Pac-Man Championship Edition 2

About

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is a single player casual action adventure game. It was developed by BANDAI NAMCO Studios Inc. and was released on September 13, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is a maze arcade game and the sequel to the 2007 Pac-Man Championship Edition. The game features new mazes, improved graphics, and fast-paced gameplay with the goal of eating as many pellets and ghosts as possible while achieving the highest score. Additional features include time attacks, adventure mode, and online multiplayer.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 screenshot

+11

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64%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,262 reviews

gameplay77 positive mentions

optimization4 negative mentions

Fast-paced gameplay that keeps players engaged and on their toes.
Visually appealing with vibrant graphics and a great soundtrack.
Introduces new mechanics like ghost trains and bombs that add a fresh twist to the classic Pac-Man formula.

Mandatory tutorial that is lengthy and cannot be skipped, frustrating for seasoned players.
Controls can feel unresponsive and overly sensitive, leading to accidental movements.
Gameplay mechanics, such as the ghost bumping and ghost trains, can detract from the overall experience and make it feel less like traditional Pac-Man.

gameplay
308 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
69%
6%
The gameplay of "Pac-Man Championship Edition 2" is characterized by its fast-paced, frenetic action and the introduction of new mechanics, such as ghost trains and bumping, which significantly alter the traditional Pac-Man formula. While some players appreciate the fresh take and challenge it offers, others find the changes frustrating and feel they detract from the core experience that made the original games enjoyable. Overall, the game presents a mix of addictive gameplay and overwhelming mechanics, leading to a polarized reception among fans of the series.
- “This mechanic fundamentally alters the risk-reward balance, encouraging players to engage ghosts directly rather than simply evade them.”
- “For players who enjoy high-intensity score chasing and are willing to embrace its aggressive mechanics, it delivers a thrilling and memorable take on a legendary series, proving that even decades later, Pac-Man can still feel fast, fresh, and fiercely competitive.”
- “The gameplay loop, music, and graphics are all great; this is a fun game to play casually.”
- “While adventure mode provides variety and progression, it can be punishing, especially for players unfamiliar with the game’s aggressive mechanics.”
- “The new mechanics get in the way of gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is absurdly fast.”
music
230 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
49%
3%
The music in "Pac-Man Championship Edition 2" has received widespread acclaim for its energetic and engaging soundtrack, which enhances the fast-paced gameplay and vibrant visuals. Many players highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as a mix of electronic and rave music that perfectly complements the game's frantic nature. However, some users have noted issues with the music not looping properly, leading to moments of silence during gameplay, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “The soundtrack pulses with electronic energy, syncing naturally with the game’s escalating tempo.”
- “The music is fantastic and fits the speed of the game perfectly.”
- “Overall though, I'd easily say that Championship Edition 2 is one to get if you love score-attack games, retro reimaginings done right and a great soundtrack to dance along to.”
- “The devs placed all their budget on terribly optimized 3D effects and the soundtrack.”
- “The music is hopelessly bugged and goes dead with like a minute or two left in score attack.”
- “The music doesn't loop, so you'll be finishing games in complete silence and no epic music.”
graphics
135 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
49%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the vibrant, modern aesthetic and impressive visuals that enhance the gameplay experience, while others criticize the lack of customization options and the minimalist design that feels like a lazy port. Many players appreciate the combination of graphics and music, which contribute to an immersive atmosphere, but some find the visuals overwhelming or distracting. Overall, while the graphics are seen as a highlight by some, the absence of performance settings and optimization issues detract from the experience for others.
- “The visuals are gorgeous, the music is exciting, and the gameplay has more depth than ever before.”
- “The graphics and sound are perfect.”
- “The graphics are certainly colorful, exciting, and fresh, but occasionally a little too much.”
- “This feels like a lazy port which lacks very basic features such as changing resolution, visuals, and even the fps.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “The lack of textures is a method that lazy devs often use to disguise their lack of talent/interest in doing the graphics properly and trying to disguise it under the name of 'art', or 'we made it look bad on purpose', which really isn't something gamers should have to put up with.”
story
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
76%
12%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and originality, with many users noting that it features no coherent narrative and relies on repetitive mission structures. While some appreciate the fun gameplay and the inclusion of a campaign mode with boss fights, they feel that the missions lack meaningful progression or storytelling, often comparing it to a poorly executed mobile title. Overall, the game is seen as focused more on gameplay mechanics than on delivering a compelling story.
- “It's incredibly satisfying and fun to play with a fun story mode and high replay value.”
- “Overall it's a well-made game, the music is great, the maps are good enough and there's a ton of them as well as a story mode that involves eating a giant boss-ghost on some levels which admittedly was pretty cool.”
- “The game is Pac-Man Championship Edition with story progression.”
- “This game has no story.”
- “I mean it's a fun idea, having a campaign of themed mini-stages with specific objectives you have to do under a time limit, but it's literally just the same 5 missions, repeated, in the same order, for every single stage theme in the game.”
- “After the boss level is completed, the map moves on to the next section of 10+ levels (I use the word 'map' loosely, there is no story or additional graphics, it’s just a set of 10 squares labeled 1-1 through 1-10 to choose from, and a box labeled 'boss').”
optimization
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
70%
17%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, particularly on PC, including lag spikes and high system requirements. While many users report smooth performance on decent hardware, others criticize the lack of graphical settings and overall poor optimization, which detracts from the experience. Despite these concerns, some players appreciate the game's visual intensity and the depth that optimization brings to gameplay.
- “High-level play rewards route optimization and pattern awareness.”
- “Performance stays stable on multiple hardware setups.”
- “Depth emerges from optimization rather than complexity.”
- “The devs placed all their budget on terribly optimized 3D effects and the soundtrack.”
- “It's unoptimized, lacks any sort of graphical or performance settings, and does not support cloud saves.”
- “Its poorly optimized; it was running at like half speed for me, which is insane for a Pac-Man game, especially since I can run the original Championship DX no problem.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
6%
83%
Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is excessively tedious and frustrating, often requiring players to invest significant time and effort to unlock achievements and progress through levels. Many users express that the grind feels mind-numbing and detracts from the overall enjoyment, with challenges being more about repetitive tasks than genuine skill. Overall, the grinding mechanics are seen as a major drawback, making the game feel tedious and less engaging.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A lot of grinding.”
- “The requirements for unlocking the final level for adventure mode are so grindy and difficult, I don't see how anyone with any self-respect could attempt it.”
- “You need to collect every single star, and to do that you need to play all levels on pro (the hardest difficulty), and it's super grindy and not fun.”
- “The game is pure grinding; there's so much grinding I'm dying of boredom to unlock the next thing.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with multiple modes, maze formats, and engaging gameplay that encourage players to return. While some users note that it may not be as deep as other titles, the combination of a fun story mode and additional content keeps the experience fresh and satisfying. Speedrunning and score attack modes further enhance its replay value, making it a strong contender for repeated playthroughs.
- “Replayability is one of the game’s strongest attributes.”
- “It's incredibly satisfying and fun to play with a fun story mode and high replay value.”
- “This is one of my main games that I speedrun, and there's a lot of replayability.”
- “Also, while there are multiple modes to unlock (once you finish the very easy tutorial) and also new boss battles, the game doesn't seem as deep as DX+ nor does it have the same replay value.”
- “Multiple maze formats increased replay value.”
- “The price wasn't steep, especially for a continuation of new levels, music, and overall replay value.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many users reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and freezing issues, particularly after levels and during gameplay. While a few players have not experienced glitches, the overall consensus indicates that the game suffers from significant stability problems, including unresponsive AI and loading screen issues.
- “This is probably the worst Pac-Man game I have played. I haven't even mentioned the countless bugs and buggy AI this game has, the pointless changes, and things they removed from the first game. Just... just bad.”
- “This mode in particular is very buggy (the ghosts don't respect the game's rules), on top of being hard as nails.”
- “This game is buggy; I can't even play 2 levels without restarting the game because of an infinite loading screen.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it amusing and lighthearted, particularly in its quirky animations and comedic elements reminiscent of classic games like Pac-Man. However, some reviewers caution that while the humor adds charm, it may not be enough to elevate the overall experience beyond a simple, entertaining game.
- “Thanks for the funny epidemic gift!”
- “Enjoy it as the little funny game this is, but don't hope for more.”
- “The animation transitions are funny but not needed.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its departure from traditional mechanics, creating a sense of surprise and excitement as players navigate new challenges and objectives. The tension of managing ghost interactions—where touching them can lead to different outcomes—adds a layer of urgency and strategy, enhancing the overall experience. The innovative ghost train mechanic further amplifies the emotional stakes, making the gameplay feel more dynamic and engaging.
- “This game took me by surprise with all of the new techniques and objectives it threw my way: you don't die from touching a ghost, sleeping ghosts, gobble chains, and even full-on boss battles.”
- “It feels more hectic and the new ghost train mechanic, where you eat the whole train by touching the leader as it tries to escape, is inspired.”
- “The core of the game is running away from ghosts, not touching them, and then eating a powerup and turning the tables.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized as a blatant cash grab, with users noting its barebones design and technical issues. While some find it addictive and reminiscent of mobile games without intrusive ads, others feel that in-game features, like "jump pads," serve more as promotional elements than meaningful gameplay enhancements.
- “This is the most barebones cash grab of a broken game I have played (for a total of 4 minutes before I got the loading bug).”
- “This one is very addictive and plays more like a mobile game without all the ads.”
- “Linked 'jump pads' are new to CE2 (something repeated in-game wherever possible, as if an advertisement) which function like screen-edge paths scattered around the maze, but do little more than add confusion to pathing.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its exceptional music and visuals, creating an immersive experience that enhances gameplay.
- “The music, visuals, and atmosphere create an immersive experience.”
- “The atmosphere is captivating, drawing you into the game's world.”
- “Every element contributes to a rich and engaging atmosphere.”

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69%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews

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27h Median play time

55h Average play time

25-166h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is a casual action adventure game.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 55 hours playing Pac-Man Championship Edition 2.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 was released on September 13, 2016.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 was developed by BANDAI NAMCO Studios Inc..

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is a single player game.

Similar games include PAC-MAN 256, Mirror's Edge Catalyst, SUPERHOT, Exit the Gungeon, Super Meat Boy Forever and others.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2

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