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Pac-Man

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Pac-Man is a legendary maze-chase action video game.

Pac-Man gameplay (1x pixel-perfect recreation)
Pac-Man gameplay (1x pixel-perfect recreation)

It was developed and published by the Japanese company Namco. The game is famous for its colorful characters and simple, addictive gameplay. It changed the video game industry by appealing to a much wider audience than previous titles. Today, it is considered one of the most influential games ever made. The character of Pac-Man eventually became the official mascot for Namco and Bandai Namco Entertainment.

In the game, the player controls Pac-Man through an enclosed maze. The primary objective is to consume every dot placed within the maze. While eating dots, the player must avoid four colored ghosts. These ghosts are Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde. If a ghost touches Pac-Man, the player loses a life. The game ends when all lives are lost. To advance to the next level, the player must clear all the dots. Levels are indicated by different fruit icons at the bottom of the screen.

Each of the four ghosts uses unique artificial intelligence, or A.I., to behave differently. This prevents the game from becoming too predictable. Blinky, the red ghost, is named "Shadow" in Japanese and gives a direct chase. Pinky, the pink ghost, is called "Speedy" and tries to position herself in front of Pac-Man to ambush him. Inky, the cyan ghost, is named "Bashful" and uses a more complicated strategy. Clyde, the orange ghost, is known as "Pokey" because he alternates between chasing and fleeing.

Pac-Man gameplay (1x pixel-perfect recreation)
Pac-Man gameplay (1x pixel-perfect recreation)

Players can use special items to change the momentum of the game. Large, flashing dots called "Power Pellets" or "energizers" are located near the four corners of the maze. When Pac-Man eats a Power Pellet, the ghosts turn blue and display a dizzied expression. During this state, the ghosts are vulnerable. Pac-Man can eat the blue ghosts to earn bonus points. After being eaten, the ghost's eyes return to the center box to "regenerate" and resume normal activity.

TOMY LSI PACMAN handheld electronic game
TOMY LSI PACMAN handheld electronic game

Toru Iwatani led a nine-man team to create this game starting in early 1979. Iwatani wanted to move away from the violent themes of war and sports games. He aimed to create a nonviolent, cheerful experience that would attract women and families to arcades. He chose the theme of eating because he believed it would have broad appeal. The character design was inspired by a pizza with a slice removed. It was also influenced by the Japanese character "kuchi," which means mouth.

Toru Iwatani, creator of Pac-Man, at GDC 2011 (cropped to upper body)
Toru Iwatani, creator of Pac-Man, at GDC 2011 (cropped to upper body)

The game had a complex journey to its global release. It was originally titled "Puck Man" in Japan and released there on May 22, 1980. When Namco prepared to release the game in North America, they changed the name to "Pac-Man." This change was made to prevent vandals from defacing arcade cabinets. Midway Manufacturing handled the North American release in August 1980. The game was a massive commercial success, generating more than $14 billion in revenue. It has reached combined sales of 43 million units.

Pac-Man's impact extends far beyond the arcade cabinet. The game led to several sequels, two television series, and a hit single called "Pac-Man Fever." Many home versions were released for various systems. One famous port was for the Atari 2600. Although it was criticized for its inaccurate graphics and flickering ghosts, it sold over seven million copies.

The Art of Video Games 2012 (6848237506)
The Art of Video Games 2012 (6848237506)

The game even features a "kill screen" at level 256. This happens because of an integer overflow that causes the level to load improperly. This technical quirk remains a famous part of gaming history.

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File:Pac-Man gameplay (1x pixel-perfect recreation).png
Pac-Man gameplay (1x pixel-perfect recreation).png
File:Toru Iwatani, creator of Pac-Man, at GDC 2011 (cropped to upper body).jpg
Toru Iwatani, creator of Pac-Man, at GDC...
File:TOMY LSI PACMAN handheld electronic game.jpg
TOMY LSI PACMAN handheld electronic game.jpg
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Carrers guarnits Gràcia 2012 - Plaça...
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