Pac-Man is a truly classic game that has withstood the test of time. It showcases how games can impact generations of players who play it with the unique gameplay mechanics, iconic visuals and music that made this title so successful when it was released all those years ago. Like any other game, Pac-Man has seen a few spin offs such as Pac-Man Fever for the Atari 7800 console in 2004, as well as a version of Pac-man for MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) in 1995 and again on Windows Vista in 2006 called Pacman Arcade Deluxe, but none have been quite as popular or iconic. For the first time ever, an official Xbox 360 avatar was created to celebrate Pac-Man’s 30th anniversary since its original release back in 1980 where you can purchase an avatar t shirt to show your appreciation for one of the most classic arcade games ever made.
What is it? – History Of Pac-Man
In 1981, when I was seven years old, someone gave me my first video game controller (not for playing games, but for drawing!).
This person had their own style of drawing, which included mostly shades of blue and gray with splashes of color here and there.
I loved that these were his initials! They are BBF, which stands for “Billy Bonnie Frog” or sometimes BBR—because back then, before research showed link between sugar intake and overeating, many parents would tell their kids to avoid sweets.
By the way, I still have that original PC console controller from 1982. It sits next to my computer tower at home, encased in plastic, totally protected by me.
When was it released?
It was first developed in Japan by JAM Software, then published as an arcade game in November 1985.
The version that most people are familiar with is the American edition produced by Telenet in Indiana for distribution nationwide.
Announced in August 1986 at $595. 00 per machine, it was marketed under the name “Pengo” (a portmanteau word meaning “thinking” or “mental” in Japanese).
Telenet deployed 1,250 cabinets throughout America to put out its own advertising campaign aimed at children.
Within months, the game had 50,000 lines of code written, making it one of the longest-lasting video games ever made.
A year later another iteration entitled Gravywas released.
These were followed by several sequels that continued to be sold in arcades and on gaming consoles through 2006.
Several compilations were also created including four combined editions of both original console releases and the original Flash animation adaptation.
Additionally there are numerous emulated versions available across all platforms along with their own codes and graphics.
There have been several movie adaptations, comics, music videos, toys and even board games.
According to some sources, more than 100 million units of the title have been sold worldwide.
This makes it the best-selling arcade game of all time.
Google recently honored the series with a doodle
Who created it?
Namco was founded in 1938, making it one of the oldest video game companies worldwide.
Along with its popular franchises like “Galaga”, “Ridge Racer,” and “Xevious”, 1986 also saw the release of what is widely considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time: “Pac-Man”.
Pac-Man was both innovative for its time and still holds up today as one of the most well-received games of all time. Its simple design and intuitive menu system helped make arcade gaming cool again.
The company sold more than 100 million copies of this classic piece of software and continued releasing versions until 2009.
Where can I get it?
There are many websites that sell the original version for PC (personal computer) with an internet connection.
Some people like to play these games on retro computing devices because they were built in the 1980s or earlier.
Many gamers use YouTube or other social media platforms to share their experiences while playing classic video games.
Others create blogs, forums or chat rooms to talk about the game. They may also have promotional contests involving the game.
There are several versions of this game available at gaming stores and online. Prices start as low as $6 and go up to around $20.
Google has made a special celebration page just for fans of the iconic arcade game. On the site is a doodle and live tweet celebrating the anniversary of one of the most popular video games ever created.
What is the story behind it?
Namco was founded in 1967, which makes them older than most companies today. However, they are still one of the best arcade game producers of all time. Starting with simple games like “Pac-Man” and “Galaga,”they produced some of the world’s most popular titles.
In 1985, Nintendo introduced their first home video game system using an original cartridge called the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System). They released two more sequels plus spin-offs including micro machines and parades before fading out about four years later. In 1989, Sega followed with their own console release, the Master System.
Due to the success of these systems, several other company decided to produce their own consoles. This gave birth to the split history of the home video game industry we see today. By 1994, programming tools necessary to create your own content were released for free, and others such as NES Creative Studio were sold at cost. No longer needed by gamers, developers turned towards making apps for smartphones and tablets.
Who are the characters?
A quick recap for those who forgot history classes : D
Character Description
Pong The original arcade game, Pong was introduced in 1972 as a fun alternative to video games like Space Invaders.
In pong, two players play on opposite teams against each other. Each player has a single stick which they use to hit a ball. Balls must be kept away from the opponents’ paddle by another person or themselves. Many consider this the first ever basketball game. In fact, the rules for pong can also be applied to tablesets, tarok card games, smartphone games, and many other sports.
Arrows represent the direction that the ball is going (left/right)
What is the game like?
The basic premise of Pac-Manis that you are in a maze and there are pellets (food) scattered throughout the screen. You move around using the arrow keys or d-pad, eating what you find. The goal is to get rid of all the pellets without getting killed by the ghosts.
There are two types of pellet–green ones that let you run faster and yellow bombs that make you slow down. Eating a bomb makes you fail the level and be sent back to the start. There are three layers of ghosts that stand in your way; they are small squares with arrows where their body parts should be (head, arms, legs, etc.).
When you defeat a ghost, it disappears from the screen. Not everyone will have good luck against the ghosts— some people won’t be able to shoot enough pellets before dying.
To win thisgame,you need to understand the layout of the mazes and learn how to maneuver through them to reach the end quickly. Some players may even feel dizzy when moving back and forth across the screens.
Are there other versions?
Originally, Pong was just one version of two-player ping pong! You could buy an arcade cabinet to put it in if you wanted to make a real business case for your investment.
There were also dedicated TV consoles which received broadcasts from antennae. If you had no interest in playing computer games, this was a pretty good way to enjoy yourself.
But people would play “TV Ping Pong” as he called it, right along with their friends who had computers. It proved so popular that programmers created software derivatives, including a mouse-based input method while watching TV.
A company developed custom monitors specifically for this use case, and they became very popular. Input devices went through several changes over time, but the concept has mostly remained the same.
Some companies produced video game cartridges that also held a microcontroller and hardware circuits to create second generation analog joysticks. Even before digital signal processing techniques came around, these were designed to work better than their predecessors.
Google celebrated its twenty first anniversary by releasing Adobe Flash-based online interactive experiences across all major platforms. There are still some limitations to what can be done in Flash, but it is a significant improvement over how things were back in 1995.
Does it still hold up?
I was not exactly sure what to expect when we started filming “Pac-Man” back in 1981. After spending several days with test audiences, they asked if there were any games that made them feel like being active or playing sports. We discussed the differences between video game systems at the time and came up with something we could all agree on – how about letting everyone play ‘Pac-Man’ for $5 per person?
From then on, our focus turned to making the film. By taking people somewhere fun without giving them full shots, we got to see the city more quickly than expected. And you can be certain that John Williams kept his eyes open while he drove me around town.
We had great laughs during the production of this movie. It felt easy and comfortable, just like going to your favorite restaurant. Everything happened smoothly and no surprises!
