10 Video Game Franchises That Drastically Reinvented Themselves

Released in 1980, Pac-Man - the arcade classic - is one of the most iconic mascots in gaming history, yet has been reinvented on a number of occasions. In 1994, Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures transformed the game into a side-scroller, incorporating point-and-click elements, and reinventing the design of the character considerably.

Five years later, the concept was reimagined again with the release of Pac-Man World, released to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the franchise.

In the game, instead of running through mazes eating pellets and scoring points, players take control of the titular hero in a completely 3D environment, tasked with exploring a variety of environments - including underwater stages, and desert stages - collecting items, and generally doing things one wouldn't expect to be doing in a Pac-Man game. In terms of reinvention, this one seemingly threw away the rule back, changing everything about the original game, keeping only the basic look of the character and a handful of iconic images and sounds.

Did it work?

Well, the 3D incarnation of the character has certainly persisted.

In fact, Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures - released in 2013 - is somewhat of a spiritual successor to Pac-Man World, meaning something about that particular reinvention must have struck a chord.

With that being said, the game is seriously lacking in comparison with more popular 3D platformers, and has been received tentatively by critics and audiences.