PAC-MAN 256

PAC-MAN 256 is an endless arcade game that turns the famous bug of the original Pac-Man's 256th level into a threat of its own. You eat dots, dodge ghosts and move through a maze whose back section is gradually swallowed by the glitch.

Instead of a fixed sequence of completed levels, the focus is on running for as long as possible. A round ends when a ghost catches you or the advancing disruption catches up.

PAC-MAN 256 was released for iOS and Android on Aug 20, 2015. The PC and Xbox One versions followed on June 21, 2016. On the German PlayStation Store, the PS4 version came out as early as June 20, 2016.

The game was developed for the 35th anniversary of the Pac-Man series.

PAC-MAN 256 was released natively for Android, iOS, PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. According to Steam, the PC version supports Windows, macOS and Linux. It is therefore one shared PC game, not three separate releases.

On newer PlayStation and Xbox consoles, the older console version may be playable through backward compatibility. This is not a separate PS5 or Xbox Series version.

You steer Pac-Man through a maze, collect Pac-Dots and try to get past ghosts. Power pellets briefly reverse the chase. The glitch spreads behind you, so lingering is not an option.

The paths keep changing during a run. What matters is when you take a safe corridor, pick up a power pellet or activate a special effect.

The original minimum requirements call for an Intel Core i3 or equivalent processor, 1 GB RAM, a graphics solution on the level of an Nvidia 8800 or Intel HD 4000, and 100 MB of free storage space. A Core i5 or equivalent processor and 2 GB RAM are recommended.

The old Windows XP details refer to the game itself. The current Steam client requires a newer version of Windows.

More than 20 power-ups change what Pac-Man can do. A laser clears enemies out of the way, tornadoes whirl through the maze, and the giant effect makes Pac-Man much more forceful. These abilities add to the classic power pellets.

The familiar ghosts from the Pac-Man series meet extra chasers such as Sue, Funky and Spunky. Their presence adds pressure, while the maze leaves fewer and fewer safe paths.

The glitch is the real time limit of a round. It forces you to keep moving forward.

The name refers to the 256th level of the 1980 arcade classic. Because of a technical bug, part of this level appears as seemingly random characters and an unplayable area. PAC-MAN 256 turns this historical quirk into a advancing wave of disruption that drives every run forward.

On PC and consoles, up to four people can play together. Steam supports local co-op as well as Remote Play Together, which lets you share a local match online.

The original smartphone versions are designed for single players. Local four-player co-op is not part of these versions.

The game offers ten different visual themes. They change the look of the isometric maze, while the core principle of dots, ghosts, power pellets and the glitch stays the same.

On iOS and Android, PAC-MAN 256 started as a mobile arcade game in August 2015. The smartphone versions are funded by ads and optional in-app purchases.

The later Apple Arcade version, PAC-MAN 256+, is a standalone offer and not the same as the original iOS app.

The Steam version offers achievements, leaderboards, cloud saves and controller support. For couch co-op on the same device, it supports multiple players, and Remote Play Together is also available.

The display languages listed on Steam are English and Japanese.

The mobile versions launched in 2015. A year later, PC, PS4 and Xbox One brought the game to larger screens with local four-player co-op. The core chase ahead of the glitch is the central gameplay principle in all versions.

The supported languages and extra features differ depending on the store and platform.