October 24^th, 2005 (3:29pm) - Namco today announced the development Pac-Man World Rally, an original kart racing game for the PS2, Xbox, GameCube, PSP and PC. Featuring a lineup of characters, courses, and power-ups from classic Namco games and sophisticated power sliding mechanics, players race for the finish line at breakneck speed in the fastest kart racing game ever. Developed by Smart Bomb Interactive, "Pac-Man World Rally" will be released in the summer of 2006.

Pac-Man World Rally puts players behind the wheel as Pac-Man or one of 14 other classic characters from the worlds of "Pac-Man" and other popular Namco franchises, racing for the checkered flag while using unique power-ups and items to prevent their opponents from claiming victory. Across the game’s many colorful and iconic levels, players will utilize a unique power sliding mechanic that allows them to skid around tight corners without losing speed, while charging up Boost Bottles they can use at will to leave their opponents in their dust. And because it’s Pac-Man, players can expect to see him do what he does best: gobble up his adversaries along with all the Pac-Dots in sight. Players will be able to collect Power Pellets during a race to unleash a special ability that will allow them to take a bite out of their opponents and turn the tables on even the most lopsided races.

"Pac-Man World Rally delivers the most complete kart racing experience yet with incredible speed across outrageous and vibrant courses from well known Namco games," said Jeff Lujan, business director at Namco Hometek Inc. "The refined power sliding mechanics allows for tremendous handling in any situation, while a roster of more than 15 classic characters ensures that every race is memorable for players of all ages."

Players will be able to enjoy Pac-Man World Rally with their friends in the game’s different multiplayer modes. Racers can test their driving skills with a friend in time trial and grand prix competitions, or go head to head in the game’s Battle Arena mode, using custom weapons and vehicle combat tactics to defeat their adversaries.