By now, I am sure all of you have heard the news that tomorrow's XBLA release is Pac-Man: Championship Edition.

Many of you are likely intrigued, some of you might be puzzled by the hype, and some are probably downright disgusted by certain Microsoft employees that blew the hype out of proportion.

But let me say this: the game is fun.

For me personally, this update to the basic Pac-Man premise is both welcome and exciting. I was never very good at the original Pac-Man, and I did not want to spend the time necessary to become good enough to enjoy it more. It was always an old-school hardcore arcade game from my perspective. But this new addition adds a furious pace (even near the start), short 5-10 minute games, and fluid gameplay (no more level loading screens) to the game that was the most successful arcade cabinet ever.

As a result of the changes, I feel like the game is more casual friendly (a big plus for people like me) and yet I already spy the intricacies and depth of the new modes peeking out at me.

Yes, the could have added multiplayer. Yes, the mazes could have been made more dense (although some of the new mazes and modes will freak you out). There are a lot of other things that could have been done to change Pac-Man. But ultimately, Iwatani, as his swan song at Namco Bandai, brought his career full-circle with a return to his lasting legacy -- Pac-Man. And with this re-imagining of his classic for a new fast-paced age of worldwide connectivity, he has moved the battle for the ultimate Pac-Man high score from Chucky Cheese to a worldwide leaderboard.

Let the games begin!