he game features numerous differences from the previous Pac-Man World games, placing an emphasis on action and combat while still preserving most of the platforming elements from the previous entries. Pellets and fruit reappear, allowing the player to eat them for points. Additionally, there are 5 Pac-Man 25th Anniversary Statues in each level, which each grant the player 2500 points and award a bonus if all 5 statues are collected. The Butt-Bounce move is now modified so that it can only be done three times at once, but the third bounce creates a small shockwave that slightly extends the radius of the attack. The Rev-Roll is mostly the same, but can now be stopped before launching Pac-Man by pressing the jump button. Rev-Rolling can also activate machines and allow Pac-Man to call Pinky and Clyde through a Summon Point. New moves include punching, as well as acrobatic moves with poles, such as swinging and climbing. B-Doings also reappear but now only serve to launch Pac-Man into a single predetermined direction, and Pac-Dot Chains are now generated by machines that are activated using crystals with the same color. The game also features more elements of story, with a plot that is fleshed out by cutscenes and voiced character dialogue.
The power pellet is now reserved only for special sequences where Pac-Man must eat them to defeat Spectral Monsters, a special type of creature from the Spectral Realm that appears from portals and try to attack Pac-Man; this method works exactly like in previous games. In addition, new types of pellets can be eaten to try to give Pac-Man an advantage over the enemies, such as Electro-Shock Pellet, which replaces Pac-Man's punch attack with the ability to generate electricity from his hands, and the Ribbon Loop Pellet, which has Pac-Man leave a trail that can be enclosed to greatly damage enemies within.
Two sequences involve Pac-Man piloting a new Toc-Man, reimagined from the first game from being an attempt at imitating Pac-Man to now being a mecha. Toc-Man is used to defend from Erwin's forces, and has an ability to punch, as well as do a spin-based attack. The second sequence also features Clyde helming a blaster.
Accessible from the main menu is a museum where the player can look at the history of Pac-Man games, as well as play a port of the original Pac-Man game, and watch an interview with Pac-Man creator Toru Iwatani.
