dig
Dug, Galaga, Pole Position, Galaxian, and true
old-time gamers such as myself remember spending hours, days, and weeks dropping
quarters into the arcade down the street. Sadly arcades are becoming a thing
of the past, and finding one with classic titles is even more difficult. Fortunately
Namco has been satisfying the need for fans to play these classic titles
for years, on virtually every console created, and now Xbox owners have the
same opportunity with Namco Museum for the Xbox.

Gameplay

I doubt we need to go into any gameplay details on this one,
given the huge popularity of the games included, but it is note-worthy to mention
that the Xbox version offered up some versions of the games that I was eager
to play. With my old battered, scratched, over-played and slightly warped Playstation
version of Namco Museum sitting lonesome on the shelf, I popped in the newest
installment and was very happy to see that Arrangement titles for Pac
Man, Galaga, and Dig Dug were also included. Here are
the games you get, each bringing back their own memories:

  • Pac-Man
  • Pac-Man Arrangement
  • Galaga
  • Galaga Arrangement
  • Dig Dug
  • Dig Dug Arrangement
  • Pole Position
  • Pole Position II
  • Ms. Pac-Man
  • Galaxian
  • Pac-Attack
  • Pac-Mania

That’s an awesome list of retro-classics. Without a doubt my favorite is Ms.
Pac-Man. Each of the titles are re-created to portray the arcade
version of the title, and they did a truly great job including original graphics,
sounds, and computer AI. It’s funny how you remember things, some of my masterful
routines in Ms. Pac Man still work, thanks to Namco not changing
the programming of the ghosts!

Graphics

Xbox owners looking for ground-breaking graphics need to look
somewhere else! (That’s a good thing.) All of the
included games resemble their arcade counterparts almost identically, and it
just wouldn’t be the same if they had spiced up every game with lighting effects,
bump mapping, and all of the other techniques used to give today’s era of games
a more realistic look. This title is about nostalgia, it’s that warm fuzzy feeling
you get when the memories come rushing back. I have rated this title based on
this, Namco isn’t looking to break any records for realism, they’re looking
to re-create an experience, and they have done a exceptional job.

Audio

Along the same lines of graphics and gameplay, the audio mimics
that of the arcade counterparts, right down to the cheesy, distorted ‘Prepare
To Qualify’ in Pole Position.

Replay Value

Each of the included titles has a jump in and play feel
to them, that’s what made them so popular in the arcade, and while Namco Museum
won’t be replacing Halo as your most abused game, you’ll find it mysteriously
in your Xbox much more often than you think. Not only do they bring back memories,
but they offer those that are a bit offended by the complexity of some games
a release from the pressure.

If you had fun at the arcade, just go pick up Namco
Museum right now!

Overall Score

Overall Score: 8.5 [not an average]

Additional Comments

Namco Museum doesn’t bring any new technological
feats into the picture, but it does bring a ton of gameplay fun, in a compact
size. Try fitting the full size arcades in your house, you’ll see
what I mean! Namco Museum is Highly Recommended
to all fans of the original, retro titles. Newcomers, or should I say ‘Younger
Adults‘ who are not familiar with the games, should take a look at the
title and see if it offers them the same level of satisfaction that it has offered
to millions of others in the past.

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