iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

While I do have a couple of minor complaints (the inability to skip the slots minigame at the end of each level unlike the original game; and the downgrade in design for Pac-Mom vs. Ms. Pac-Man), I do think that the game is overall treated with a lot of care and is definitely worth playing.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

The bosses, like the levels themselves, have a nice mechanical variety as well as nice visual variety. One moment, you are taking down A giant Galaga in a shmup section in space whereas the next you are racing a bunch of literal clown cars in a circus.

A screenshot of the lead-up to the space area boss. The entire level is a 2D vertical scrolling shooter ala Galaga, including the boss itself.

A screenshot of the start of the Funhouse area boss. Unlike what is shown here, the boss takes place in First-person, involving Pac-Man racing a bunch of clowns on a track to the finish line.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

The boss fights have also seen a bit of a facelift. Instead of just dropping Pac-Man in to fight the boss without explanation, Toc-Man (the game’s main antagonist) now aggravates and sends each of the game’s bosses (except the final boss, Toc-Man himself) at Pac-Man, which I think is a good change.

A screenshot of the cutscene just before the first boss. Toc-Man has a far greater presence in the remake than in the original game.

The first boss, which is sent at Pac-Man by Toc-Man just prior. Note the panels which Pac-Man can activate by Butt-bouncing on them to allow the projectiles to be reflected right back at the boss to damage it.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

One aspect that I think got a large upgrade in Re-Pac are the maze stages. In the remake, unlike the original game, you only have a limited number of lives per attempt and you die in one hit in the maze stages. This gives them a bite far bigger than the original game, presenting a worthy challenge.

A screenshot of one of the space area’s maze stages. Note that Pac-Man is in his powered-up form, which has him transforming into a giant version on himself that is far closer to his original design, unlike the original game.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

I like the variety of moves that PAC-Man has such as a butt-bounce which can be dribbled after a certain point, as well as a Sonic-like spin dash (referred to as the rev-roll in game)

A screenshot of the rev-roll. It can not only be used to move platforms like the one shown, but it can also be used to climb up steep slopes, launch off ramps, and defeat non-ghost enemies.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Controls are tight, and the game is a good, if admittedly kinda easy time.

A screenshot of a level in the space area. Note the ghosts and power pellets, which work exactly how you would expect. There are other enemies as well, which can be taken down via pac-man’s other moves.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

A remake of the original PS1 game, this game is a solid 3D platformer that prove Pac-Man is a surprisingly good plaformer character.

A screenshot of a level in the first world.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Pretty solid game overall, and a pretty good remake as well.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

4. Pac-Man World Re-Pac (2022, PC) 🎮

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

The reason I phrased it this way is because the game provides an even harder version of the impossible lair that doesn’t give you access to your bee shield. I didn’t bother with this because the level is plenty hard as it stands.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

That and make the checkpoints in the impossible lair take place after the respective boss fights.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

If I had to offer some constructive criticism, I would say that I wished that there was a little more variety in the environments. While there is a ton of gameplay variation in the levels, there is a lot of asset reuse in the environments that the levels are set in.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

Combine this with sharp writing and a very good soundtrack, by several Rare-alumni composers and you get a game that fills the void that easily lives up to the standard that the Donkey Kong Country games set. (Below is one of my favorite tracks from the soundtrack.) youtu.be/gqHm1jvEchg?...

youtu.be

Conveyor Chaos - Crosswire

YouTube video by Matt Griffin - Topic

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

The overworld also contains tonics to make levels easier (or harder!), as well as puzzles and switches to access alternate versions of the main levels.

The tonic selection screen. Equipped are the fast-roll, quill magnet, and googly-eye tonics (the last of these makes enemies take two hits to kill instead of just one). The fast-roll tonic provides a 10% penalty to earned quills, mostly negated by the 50% quill bonus offered by the Googly-eyes tonic, resulting in a 1.4x multiplier on earned quills. The level of customization of difficulty is a strength of the game.

Another screenshot of the map. Shown here is a level with its variant unlocked. The variant levels offer a very different, unique take on a level via some form of added gimmick, and often times go in very different directions from the original level.

A screenshot of a level entrance. Note the switch nearby which can open and close the nearby gate, flooding or drying out the nearby level. When flooded, the level will be filled with water, changing how it plays out.

Screenshot of a level variant. The level was frozen in the overworld, resulting in large amounts of ice in the level, adding ice physics to many parts of the level, as well as cutting off some paths and creating other paths through.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

The platforming levels are combined with a 2D Zelda-like overworld filled with secrets and puzzles to make the game really feel like a large adventure.

Screenshot of the overworld near the first regular level. Note the crate which can pushed out of the way to access further areas of the overworld.

Screenshot of the map screen. While a lot of the map is covered by fog, it shows the scale of the overworld, as well as a “paywall” requiring a number of T.W.I.T. Coins to lower it.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

However, by clearing other levels in the game, you rescue members of the Bee-talion, which can take hits for you in the intended version of the impossible lair.

Screenshot of the level results screen. It shows the rescued bee, as well as the collected quills (used as currency), and any T.W.I.T. Coins collected.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

The game also has a very interesting structure. The titular level (the impossible lair) is available from the start of the game, but is a very difficult level.

A screenshot of the impossible lair. It is a very difficult level, even with all 48 bees rescued (more details in thread)

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

The controls are very tight and the Levels are quite challenging, but fair at the same time.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

Really good DKC-like game (Makes sense, given that Playtonic games was formed by former Rare employees).

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

3. Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (2019, PC) 🎮

Key art for Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

Seahawks had to make that close, but I don’t care, THE SEAHAWKS ARE ONE GAME AWAY FROM WINNING LOMBARDI #2! TIME TO GET SOME REVENGE FOR THE 1 YARD LINE…IN THE 49ers HOME STADIUM NO LESS!

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

Overall, The arcade version is superior; and I would rather play through the arcade version rather than the console version, given the choice. Despite how easy and short the console version is (I finished in about an hour), I don’t see myself returning to this anytime soon.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

One thing I do kinda like though are the boss fights. They invoke Pac-Man breaking up the boss and eating up the ghosts that the boss is made of. I feel like they are the one part of the game that uses the stage and power-up gimmicks well. World 5’s boss in particular is very clever in its design.

One of the bosses from the console version. Note the power pellets, which break the boss up into smaller, vulnerable ghosts that Pac-Man can eat up.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

This affects the gamefeel drastically, as the console version feels far stiffer and significantly worse to control than the arcade version.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

On top of that, the console version of Pac-Man arrangement come off as cheap compared with the arcade version. The arcade version has beautifully animated spritework that still holds up to this very day, yet the console version uses cheap early PSP-grade models with very robotic animation.

Arcade version. Note the letters coming in to signify the stage clear, as well as Kinky-Clyde about to start a charge at Pac-Man. Both of these animations, as well as the UI, are very well made to fit in with the game’s excellent art style.

The console version. The art-style looks like a cheap copy of the arcade version’s style, complete with a UI that clashes with the game’s artwork. Note that the stage clear looks like a badly made word art made by a first grader.

Also note that even off of this screenshot, the animations are very generic and robotic, especially compared to the well-animated Pac-Man world games.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

The console version also doesn’t have kinky, the ghost which makes the ghost that make the arcade game harder and more unpredictable by transforming the ghosts into more powerful versions of themselves, upping the difficulty in very smart yet readable ways.

Screenshot of the arcade version. Note the transformations of Clyde (which allows him to charge at PAC-Man), and if inky (which allows him to make a clone of himself on the other side of the map, with the two moving in parallel).

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

The console version tries to replicate some of the arcade game’s additions (i.e. the power-ups and stage gimmicks), but with nowhere near the grace of the arcade version.

Screenshot of the console version of PAC-man arrangement. Note the platforms at different heights, which change on a time cycle. This interrupts the flow of gameplay in an undesirable manner.

Also note the power pellets at dead ends. While these dead ends in particular are not very long, the game is full of dead ends which force unnecessary backtracking into mazes, making them nowhere near as satisfying to navigate.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

The reason why the arcade version worked (pictured below) is because it smartly integrated it’s additions (like Kinky (the 5th ghost), the power ups, and the ever evolving stage mechanics) in such a way that it feels fresh yet maintains the flow state that a great pac-man game should have.

Screenshot of the 1996 arcade version of PAC-man arrangement.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

Nowhere near as good as the arcade version, unfortunately. With this, it felt like Namco wanted to replicate the Success of pac-man arrangement (1996 arcade version), but didn’t quite get why said game worked to begin with.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

2. PAC-Man Arrangement (2005 console version, via PC PAC-man Museum+ collection) 🎮

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

The Seahawks- LETS-A-F***ING GOOOOOOOOO! #1 seed in the NFC! The path to a Super Bowl is in our hands.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

This is a sweet story about an introverted girl who is having a hard time sorting out her internal feelings about her social standing, her relationship with her friends, and if she potentially want to take said relationships into the level of romance.

Promotional image for the anime series. Renako Amaori (center), is surrounded here by Ajisai Sena (Top-left), Mai Ouduka (Top-right), Satuki Koto (Bottom-right), and Kaho Koyanagi (Bottom-left).

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

A really cute yuri series, with both funny and touching moments throughout. I saw the first 12 episodes when they were airing last year, so it was a very pleasant surprise to get the last 5 for the season to start the year.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

1. There’s No Freaking Way I’ll Be Lover! Unless… (A.K.A. Watanare) - ~Next Shine~ arc 📺

The main girl (Renako, on the right), smiling for the camera with Kaho (girl on the left); both in cosplay. They are doing a heart shape with their fingers for the camera.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

I’ve seen a few of these threads around here, so I’ll try my hand at one. Maybe It’ll encourage me to get to my Tv/anime, book/manga and video game backlogs. 2026 media thread:

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

I replied with my suggestion. (I’m a Seahawks fan BTW).

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Also, a suggestion on your bet for Seattle v. Arizona next week: If Jacoby Brissett ends up balling out next week against Seattle, you should draw Kyler Murray as Ai Hoshino getting stabbed by Brissett (as her killer) in front of of MHJ as Aqua Hoshino in *that* scene from Oshi no Ko.

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Goddammit, @thedrawplay.com! Why do you have to pit my sports fandom against my desire to see a piece of cursed fanart in a series I quite like?!

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もちむぎ🍙mochimugi🌾 @umotomochi.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

メガネユーニ

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Draquaza Reid @draquaza.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

3 years of Xenoblade Chronicles 3!

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nerikiri @nerikiri6.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

ゼノブレイド３　３周年おめでとう！＆暑中お見舞い…！過酷すぎる夏を乗り切れるように星輝士風のノアミオで応援！みんな夏を楽しんでおくれー！ #Xenoblade3_fes25

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アンクルもち @omochioj13.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

むっちりぃ…！

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Jarrrd! @itsjarrrd.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

Her Warm Embrace ❤️💚 #xenobladechronicles #XenobladeChronicles2 #fanart

A drawing of Pyra and Mythra from Xenoblade 2. Pyra is embracing Mythra, as Mythra holds up their own core crystal shining from above. The background is a darker gradient with a serene blue overhead. This drawing is a reference to special artwork of Shion Uzuki and KOS-MOS from Xenosaga Episode I - Der Wille zur Macht of Shion embracing KOS-MOS.

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まほしく @mhsk154.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

一人でも

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Tenvert! 🌠 @tenvert.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

Pro Racer Rosalina At The Beach!! 🏖️🌠

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alexthemii.bsky.social @alexthemii.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

Haven’t posted in a while, but all I’ll say is this: I’m not getting my hopes up on a certain somebody being gone, but it will feel so good when it happens.

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⭐️ Alina ⭐️ @alinalal.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

13 sentinels

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