How Shadow Labyrinth plays with Pac-Man lore

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Spoilers for
Secret level
The Pac-Man episode “Circle” is just around the corner.



Shadow maze was revealed at the Game Awards 2024, shocking viewers with the colorful mazes of Pac Man have been transformed into a terrible science fiction trap from which a “chosen” swordsman must now escape. What was once a simple arcade title has now been transformed into a monster-filled Metroidvania that encourages players to eat their kills to survive. The unique interpretation Pac Man may be played sometime in 2025, but fans may already know what Shadow maze includes via Amazon Prime Secret level Anthology.


In fact, it was originally a pretty harrowing adaptation of Pac Man was actually a jump into a new genre for the franchise in Disguise. The reveal trailer for Shadow maze shows impressive sword fighting and movement skills, as well as the potential to control a darker, more frightening form of Pac-Man, in a way that players are likely to enjoy. Some of these have already been teased with the Secret level Follow, but others take Shadow maze further than the episode ever went. To understand how Shadow maze can still call himself a Pac Man However, it's worth evaluating the game's themes Pac Man that's the same thing Secret level Episode highlights.


Secret level

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“Shadow Labyrinth” takes the themes of Pac-Man while keeping them intact

What the Secret Level Pac-Man episode says about the Shadow Maze

Secret levelThe “Circle” episode of “Circle” confused many viewers upon release, leaving them wondering how this story about a swordsman had anything to do with the legendary arcade game about fruits and ghosts. The short episode does contain fruit and ghosts, but instead addresses the core themes of Pac Man as concepts and dares to take them in a different direction. To reach these conclusions, we'll break down the gameplay while also highlighting the concepts of the games themselves.


Pac Man The game is relatively simple and easy to learn, with no backstory or any starting requirements beyond a simple quarter. All players know is the maze where they have to eat the pellets and ghosts and eventually they will make their way through the levels. The Secret level In the episode, all of these elements are preserved in different ways, with a labyrinth that the chosen swordsman must escape from, through which ghosts float, and the food is there in a haunting way. It even turns the idea of ​​repeating a game and conquering overtime into something terrifying, with the mantra of “strength in repetition” having more consequences than simple persistence. You could say this is an episode in the first season Secret level Shorts manages to increase players' fear when a ghost approaches too quickly while playing the classic game.

Shadow Labyrinth has a chance to further develop the premise of Secret Level

As part of Bandai Namco's already interesting 2025 series Shadow maze can implement the concepts that Secret Level introduced on a larger scale. After all, there's only so much in the short film during its 11-minute running time. The trailer has already shown off tons of enemies and bosses beyond what was shown in the TV show. A few other things were also incorporated, such as the strange classic Pac Man Maze sections that offer edible pellets to expand movement options, as well as a way to control the powered puck, something the episode's swordsman couldn't, make it clear that there are far more secrets to discover in this version of the franchise.


Luckily, if players were wondering what's lurking behind the door in Circle, they can look forward to a game that could answer that very question. If anything, it almost feels that way Shadow maze makes the ending of “Circle” much scarier by its existence, as the way Puck looks at the camera now gives the feeling that the player is his next “chosen one.” Fans of what Shadow maze adds Pac Man can look forward to more news about this interesting title in 2025.

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