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Opposable Thumbs / Gaming & Entertainment

JAKKS Pacific brings the arcade home… for under $50

JAKKS Pacific releases another product aimed at the older gamer, with a retro- …

Sunday is a great time to sit back and take a look at some of the more offbeat products, things that gamers and geeks may have seen at the store, but perhaps weren't quite convinced to drop the money on. This week? We're going to look at JAKKS Pacific newest all-in-one Plug-n-Play TV Games.

These products have been around for quite a long time, but they always felt more like toys than a serious gaming purchase. With the Pac-Man Retro Arcade product, all that has changed. The hardware is designed to look like the controls of a classic arcade game, complete with a light-up coin-slot for a start button. It's a very attractive package, and I've been struck by how it catches the eye of everyone who has been in my house since it was hooked up to my television.

Title Pac-Man Retro Arcade
Manufacturer JAKKS Pacific
Price $30 to $50 Shop.Ars

It's not all just looks though: both the joystick and the buttons have a very satisfying and firm *click* to them as you play. It won't be putting any other arcade sticks out of work, sure, but the controls are much better than they have any right being in a toy that you can buy for $30 or so (especially because it comes with plenty of games).

The joystick holds another surprise, as well—if you twist it, you find that it also works as an analog steering wheel, which is perfect for playing the included game Pole Position. Once again, the action is firm and feels great. It's an effective and elegant way to add good controls for the racing game, and I had forgotten just how good the arcade version of Pole Position had been.


The hardware itself is top notch; it's much better than previous editions of the toy. There is a slight problem when you hook the unit into your television, however—the graphics won't be nearly as sharp as you remember.

Yes, I realize we're using composite cables to play decades-old games on a large HDTV, but this is still pretty bad. The graphics are fuzzy and indistinct, with a weird effect that seems to add a good amount of visual noise to the picture. It's not static, it's just pixels that shouldn't be there. The good news is that after a while you learn to ignore the issues—they're not terrible, just annoying.

The hardware takes four AA batteries, and you have to remove a screw to change them—what's wrong with a plastic clip? My son and I have been playing a ton of games in the past week and the batteries are still going strong, so at least it won't be an issue you have to deal with often. This is a toy that's obviously built for an older audience, and it's very successful at evoking nostalgic feelings while actually feeling somewhat close to the arcade experience. The graphical issues are annoying, but for the price it's hard to complain.

You can also pick some nits with the game selection. Pac-Man is great, as is Pole Position, Dig Dug, Galaga, Galaxian, Bosconian, Xevious, and Mappy. But Pac & Pal? Pac-Man Plus? You couldn't throw us a bone with Ms. Pac-Man? Still, these games would cost you $5 or more each on the Xbox Live Arcade, and the hardware is self-contained and has a much better controller than the 360's d-pad... by a long shot. 

All in all, this is a pretty impressive piece of hardware, and a great gift idea for the nostalgic gamer.

Verdict: Buy

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