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‘Pac-Man 256’ heads to consoles with bonus multiplayer mode in June

Developer Hipster Whale’s mobile smash hit Pac-Man 256 will make the jump from smartphones to consoles and PCs in June, publisher Bandai Namco Europe announced today.

The upcoming port, which will launch exclusively via digital channels for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PCs via Steam, will include an all-new multiplayer mode that lets up to four friends team up to tackle Pac-Man‘s infamous kill screen.

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Released for iOS and Android devices in 2015, Pac-Man 256 is an endless runner-styled action game inspired by a glitch present in the original Pac-Man arcade game from 1980. Upon reaching the 256th level in the original Pac-Man, expert players encounter an impassible roadblock in the form of a glitchy maze that cannot be completed.

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Pac-Man 256 reimagines Pac-Man‘s kill screen scenario as a world-devouring glitch that chases the player and destroys everything in its path. Players must dodge ghosts and gobble up pellets for score as they attempt to flee the impending digital apocalypse.

Creator Hipster Whale previously released Crossy Road, another hit mobile game featuring a simple but addictive premise. Crossy Road found success on mobile platforms in 2014 thanks to its smartphone-optimized control mechanics and free-to-play structure that awarded skilled players with bonus unlockables over the course of gameplay.

New to the console and PC versions of Pac-Man 256 is a co-op mode in which up to four players can flee Pac-Man‘s collapsing world together. Points earned by all players feed into a shared score during each game, giving teammates an incentive to work together to achieve point-boosting combos and chains.

Today’s trailer revealed that the console and PC versions of Pac-Man 256 will feature multiple maze layouts and tilesets, including unlockable skins inspired by series entries like Pac-Mania and Pac-Man Championship Edition.

Pac-Man 256 hits Xbox Live, the PlayStation Network, and Steam on June 21.

Danny Cowan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…
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One Piece Odyssey - Announcement Trailer
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