Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2

Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2[lower-alpha 1] is a compilation arcade game that was released by Namco in 1996. It is a collection of four popular Namco games: Pac-Man (1980), Rally-X (1980), New Rally-X (1981) and Dig Dug (1982). Alongside the original games, 3 new "Arrangement" games are included as well. It is a follow-up to Namco Classic Collection Vol. 1, released in 1995.

Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2
Japanese promotional sales flyer
Developer(s)Namco
Publisher(s)Namco
SeriesNamco Classic Collection
Platform(s)Arcade
Release
  • WW: March 1996[1]
Genre(s)Compilation
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer
Arcade systemNamco ND-1

Overview

Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2 is a compilation of arcade games released by Namco with 7 games in total (4 re-released games and 3 original games). Games featured in this compilation are Pac-Man, Rally-X, New Rally-X (which is found in a selectable menu alongside Rally-X) and Dig Dug. Instead of being emulated, these games were completely recreated from scratch for the hardware. Additions and changes to these games include Rally-X and New Rally-X being played in a vertical resolution instead of the original horizontal resolution and the ability for every game to end after a certain round and displaying a new ending sequence (the games can be set to endless play in the game settings). Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2 also has optional setting to toggle which games can be played, the machine can be set to play Pac-Man only, Dig Dug only or Rally-X only. The setting also changes the game's title screen

Alongside the original arcade games, just like the first volume, Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2 features 3 brand new "Arrangement" games for each series, Pac-Man Arrangement, Rally-X Arrangement and Dig Dug Arrangement. Each Arrangement game features updated graphics, simultaneous 2-player gameplay (minus Rally-X Arrangement, which is for 1 player only), and new features.

Pac-Man Arrangement

Not to be confused with the 2005 game of the same name seen in Namco Museum Battle Collection.

Pac-Man Arrangement is a 1996 arcade game in the Pac-Man series. Pac-Man Arrangement follows Pac-Man as the player guides him to eat all the dots in the maze while avoiding Clyde (Blinky), Pinky, Inky and Blinky (Clyde). This game features a name error in which Blinky and Clyde's names are swapped. Alongside retaining identical gameplay from the original game, a few new gimmicks have been added as well. The game features 23 rounds in total split into 6 worlds, with the last round taking the form of a boss fight.

A fifth, yellow ghost who wears glasses named Kinky is introduced in this game. Kinky wanders around and can merge with other ghosts to give them special abilities, such as giving Clyde (Blinky) the ability to dash, giving Pinky the ability to jump close to Pac-Man, giving Inky the ability to create a mirror clone which can harm Pac-Man, and giving Blinky (Clyde) the ability to produce big Pac-Dots. Kinky, unlike the normal ghosts, can be eaten without the need of a power pellet, and produces power pellet effects when Kinky is eaten. The amount of times Kinky appears increases throughout each World.

New features include Pac-Man being able to dash temporarily after eating a Dash Pellet, being able to jump to another part of the maze using a Jump Pad, and 4 new power-up pills with different functions, such as increasing Pac-Man's speed temporarily, trapping the ghosts in the ghost box, being able to create a mirror Pac-Man that can eat objects like the normal Pac-Man, being able to digest big Pac-Dots without slowing down, and stairs which prevent Pac-Man from changing directions when he enters them.

Pac-Man Arrangement is split up into 6 worlds, each having its own different theme, such as a toy box, a water land, etc. The final round takes the form of a boss fight, where Pac-Man must defeat the Ghosts' Mech by eating all the Pac-Dots on the maze to destroy the Kinky clones and eventually the mech itself.

The game also incorporates 2-player simultaneous play. A second player can join in anytime during gameplay, and will control a green Pac-Man, in which the player can help the other player complete the stage or compete for the highest score. At the end of every round when 2 players are present, a score total screen will appear and the player who scores the most wins per round. At the end of the game, the player with the highest score total overall wins the game. The game also features continues, however unlike the other arrangement games featured, the player's score is reset when they continue a game after losing all their lives.

Rally-X Arrangement

Rally-X Arrangement is a 1996 arcade game in the Rally-X series. Unlike the other games in the collection, Rally-X Arrangement can only be played by 1 player. In Rally-X Arrangement, the player must guide the Blue Car to collect all the flags in each area while finishing the course before his/her fuel runs out and avoids collision with the red enemy cars.

New features to this game include the addition of items usable by the player. In the game, there is the addition of a new, square and cyan colored flag that gives the player an item when they get the flag. Items provide useful help to the player, including giving the player the temporary ability to crush enemy cars and rocks, slow the enemy cars down or make them run away, etc.

Three new variants of enemy cars appear in this game alongside the original ones, with the Touring car having the ability to continuously gain speed, the Drag car being invisible from the radar until a special item is collected, and the Neo Formula cars which can emit smokescreen like the player.

The game features new challenge stages which involve the player driving in a rock field to grab yellow flags while avoiding collision with rocks which deplete the cars fuel, to reach the goal point before time runs out.

The game features 15 rounds, with each portion of the rounds having it's own theme, such as a park, a desert, an Egypt-style ruin a mountain and a city. The final round involves collecting all the flags on the course and getting to the goal point of the area. The game, like the other Arrangement games also has a continue feature.

Dig Dug Arrangement

Not to be confused with the 2005 game of the same name found in Namco Museum Battle Collection.

Dig Dug Arrangement is a 1996 arcade game in the Dig Dug series. Dig Dug Arrangement follows Taizo Hori (aka Dig Dug) as he attempts to rid each area of the monsters that reside underground by pumping them up until they explode, crushing them with falling rocks or knocking them out with explosions.

Legacy

Pac-Man Arrangement was ported to the Game Boy Advance as part of Pac-Man Collection.

Pac-Man Arrangement and Dig Dug Arrangement were also included in the North American exclusive Namco Museum for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube (the compilation mentioned is not to be confused with Namco Museum 50th Anniversary, which had no "Arrangement" games).

Reception

Edge magazine praised the games for being addictive and fun to play, as well as the remastered arcade versions for being faithful to the arcade originals. Edge particularly commended Dig Dug and Dig Dug Arrangement for being entertaining and one to "complete the trio in fine style".[2] Japanese publication Game Machine expressed interest in the game for bringing older arcade games into modern-day amusement centers, and particularly liked the gameplay of Rally-X Arrangement.[3] Game Machine listed it as being the fifth most popular arcade game of May 1996.[4]

In their review of Pac-Man Collection, Allgame said that Pac-Man Arrangement alone made the package worth the price for its fun gameplay and presentation.[5] Retrospectively, Hardcore Gaming 101 liked Pac-Man Arrangement for being a good update to the original, one that expanded on the concept of the original with ideas such as Kinky and power-up items.[6] They wrote: "Overall, for as many people have attempted to ‘update’ Pac-Man, Namco's official try at it is a solid game that's worth playing if you're a fan of the series."[6]

Notes

  1. Japanese: ナムコクラシックコレクションVol. 2, Hepburn: Namuko Kurashikku Korekushon Boryūmu Tsu

References

  1. Akagi, Masumi (13 October 2006). ナムコ Namco. アーケードTVゲームリスト 国内•海外編 (1971-2005) (in Japanese) (1st ed.). Amusement News Agency. p. 53. ISBN 978-4990251215.
  2. "Retroview - Namco Classic Collection 2" (33). Edge. May 1996. p. 79. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  3. "AOU '96 PREVIEW - ナムコ" (PDF) (in Japanese) (513). Amusement Press. Game Machine. 1 March 1996. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  4. "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - TVゲーム機ーソフトウェア (Video Game Software)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 518. Amusement Press. 15 May 1996. p. 21.
  5. Semerad, Jay. "Pac-Man Collection - Review". Allgame. Archived from the original on 16 November 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  6. Bobinator (18 August 2019). "Pac-Man Arrangement". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
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