Pacman: The Iconic Arcade Game That Changed the World
Pacman is a classic video game that was released in Japan on May 21, 1980, and in the United States by October of the same year. The game features a yellow, pie-shaped character who navigates a maze to eat dots and avoid four ghosts. Pacman is considered an icon of the 1980s and remains one of the most popular video games in history. The character's design is based on simplifying and rounding out the Japanese character for "mouth". The game was originally called Puck Man but was later renamed Pacman when it was released in the US.
pacman
How to Play Pacman
The objective of Pacman is to eat all the dots placed in the maze while avoiding four colored ghosts Blinky (red), Pinky (pink), Inky (cyan), and Clyde (orange) that pursue Pacman. Eating large flashing dots called "Power Pellets" causes the ghosts to temporarily turn blue, allowing Pacman to eat them for bonus points. The game ends when Pacman loses all his lives by being caught by a ghost.
Pacman Controls
Pacman is controlled by a four-way joystick that moves Pacman up, down, left, or right. The game has no buttons or other inputs.
Pacman Scoring
Pacman earns points by eating dots, power pellets, ghosts, and bonus fruits that appear randomly in the maze. The table below shows the point values for each item:
ItemPoints
Dot10
Power Pellet50
Ghost (first)200
Ghost (second)400
Ghost (third)800
Ghost (fourth)1600
Bonus Fruit (varies)100-5000
Pacman also earns an extra life at 10,000 points and then every 20,000 points.
Pacman History
The game was created by Namco in Japan, and released in the U.S. by Midway. By 1981, approximately 250 million games of Pacman were being played in the U.S. each week on 100,000 Pacman machines. Since then, Pacman has been released on nearly every video game platform.
Pacman Creator
The game was designed by Toru Iwatani, a young game designer who wanted to create a game that could appeal to women as well as men, because most video games of the time had themes of war or sports. He was inspired by the image of a pizza with a slice removed, as well as the Japanese word "paku", which means to munch or gobble.
Pacman Legacy
Pacman has had a lasting impact on the video game industry and culture. It has spawned several sequels, spin-offs, remakes, and clones. It has also inspired merchandise, cartoons, music, movies, and art. Pacman has been recognized as one of the greatest video games of all time by various media outlets and organizations. It has also been included in several museums and exhibitions as an example of video game history and art.
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Pacman Tips and Tricks
If you want to improve your Pacman skills and score higher, here are some tips and tricks to help you:
Memorize Patterns
The ghosts have predictable movements and behaviors that can be exploited by memorizing patterns. You can find online guides and videos that show you how to clear each level with optimal routes and timing.
Eat the Bottom Pellets First
Pacman Has a Glitch
The original Pacman game has a glitch that makes the 256th level impossible to complete. This is because the game uses an 8-bit integer to store the level number, which can only hold values from 0 to 255. When the game tries to draw the 256th level, it overflows and creates a corrupted half-screen with random symbols and colors. This is known as the "split-screen" or the "kill screen".
Pacman Has a Guinness World Record
Pacman holds the Guinness World Record for being the most successful coin-operated arcade game of all time. According to the record, Pacman has sold more than 350,000 arcade machines worldwide and has generated more than $2.5 billion in revenue as of 1990.
Pacman Has a Google Doodle
On May 21, 2010, Google celebrated Pacman's 30th anniversary by creating a playable Pacman game as its homepage logo. The game featured the original graphics, sounds, and gameplay of Pacman, as well as a hidden Easter egg that allowed two players to play simultaneously using the W, A, S, D keys for Ms. Pacman. The game was so popular that Google decided to make it permanently available at google.com/pacman.
Conclusion
Pacman is more than just a video game. It is a cultural phenomenon that has influenced generations of gamers and creators. Pacman is a simple yet addictive game that can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of age or skill level. Pacman is also a symbol of innovation and creativity, as it broke new ground in video game design and technology. Pacman is truly a timeless masterpiece that deserves its place in history.
FAQs
What does Pacman mean?
Pacman is a combination of "pac", which is short for "paku", the Japanese word for munching or gobbling, and "man", which refers to the human-like shape of the character.
Who invented Pacman?
Pacman was invented by Toru Iwatani, a game designer who worked for Namco in Japan. He was inspired by the image of a pizza with a slice removed and the Japanese character for "mouth".
How many levels are there in Pacman?
There are 256 levels in Pacman, but the last one is impossible to complete due to a glitch that corrupts the screen.
How do you win Pacman?
You win Pacman by eating all the dots on every level without losing all your lives. You can also increase your score by eating power pellets, ghosts, and bonus fruits.
What are the names of the ghosts in Pacman?
The names of the ghosts in Pacman are Blinky (red), Pinky (pink), Inky (cyan), and Clyde (orange). They are also known by their nicknames: Shadow, Speedy, Bashful, and Pokey. 44f88ac181