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Reimagining good ol’ Pac-Man? Yeah, that’s a wild ride. So, what if they threw Pac-Man into a quirky game like Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures? (He’s practically dodging rocks while you steer him around. What’s up with that?) But then, boom, here’s Shadow Labyrinth. Pac-Man as a sidekick in this Metroidvania mash-up? Suddenly, it all feels like a eureka moment. Kind of like rediscovering that shoebox of old concert tickets in the attic.
Oh, and they showed it off at PAX East 2025. (That name-drop’s for the die-hard fans.) I squeezed in some playtime on the Switch, which, shocker, ran at 30 FPS. Not the smoothest, but hey, the PC version hits 60 FPS. Much better! They promise the mystical Nintendo Switch 2 will give us that buttery 60 FPS experience. (Fingers crossed, right?)
Wandering through Shadow Labyrinth—hitting those platforming highs! So, you’ve got Swordsman No. 8 doing his thing: jumping, dashing, and kind of flying through obstacles. There are these pellets and buzz saws. You transform into a wee Pac-Man! I think I almost threw in the towel trying out their obstacle gauntlet. Not the place to perfect your gaming zen, surrounded by the noise and spillover coffee stains from someone else’s excitement.
Oh, and combat! Buttons doing their thing—dodge, heal, attack—like a symphony of chaos. You can become a giant Pac-Man and just chow down on those baddies. (It’s a whole dramatic flair, wearing the boss’s face like a hunter’s trophy, don’t you think?)
Anyway, after surviving the boss (felt like Metroid Dread déjà vu!), there’s this quirky little Dig Dug homage. Pumping air into enemies until they explode? Who thought of that? Amazing. Had a chuckle imagining the rep confirming other classic Bandai Namco games making cameo appearances. Secret hopes for Galaga zips and zaps.
And yet, the cherry on top—Shadow Labyrinth, set for launch July 18. Platforms all around! Standard, Deluxe, Secret Editions… I mean, a black light to find hidden messages? For under 100 bucks, you feel like you’re getting one over on the entire gaming industry.
Left PAX with a weird glee, turning this mash-up into something worth waiting for. Who’d think a Pac-Man Metroidvania would hit right? Sneak shakes of Hollow Knight inspirations make it all the more intriguing.
