Pang Adventures
- April 19, 2016
- Dotemu
Pang, Buster Bros. Whatever you call it, this is what it is.
Get on Steam
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Get on Apple StoreIn Pang Adventures, players fight against a worldwide alien invasion in a frantic arcade-style experience. Utilizing an arsenal of weapons, bazookas, and power-ups, up to 2 players can cooperatively battle through over 100 levels of balloon bursting action. With multiple challenges, missions, and modes available, Pang Adventures provides a modern take on a classic game that is easy to pick up, yet difficult to master.
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Reviews
- Great co-op gameplay that enhances the fun, especially when playing with friends.
- Polished graphics and nostalgic feel that captures the essence of the original Pang games.
- Offers a variety of weapons and enemies, along with multiple game modes that keep the gameplay engaging.
- Performance issues on Windows 11, with reports of significant frame rate drops compared to Linux.
- The aggressive timer and level design can make the game feel stressful and less enjoyable, diverging from the original's charm.
- Some players feel that the game lacks the simplicity and fun of the original, with added puzzle elements that detract from the core gameplay.
- graphics11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their clarity, colorfulness, and fantastic art style, effectively capturing the spirit of the original Pang series. However, some players feel that the new HD sprites detract from the retro aesthetic, and the overall visual experience is marred by less optimal gameplay and design choices. While the graphics contribute positively to the nostalgic feel, they are not without their criticisms, particularly regarding the balance between modern updates and classic simplicity.
“The graphics are superb; they are clear and colorful and suit the game.”
“Still… most people expect a simpler type of game when it comes to a series like Pang, and the art style really is fantastic.”
“Pros - great art style, classic Pang gameplay, controller support, multiple playable modes.”
“Unfortunately the retro aesthetic is ruined by these 'new modern HD sprites'.”
“The dreadful art style and less than optimal gameplay really hurt the fun, especially when coupled with the 'story' segments.”
“I would have preferred the original with these graphics; it had simplicity, you knew what to do and it was fun. This version, however, is kind of half the original and puzzle part game, and to be honest, it is damn annoying.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a nostalgic blend of classic mechanics with modern enhancements, featuring engaging co-op modes and a variety of new mechanics that keep the experience fresh. While some players appreciate the art style and the fun, puzzle-like nature of bursting bubbles, others find certain aspects, such as the story segments and art design, detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game successfully combines familiar elements with additional modes and challenges, appealing to both new players and fans of the original.
“A great remake with fun gameplay and nice co-op mode, and a good reminder of what we were playing in our youth.”
“Core mechanics remain essentially the same as they were, but there are a few more modes, ball effects, weapons, and boss fights to spice things up.”
“The game doles out new gameplay mechanics at a regular interval to keep things fresh, which also serves to improve your overall bubble bursting techniques.”
“Puzzley and arcadey, run left and right bursting bubbles until all the bubbles are burst with some end of level bosses to take down along the way using the same mechanic.”
“The gameplay is okay though with some slight annoyance.”
“Core mechanics remain essentially the same as they were, but there are a few more modes, ball effects, weapons & boss fights to spice things up.”
- story4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story mode is visually appealing but presents challenges with only one life and limited time, making it difficult for players. The art style and gameplay detract from the overall experience, while the narrative opts for a direct approach, focusing on action rather than traditional storytelling elements.
“The story mode looks good and seems engaging.”
“It cuts out all the 'save the world' story clichés and gets you straight into the action with increasingly difficult challenges.”
“In story mode, you only have one life and limited time, which adds a tough but exciting challenge.”
“In story mode, you only have one life (no extra lives at all) and limited time, which makes it tough.”
“It cuts out all the 'save the world' story nonsense and gets you straight into the action with increasingly difficult challenges.”
- music3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game evokes a nostalgic feel, successfully blending sound effects and graphics to recreate a retro atmosphere. However, some players express disappointment that the soundtrack does not align closely with the original games, wishing for a more reminiscent musical experience. Overall, the audio elements contribute positively to the gameplay dynamics.
“Sound effects, music, and graphics work well to rekindle that retro feeling, and it still has that balancing act between firing your grapple or dodging, and the timing and calculating ahead to pop the bouncing bubbles as efficiently and quickly as you can.”
“Even the timeless piece of art that is the music tune playing throughout the levels got shoved out.”
“I wish they would've gone with a soundtrack more reminiscent of the original games though.”
“Sound effects, music, and graphics do work well to rekindle that retro feeling, but the music feels lacking.”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent stability, running smoothly at 60 fps on Linux and the Steam Deck, indicating a well-optimized performance across platforms.
“This game runs great on Linux, and of course that means on the Steam Deck too, achieving 60 FPS.”
“The stability of the game is impressive; I haven't encountered any crashes or major bugs.”
“I appreciate how smooth the gameplay is, even during intense moments, which speaks volumes about its stability.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious due to the small game area, which limits exploration and makes repetitive tasks feel monotonous.
“The game area is too small and tedious.”
“Grinding feels like an endless chore with no real reward.”
“The repetitive tasks make the gameplay feel monotonous and uninspired.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the game offers enough content for several hours of play, including tour mode and multiplayer options, it may not have the same level of engagement or replayability as players remember from their childhood.
“There is enough content for a few good hours or more to clock the tour mode, plus a bit more with multiplayer, score, and panic modes.”
“The variety of game modes keeps me coming back for more, ensuring that each playthrough feels fresh and exciting.”
“With different characters and strategies to explore, the replayability factor is off the charts!”
Critic Reviews
Pang Adventures Review
Pang Adventures offers a tense and instantly enjoyable ode to a timeless arcade romp, and one that’s bound to engage and reward players who enjoyed it 30 years ago as well as those discovering it for the first time on the eShop. The support for online play is a real bonus, as many puzzle games of this ilk are want to simply plump for couch-play only, but for all its colourful chaos you are left hoping for something a little less predictable. Fans of the original will love it, but they may also lament the fact that more hasn't been done to update this classic series.
70%Pang Adventures
+ Fun challenging gameplay + Appealing visuals + Co-op - Fairly short - No real story (Reviewed on Switch, also available on PlayStation 4, Android, Microsoft Windows, iOS, Xbox One)
70%Pang Adventures Review
Pang Adventures is a thoroughly retro arcade game that offers addictive bubble-bursting fun in a modestly sized package. The gameplay is compelling enough to keep you playing for a few hours, but whether its trio of modes provide much replay value is another matter. It's certainly worth a look if you have an old-school itch that needs scratching, and fans of the original game will be pleased with just how faithful Pastagames has been to that decades-old formula.
70%
