Bandai Namco has announced Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs, a 64-player Pac-Man battle royale. I’ll be copy-pasting that title from now on because there is no chance I’m going to remember that word salad.
With Pac-Man 99 delisted for reasons that only make sense to Nintendo, there’s a gap in the market for a Pac-Man title involving too many people. Despite being a battle royale, Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs isn’t a complete translation of Pac-Man 99. Instead, you’re not only working to clear your own maze, but you can also travel to the mazes of opponents, eat their food, eat them then leave a mess on the way out. Mazes do get eliminated, but neither the press release nor the trailer really says why. However, they evaporate in a mess of text that is evocative of the classic Pac-Man kill screen.
Actually, none of this explains much about Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs. A bunch of people, some power-ups, and then a heavy emphasis on personalizing your Pac-Person. I suppose explaining the rules is a bit dry for a trailer, so maybe I’m just asking for too much.
Still, it looks like fun. The vibe I’m getting is similar to Bomberman, which I count as a good thing. I wonder if you get to take control of a ghost if you get put out early.
Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs is coming to Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in early 2024.
