Classic arcade oldies make it to more next-gen platforms.

Namco has been releasing their biggest arcade hits on consoles for some time now, and Namco Museum keeps the ball rolling for the Xbox. This collection offers Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, Galaga, Dig-Dug, Pole Position and Pole Position II.

In case you weren't sure, those old arcade monitors were pretty high-definition compared to a typical TV, so while the games look exactly like the original, they are a little blurry compared to what you remember. It's not a huge difference, but you will notice. The options menu allows you to switch the size of the screen from small, to medium to normal, but other than possibly losing a little text in normal mode there's no noticeable difference between the three with regard to resolution. Each of the games plays just how you'll remember, so if you were a Pac-Man maniac you should be posting high scores in no time. Also included are "arranged" versions of Pac-Man, Galaga and Dig-Dug. These are slight variations on the original and come from a period when Namco put more than one game into an arcade cabinet. They spice things up, but anyone who grew up with one of these as their favorite will probably prefer the original.

Arguably, there are other classics that should have been included, but it's an excellent sampling and a nice blast from the past if you're interested in walking down memory lane. At only $30 retail, it might even make a nice gag gift for the hardcore gamer on your holiday shopping list. For those of you who miss the days of games that never end and high scores that stand the test of time, pick up Namco Museum, put a quarter next to the TV and enjoy a bit of gaming history.