Namco launches Pac-Mania in Europe

Namco Europe has announced the launch of Pac-Mania for Java enabled handsets, which is the sequel to the legendary Pac-Man game and the first 3D title in the world famous series.

Adapting the traditional gameplay to take advantage of the 3D perspective, Pac-Man can now jump over the ghosts to avoid their clutches and escape to a safer part of the maze. However, in addition to the traditional threats from Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde, new ghostly enemies will appear who can also jump, and will offer a new challenge for the gamer as they try to ambush Pac-Man in mid-air.

Pramesh Chauhan, head of business development for Namco Europe's web and mobile content division, said: "Every person who's ever played Pac-Man will be able to pick up and play Pac-Mania within seconds."

"As gaming on mobile phones continues to penetrate the mass-market, there will be an increasing demand for simple, fun and compelling games with instantly recognisable brands and characters. Pac-Mania fits every single one of those requirements and we're looking forward to its release enormously," he added.

Pac-Man remains one of the industry's iconic characters, originally appearing in arcades as far back as 1980. The first 3D game, Pac-Mania, was launched in 1987, presenting fans of the pill-munching creature with an entirely new challenge. The mobile version has been designed specifically for the latest series of Java-enabled handsets, and comes with a new range of mazes and environments, alongside another catchy soundtrack.

Namco recently held a world-first mobile Pac-Man tournament that spanned five countries and multiple operators using the i-mode service. The Grand Final was held in London, where the Netherlands took home the trophy and an authentic Pac-Man arcade machine. The company continues to recreate classic franchises for the mobile market, providing simple, recognisable games for a vast range of Java enabled handsets.

Pac-Mania will be available across Europe from December, 2005.