With all the technology wrapped up in the Google Android Mobile Operating System you'd think our favorite part of the software would be complex and technical, however that's simple not the case, the Android Mobile Version of Pacman actually tops our list, and if you play the game you'll know why.
| Playability/Gameplay | Rating  |
There was really only one rating I needed to give to Pacman, and that was a 5/5, although I'll go a little further than that. The game is easy to play, offers different ways to control characters, and the graphics keep 100% true to the original arcade version made popular so many years ago.
After installing the game I was impressed to realize that I could control PacMan using the T-Mobile G1's tracking ball which is surprisingly sensitive and on par with the joystick of the arcade version. But the controls didn't stop there. Users can also choose to use the "joystick" found on the apps screen, offering a different feel with an old school twist. Or perhaps using anything other than motion is "so last year" for you, in that case the game also takes advantage of the devices accelerometer. Simply move your device around and Pacman will follow your movements. Whichever type of movement you use I'm confident you'll notice how well each method is calibrated to work with your Google Android based device.
| Graphics And Design | Rating |
Thanks to the wonderful graphics found on the T-Mobile G1 which was used to complete this review the level screens are easy to follow while offer some of the most crisp graphics ever found on a PacMan game (not that it was too hard to reach that plateau). But the graphics wouldn't mean much if the gameplay wasn't true to the original and in the case of Google Android Pacman the characters from PacMan to the ghosts who haunt him move along in the same way they did on the original, seemingly floating from dot to dot in a mad dash to complete each level while eating the larger dots and the blue ghosts they create.
The Pacman Android version even offers the same original gobbling sounds and background noise. Its almost eerie how the sounds echo the original.
Overall the levels reminded me of the original down to the last little detail, while the fruits I was collecting and the dots I was eating made me remember why I loved the game to begin with, its simple yet addicting nature.
Conclusion
If you loved the original PacMan you'll love the Google Android version, partly because it mirrors the original perfectly, and largely because of the added controls you can choose from and the extra ability of a portable version. Definitely a must have, and at a cost of $0 why wouldn't you at least give it a try. I suggest you head over to the Google Marketplace immediately and grab your free copy.