Pac-Man World Championship – The Big Annoucement

The big announcement that Ron alluded to yesterday regarding the Pac-Man World Championship was revealed today – and it was a lot less stellar than that huge ball of hype Namco Bandai and Microsoft threw at us. Today, when the Pac-Man Champion was announced, Toru Iwatani revealed that tomorrow (June 6) at 5:00 a.m. EST, Xbox Live Arcade will have some new content – Pac-Man Championship Edition. Yes, this new Pac-Man will be the same 2D Pac-Man we grew-up with, but with new HD graphics, six new “timed” modes, the first new mazes in more than 26 years, new widescreen mazes in championship mode, leaderboards, achievements, and more. For either 800-Microsoft points or $10.00 you can join in on the new content, and the 10 players vying for the honor of being Pac-Man World Champion were the first to get a taste of the new mazes.

Press Release after the jump

Original “Pac-Man” Creator Surprises World With First New Mazes in 26 Years – Only on Xbox 360

London – June 5, 2007 – The year was 1981: Big hair, leg warmers and high-waisted jeans were popular fashions, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” hit cinemas, and everyone was saving up their money to play the latest video games. Also that year, a new video game by game designer Toru Iwatani at NAMCO LTD. (currently NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.) hit arcades around the world and would soon become a pop-culture phenomenon and one of the most beloved games of all time. That game was “Pac-Man®”.

Today Microsoft Corp. and NAMCO BANDAI Games made video game history by unveiling the “Pac-Man Championship Edition” – featuring the first new Pac-Man mazes in more than 26 years – available only on the Xbox 360â„¢.

The “Pac-Man Championship Edition” is the same beloved “Pac-Man” game played in arcades of the ’80s but is updated with new features that former “Pac-Man” fanatics and new generations of fans alike will love. It includes new mazes that dynamically change shape during gameplay, six new timed game modes, new soundtracks and high-definition (HD) graphics. Details include the following:

· Classic 2-D “Pac-Man” presentation with a new, modern look in HD

· Six new, timed game modes:

- The Championship Mode. This is the main game mode designed by NAMCO BANDAI Games and Iwatani specifically for the championship round of the Xbox 360 Pac-Man World Championship. This mode – as well as all others within the “Pac-Man Championship Edition” – features redesigned mazes with wide maze walls and a widescreen configuration to better enable high-speed game play. Timed limit of five minutes.

- Challenge Mode 1 (Patience and Reward Course). This mode is an evolution of the Championship Mode. Patience mazes strategically offer fewer Power Pellets and Reward mazes provide a large number of Power Pellets – providing unique challenges and rewards for the player. Timed limit of 10 minutes.

- Challenge Mode 2 (The Darkness Course). In this mode, only the area directly around Pac-Man and the Ghosts is visible and the maze walls are completely hidden. Timed limit of 10 minutes.

- Extra Mode 1 (The Freeway Course). An extremely high-speed mode for advanced players, this mode features warp-speed Pac-Man and Ghosts and plenty of tunnels. Timed limit of five minutes.

- Extra Mode 2 (The Manhattan Course). A mode inspired by the streets of Manhattan – the home for the first-ever Xbox 360 Pac-Man World Championship. Timed limit of five minutes.

- Extra Mode 3 (The Overall Course). A mix of all other modes resulting in extreme mazes for the most devout Pac-Man fans. Timed limit of 10 minutes.

· Xbox LIVE leaderboards, Achievements and Gamerscore

· Rated E for Everyone by the Entertainment Software Rating Board

· Costs 800 Microsoft® Points

· Available for download only on Xbox LIVE Arcade on the Xbox 360 starting at 0900 BST on Wednesday, June 6, 2007