Pac-Man World: The 20th Anniversary

The yellow blob that was Pokemon-popular in the '80s gets a fin-de-siecle makeover. Time has been kind to the videogame legend: No longer looking like a half-eaten, inside-out lemon meringue pie, the puckish creature now has arms, legs, eyes, and a mouth. The result is a vastly more expressive star who winks and smiles if left idle for a while. The action takes place on Ghost Island as Pac-Man tries to save his friends — including Ms. Pac-Man — from his evil twin, Toc-Man. Old-fashioned Pac-Maniacs can fire up the Classic Mode (which enables you to play an exact replica of the original arcade game), while the slightly more progressive Maze Mode offers a 3-D take on the trademark mazes and monsters. Pikachu should look this good at 20. B+