The Dark Reimagining of Pac-Man Contains a Hidden Classic Game Mode

Oh man, so here’s the deal with Bandai Namco’s latest — it’s called Shadow Labyrinth. And, okay, first off, it doesn’t look like your grandma’s Pac-Man. Nope. It’s more of a dark, sci-fi vibe. Like, imagine if Pac-Man and Metroid had a weird baby. I know, right?

Anyway — or wait, maybe I should’ve started here — the newest video they dropped kind of flipped everything. Turns out, buried inside this game, there’s legit Pac-Man action. They’ve got what they’re calling the Maze, and dude, it’s a flashback to Pac-Man Championship Edition 3. Crazy, huh?

So you’re running around as this dude, Swordsman No. 8. Love the vagueness, guys. And oh, he’s got this buddy named Puck who’s, wait for it, shaped like Pac-Man. They’re tromping around some alien world, trying to be the big cheese. But wait, plot twist! At some point, you jump into these mazes that scream classic Pac-Man, but like, on steroids. There’s bumps, jumps, and ghosts that wanna make you their snack. Giant ghost bosses too. Seriously, they’re massive. It’s like the Pac-Man you know, but with a turbo boost or something.

If you’ve been all “meh” about Shadow Labyrinth, maybe this trailer will make you tilt your head and reconsider. Or not. Maybe it’s just nostalgia.

Oh, and here’s the date you might lazily scribble into your calendar: July 18. Console fans, rejoice — it’s coming to Nintendo Switch (plus, wait what, Switch 2?), PS5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. So, see ya in the maze?