E3: Pac-Man Party Announced For Wii

Marking the 30th birthday of its yellow mascot, Namco Bandai Games America announced Pac-Man Party, a new party game developed exclusively for Wii, which releases in North America this fall. The game is designed to offer approachable controls with the Wii Remote, challenging players to use their skills and reflexes as they compete against each other in various virtual game boards. It features 45 different minigames, like tie-based trials that have players rolling a giant snowball or knocking their friends off a mountain top. Pac-Man Party also has four different modes of play. The Story mode enables players to explore all the game board worlds, the Mini-Game mode allows them to quickly jump into minigames, and the Part mode promises a "more in-depth party experience" for up to four players as they travel across the themed boards in a race to collect the most coins. And for those who prefer something that resembles the Pac-Man they remember, the game has a Classic mode with the original arcade versions of Pac-Man, as well as other Namco classics like Galaga and Dig-Dug. "For this 30th year milestone, Pac-Man Party will continue the icon’s legacy of delivering an engaging experience while bringing people together," says Namco Bandai Games Gamerica's marketing and public relations director Todd Thorson. Thorson continues, "With a combination of over the top mini-games and a stylish take on the traditional board game, Pac-Man Party is sure to entertain the entire family."