Excellent 3D anime action game from JJ Soft, one of the best (and most obscure) shareware developers today. The review at Rocket Download says all about this great underdog:

"Hopmon is a brilliant combination of Pokemon and Pac-Man. Though the program falls short of copying these pop-culture hits, the game will certainly remind you of them. Gameplay involves guiding a kitty-like creature through elaborate and very well designed mazes. You must help Hopmon collect all of the crystals and safely reach the warp zone to the next level. The game's appearance is mostly designed to entertain kids, but it's difficult enough to challenge the kid at heart. In fact, your biggest challenge is trying to peel yourself away from the game. Luckily, the program automatically saves your position, thus always allowing you to pick up where you left off.

Hopmon is presented in full 3D, which you'll really begin to appreciate once you reach later levels. The screen doesn't provide a complete view of the maze, so you must carefully navigate and watch out for enemies. You'll use your shooter to break through fences and ward off monsters. Keep in mind that it takes a few seconds for your blaster to reload. Even scarier are the box-like creatures that are immune to your blasts, and tend to follow you until you're cornered. Look out for other dangers such as cannons that are cleverly placed out of view.

Each level requires you to collect a certain number of crystals, which pile atop Hopmon's head as you collect them. This shareware version includes the first 10 levels. There are 45 levels in the full version. Note that this software requires DirectX 7 or later." Although it's neither unique nor original, Hopmon blends the simple-but-fun gameplay of Pac-Man to a new level. The outstanding 3D graphics and a strong Pokemon influence also makes the game ideal for kids. The registered version is only $8, making this one of the most reasonably-priced shareware on the market. Two thumbs up!