Pac-Man 99 brings the unconventional battle royale gameplay of titles like Mario 35 and Tetris 99 to the classic arcade title while still introducing some interesting new elements. Power-ups are one such innovation that helps players adapt their own strategies to the otherwise straightforward gameplay of Pac-Man. These power-ups serve as the biggest addition to the game and one of its biggest strategic elements.
In general, power-ups provide distinct gameplay bonuses towards a particular element of Pac-Man 99's gameplay. Players need to be careful with what power-ups they select, however, as they also appear to have some pretty significant downsides to make up for the buffs. Here's a quick guide to every power-up currently available in the battle royale to help players figure out which power-up fits their playstyle.
Standard
The Standard power-up is the default that players will automatically have selected before jumping into a game. Standard has no advantages or drawbacks, making it perfect for new players who are just learn to play the game. Like any battle royale, Pac-Man 99 gets fast-paced and tense, so most newcomers will want to learn the basics before trying to formulate more complex strategies. Standard is also a great way to keep things well-rounded for players who don't think the advantages of the other three power-ups are worth their drawbacks.
Stronger
Stronger is designed for players who find themselves frequently using attacks to try and eliminate powerful opponents by making their attacks more powerful than they'd normally be. For example, a Jammer Pac-Man sent out by a player with the Stronger power-up selected will be replaced with a wave of Jammer Pac-Men that's far harder to clear.
The downside with Stronger is that it greatly reduces the amount of time that players will be under the effect of Power Pellets. Players should select Stronger only if they're confident in their ability to utilize the shorter Power Pellet duration effectively, since eating scared ghosts after eating a Power Pellet is the main way that players can attack their opponents. Since Pac-Man 99 lets players swap their power-ups in the middle of gameplay, it may be worth swapping to Stronger to put more pressure on opponents near the end of the round.
Train
Train causes any Sleeping Ghost that the player eats to be added to normal ghost trains, which in turn leads to more Jammer Pac-Men being sent to opponents. Train is more situational than Stronger since its primary use comes from eating a specific type of ghost. With this power-up, players should practice activating power-ups on the fly to best fit their current gameplay situation.
Train can also be doubled with the Stronger power-up. Players could use Train to add sleeping ghosts to their ghost trains, then eat those ghosts with Stronger activated to send a huge wave of ghosts at their opponents. However, Train's downside can be a huge detriment, as it'll create a Jammer Pac-Man on the player's board for each sleeping ghost eaten with Train activated.
Speed
Possibly the most straightforward power-up, Speed does exactly what it sounds like it does: increases the player's speed after eating a Power Pellet. The main downside here (outside of a faster Pac-Man being more challenging to control) is that it reduces the amount of Jammer Pac-Men players send at their opponents. Speed can be a tempting power-up to activate all the time, but it's best used situationally.
Players can use Speed to escape from ghosts or to quickly reach another Power Pellet to keep the pressure on their opponents. They could also use this to grab ghosts that they wouldn't reach otherwise, helping them clear up their own maze or attack their opponents. While this power-up comes with some significant downsides, it's quite versatile, especially in comparison to Train or Stronger.