It may be a random Tuesday in the middle of April, but odd timing never stops Nintendo from dropping announcements out of nowhere. Nintendo of America just tweeted that a brand new downloadable game, Pac-Man 99, is coming to Nintendo Switch. Best of all, fans will not need to wait long to play this exciting twist on the classic Pac-Man formula.
As the title implies, Pac-Man 99 is the latest installment in Nintendo's growing battle royale library. This sub-series began with Tetris 99 back in 2019 and continued with Mario 35 just last year, although the latter is sadly no longer available. Fortunately, this Pac-Man variant seems to be here to stay, perfectly filling the void that Mario 35's disappearance has left.
Pac-Man 99 drops on April 7th, 2021 at 9 PM EST and 6 PM PST. Just like its predecessors, the title is a free add-on for Nintendo Switch Online members, with a separate option to purchase several offline modes. Of course, the world-famous Pac-Man gameplay that one would expect is present, but now with the catch that one is battling against 99 other players. Each ghost that the player munches will be sent onto one opponent's screen, and vice versa, creating an extremely chaotic atmosphere that isn't present in single-player versions of the game.
Right off the bat, the game will feature a large amount of optional DLC. The $14.99 Mode Unlock pack includes the aforementioned offline modes, as well as a "Password Match" for online play, eight musical arrangements, and custom themes. The rest of the DLC consists of $1.99 themes based off of iconic Namco properties, such as Galaga, Dig Dug, and the Tower of Druaga. These packs are available separately, but dedicated fans can purchase all packs together for $29.99. If Tetris 99's variety of events are any indication, more cosmetic themes will likely appear in the future.
Another free add-on to the service is a very smart move on Nintendo's part, as the value of Nintendo Switch Online is often hotly debated. Nintendo's online is usually considered pretty mediocre, so having to paying $20 a year for an already-weak product is not very popular on its own. On the other hand, free titles such as Tetris 99, Mario 35, and Pac-Man 99 are great ways to improve the service as a whole, adding the inherent value of a remixed classic game into the mix. There's the potential in fatigue if this idea keeps continuing, but in the meantime, they are fun excursions.
Pac-Man 99 is coming to Nintendo Switch on April 7th, 2021.