Pac-Man 256 is a 3D endless maze game that combines the maze mechanics of the classic with the endless environments while being chased by a persistent threat, as for instance in one of the developer’s previous game Crossy Road. Pac-Man needs to be guided through a maze with a fixed width and an endless vertical distance with a lay-out randomized for each session. The game is shown from a slightly diagonal view instead of top-down and the camera sometimes zoom in, making the gameplay resemble a 2D game more. The goal is to score points and survive as long as possible while being chased by a glitch that eats up the maze. The glitch is shown as a garble of code and moves at a consistent speed at the bottom of the screen or out of sight as Pac-Man attempts to outrun it. The title refers to the map 256 glitch of the original arcade game where upon reaching level 256 the right side of the screen turns into a mess of letters and numbers while the left side remains normal. It is referred to as the kill screen or the split-screen level and it is impossible to beat.
The game uses many elements of the classic Pac-Man gameplay. He can move in any direction where there is a passage and eats dots for points. There are also some exits to the left and the right of the maze to appear on the other side. By eating many dots in succession, without halting or following a broken trail, a combo can be built up and Pac-Man’s speed increases. When 256 dots are eaten in succession there is a bonus that clears the entire screen. Fruits can be eaten for score multipliers. There are eight types of ghosts with different behaviour in the maze and these need to be avoided, sometimes also by returning when the glitch is not too close. Some ghosts are asleep and only wake up when Pac-Man is nearby. At certain sections the colour of the game environment changes. Regularly there are power pellets that turn the ghosts blue and allow Pac-Man to eat them. There are also many other types of power-ups such as a tornado that advances and removes ghosts, a laser that toasts them, a cherry bomb, a freeze ray, a stealth mode, turning Pac-Man into a giant that eats everything etc. They are picked up in the levels and a maximum of three can be held can be found in a maze at a time. The cumulative amount of points is used to unlock new power-ups progressively. A single collision is immediately fatal and ends the game.
The game is free-to-play with in-app purchases. At the start six credits are provided, but these are entirely optional. The game can be played endlessly and without ads, but by spending one credit a single game session is played with power-ups in the level, which makes it easier to complete more of the maze and reach a higher score. Credits can also be spent on a revive to continue a game after dying. A second currency, coins, is only used to upgrade power-ups multiple times, but with a waiting time, often a few hours, to encourage players to experiment with different power-ups in the meantime. The power-ups, once unlocked, can be defined in a loadout. Coins are found in mazes or as gifts for completing objectives or watching ads. Optionally in-app purchases are used to get a coin doubler, a small amount of credits or an unlimited amount. When out of credits there is an energy/stamina system as they regenerate slowly. It is possible to watch video advertisements to receive more of the currencies.
