Pac 'N Roll dated, finally

Ageing pill-popper Pac-Man is to star in another new title for the Nintendo DS.

First shown at E3 last year, Pac 'N Roll uses the DS's touch screen to let you control a spherical Pac-Man, rolling and bouncing the little yellow fellow all the way around Ghost-Land. And collecting plenty of pellets along the way, of course.

Using the stylus and what Namco describes as "an innovative and intuitive new control scheme", you can make Paccers perform hairpin turns, emergency stops and precision moves with no trouble at all. "Players are sure to delight at the ease and simplicity of controlling him throughout the game," says Namco.

Levels include Castle Pac, Gyro-Jungle and Ghost House, and each is packed with hazards such as moving floors, speed boost panels and high winds.

There are various power-ups to collect including 'Winged Chocolate', which lets Pac-Man fly high above those pesky ghosts, and 'Knight Chocolate' - our hero dons a suit of armour that gives him the power to smash through walls and take more of a battering.

As an extra bonus, Pac'N Roll also includes the original Pac-Man arcade game, so one or two players can enjoy gaming the way it used to be before they went and ruined it with their new-fangled 3D nonsense.

Pac'N Roll is slated for release this summer.