Found 0 item(s) for sale
- No items currently for sale.
While most gamers immediately associate the name Pac-Man with neon-lit mazes and frantic ghost-chasing, the mid-1990s saw Namco’s mascot venturing into much more experimental territory. Among these departures was Pac-In-Time, a title that attempted to blend the character’s iconic pellet-munching identity with the burgeoning puzzle-platformer genre. Released during the twilight years of the 16-bit era, the game stands out as a unique piece of software history. Crucially, the SNES version of Pac-In-Time is a fascinating anomaly; despite sharing the same core mechanics and title as versions on other platforms like the PC or Game Boy, it was built using an entirely new game engine and a distinct aesthetic. This makes the Super Nintendo experience a standalone journey that feels significantly more polished and tailored to the console's hardware than its counterparts.
The narrative of Pac-In-Time takes a whimsical, almost fairy-tale approach to the Pac-Man mythos. The story begins with the nefarious Ghost Witch (also known as the Baronesa) casting a powerful spell over our yellow hero. Instead of simply being trapped in a maze, Pac-Man is flung back through the temporal rift to the year 1975—a time before his debut in the arcades, where he is reverted to a younger, more agile form. To return to the present day and reunite with his family, Pac-Man must travel through several distinct historical and mythical eras.
The game’s settings are varied and atmospheric, taking players through five different worlds, ranging from prehistoric jungles filled with dinosaurs to the corridors of a medieval castle, and even into more abstract, dreamlike environments. Each world is divided into multiple stages, all of which are designed to challenge the player's navigation skills and mastery of the game’s time-traveling theme.
Pac-In-Time shifts away from the top-down perspective of the arcade classics in favor of a side-scrolling action-platformer format. However, the objective remains familiar: Pac-Man must eat every pellet scattered across a level to open the exit door. What complicates this task is the layout of the levels, which are often sprawling and filled with environmental hazards.
To navigate these challenges, Pac-Man has access to four unique abilities granted by colored hoops found throughout the stages. These powers include a grappling hook/rope for swinging across gaps, a fireball for attacking enemies at a distance, a heavy hammer to smash obstacles and ground-pound, and a bubble that allows for underwater breathing. The SNES version is particularly praised for how it handles these mechanics; the unique engine used for this version provides a fluid sense of momentum and physics that wasn't present in the PC original. Players must often combine these abilities in quick succession to solve puzzles, making the gameplay as much about logic as it is about reflexes.
This game was released on several platforms, including the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the Super Famicom.
Pac-In-Time occupies a niche but respected place in the history of the Pac-Man franchise. It is often cited as one of the better examples of a 16-bit mascot transition, largely because it didn't just try to copy the arcade formula. By leaning into the puzzle-platformer genre, it provided a depth of gameplay that was rare for the series at the time. The decision to build a bespoke engine for the SNES version paid off, as it remains the most visually impressive and mechanically sound version of the game. While it didn't launch a long-running sub-series, its DNA can be seen in later 3D platformers like Pac-Man World, which further explored the idea of giving Pac-Man diverse mechanical tools to interact with his environment.