Preview: ‘Pac-Man Community’ on Facebook Gaming adds a social element to gameplay

“Pac-Man” is one of a few franchises that’s instantly recognizable from a crowd. The gameplay is simple but addictive. It’s hero is distinct. It’s one of those titles that anyone can just pick up and play. Now, the series is coming to Facebook Gaming with a few twists.

The project from Genvid in partnership with Bandai Namco is called “Pac-Man Community” and is built from the ground up for the social media platform. It’s a free instant-play title that lets up to four players work together to complete mazes. Players can also create their own levels and share them if they can complete the mazes themselves. It’s a concept similar to Nintendo’s “Mario Maker” series.

Jacob Navok, CEO of Genvid Technologies, said “Pac-Man Community” will work on desktops and on Android and iOS devices. With a worldwide audience, players will likely have no shortage of players or user-generated content.

Although players can create their own mazes, Genvid will curate the ones that most competitors will play, and if players find content that’s objectionable, they can report it. Despite being multiplayer, fans shouldn’t expect “Pac-Man Community” to be a cake walk, according to Navok. As players advance, the ghosts get faster and there’s less room for error as they navigate the corridors and corners.

“Pac-Man Community” also has a Watch tab, where content creators stream their games and viewers can interact with the online play. They can pick a side and power up the AI Pac-Man or Ghosts in the competition with each other. Coming later, the interaction that spices up the competition will add more content for creators to use via global unlocks. That audience participation is a novel way for players to interact with a stream.

If players want to join in with their favorite streamer, they can get in a virtual queue to almost like they would in an arcade.

As for as user-generated content goes, it isn’t as extensive as one would believe. Players will be able to draw up their own mazes complete with warp tunnels, power pellets and fruit. They can even create distinct backgrounds. What they can’t do is add more ghosts than the original four or other moves that bend the rules.