GAME CLEAR No. 90 -- Pac-Man Arrangement (CS Ver.)

Pac-Man Arrangement CS Version (2005, PSP)

Compilation: Pac-Man Museum+ (2022, Multiplatform)
Original Compilation: Namco Museum Battle Collection (2005, PSP)
Original Compilation Developer: Namco
Original Compilation Publisher: Namco
New Compilation Developer: Now Production
New Compilation Publisher: Bandai Namco
Clear Platform: PlayStation 5
Clear Date: 5/27/22

This is an interesting game from a metadata standpoint. Originally released as part of the Namco Museum Battle Collection on PSP, this is an original game that as far as I can tell has only ever existed as part of compilation games. It should also not to be confused with the arcade game titled Pac-Man Arrangement, with which it has some things in common but is certainly not the same game.

I didn’t have Namco Museum Battle Collection back when I originally had my PSP (my library during the PSP’s supported lifespan was pretty dismal), but I wish I had. Having now played this on the new Pac-Man collection, it seems like a perfect little handheld title. It’s 25 fairly easy screens long and is no sweat to breeze through in a single sitting with infinite continues. It’s got simple but cute graphics that would’ve been right at home on the PSP and decent tunes. The game is fundamentally Pac-Man, but it’s got some of the bells and whistles you might expect like obstacles, teleportation pads, and bosses to mix up the traditional gameplay.

This thing ain’t an all-timer, but it’s a welcome entry on this compilation and it’s neat that they’d include this relative footnote in the history of the series.