Pac-Man is one of the most iconic Video Games ever created. Developed by Namco in Japan, it was first released in arcades in May 1980. Here are some detailed facts and historical context about the game:
Gameplay
- Objective: Players control Pac-Man, a yellow, circular character, who must eat all the dots in the maze while avoiding four ghosts: Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde.
- Power Pellets: There are four larger, flashing dots in the maze known as Power Pellets. When Pac-Man eats these, he can temporarily eat the ghosts, reversing the dynamic of the game.
- Fruit: Occasionally, fruit symbols appear at the center of the maze, offering bonus points when eaten.
- Levels: The game features 256 levels, although the last level, due to a programming glitch, is unplayable and often referred to as the Kill Screen.
Development
- Designer: Toru Iwatani is credited with designing Pac-Man. He wanted to create a game that would appeal to women and couples, which was unusual for arcade games at the time.
- Inspiration: The character of Pac-Man was inspired by a pizza with a slice missing, representing Pac-Man's shape.
- Name: Originally named Puck-Man in Japan, it was changed to Pac-Man in the U.S. to avoid potential vandalism where the "P" might be altered to an "F".
Impact
- Cultural Phenomenon: Pac-Man became a cultural icon, influencing pop culture with merchandise, TV shows, and even a hit song, Pac-Man Fever.
- Economic Impact: The game was a massive commercial success, earning over $2.5 billion in quarters by the end of the 20th century.
- Legacy: Pac-Man has inspired numerous sequels, spin-offs, and has been re-released on various platforms, including home consoles, mobile devices, and even as part of retro gaming compilations.
Technical Details
- Hardware: The original Pac-Man arcade machine used Namco Galaga's hardware, which included a Z80 processor.
- Music: The game's catchy tunes, including the "Pac-Man Theme," were composed by Shigeichi Negishi.
- Graphics: The game used simple raster graphics, but the design of the maze and characters became iconic.
References
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