Video gaming’s newest trend meets its oldest hero with co-op game at Namco’s Tokyo amusement park.
Advancements in cost-effective motion controls and head-mounted displays have led to some believing virtual reality is the next big thing in games. Meanwhile, games with modern relevance don’t get much more old-school then Namco’s Pac-Man.
Those two opposite ends of the spectrum have come together at the Namja Town indoor amusement park in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro neighborhood. In addition to its food court with a rotating lineup of anime-themed items, Namja Town is constantly dreaming up new attractions for guests to enjoy, and its latest is a virtual reality Pac-Man game that has you taking on the role of video-gaming’s original hero.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4cFVDkHV8s
To play Pac in Town, as the MR (“mixed reality”) attraction is called, players don a Microsoft HoloLens headset, which gives them a view of a 3-D construction of a Pac-Man maze, which, of course, is stocked with dots, Power Pellets, and ghosts.
Instead of controlling a character with a joystick, players physically run about the maze, with teams of up to three members working together to clear the screen while also competing to see who can get the highest score.
Pac in Town is playable now, and will be part of the Namja Town lineup until February 28. Oh, and if all that running around gives you a real-world appetite, don’t forget that if you hop on the train for a 10-minute ride to the Shinjuku neighborhood, you can fill yourself up with some Pac-Man curry and rice.
Location information
Namja Town / ナンジャタウン
Address: Tokyo-to, Toshima-ku, Higashi Ikebukuro 3-1-3 World Import Mart Building 2nd floor
東京都豊島区 東池袋3丁目1−3 サンシャインシティ・ワールドインポートマートビル2F
Open: 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Admission: Attraction passports (required to play Pac in Town) start at 1,300 yen (US$12)
Website
Source: Namja Town via IT Media
Top image: Namja Town
Insert images: YouTube/NamcoAmusement
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