Ghost-wary, dot-eating Pac-Man turns 25

[wdlove]

For a video game, Pac-Man is getting downright old. The ghost-wary hero with an insatiable appetite for dots turns 25 this month.

From the early 1980s "Pac-Mania" to today's endless sequels and rip-offs, the original master of maze management remains a bright yellow circle on the cultural radar.

But there was more to Pac-Man's broad appeal than eating dots and dodging on-screen archrivals Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde.

"This was the first time a player took on a persona in the game. Instead of controlling inanimate objects like tanks, paddles and missile bases, players now controlled a `living' creature," says Leonard Herman, author of "Phoenix: The Rise and Fall of Videogames." "It was something that people could identify, like a hero."

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/entertainment/11893267.htm

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pacman.htm

Even though I was an adult still remember the beginning of Pac-Man.

[CanadaRAM]

Heard a thing on the radio, some University researchers in, I think, Hong Kong developing a virtual reality type PacMac where each player becomes one of the characters (PacMan, Ghost) and walk around the streets with a VR headset on, seeing virtual power pills etc. and the other players.

[mcarnes]

Wish I could have back all the quarters I've dropped into that game. Along with Tron, Donkey Kong, Star Castle...

I'd put the money towards a new PB. :D

[5300cs]

I have m$ arcade ( :rolleyes: ) on my iPaq. Pac-Man is good fun during down times.

[Thomas Veil]

Still got Pac the Man on my computer. That'll never grow old.

Wocka-wocka-wocka.

[Lyle]

I was seriously into Pac-Man as a kid. When we would go to Godfather's Pizza in Auburn (back when they still had the good pizza sauce, before they changed the recipe), I would go play their tabletop model of Pac-Man while we were waiting for our pizza to come out. I bought this book (http://www.zutco.com/pictures/bk_uston.JPG) to learn the patterns.

If I were so wealthy that I could afford to do it without any guilt, I'd probably buy one of these (http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=P&game_id=10816) just for fun.

[Mr. Anderson]

Wish I could have back all the quarters I've dropped into that game. Along with Tron, Donkey Kong, Star Castle...



Bleh - I don't even want to think about how much I money I spent on those things....

I think Miss PacMan is a better game, though...

D

[5300cs]

I bought this book (http://www.tripoint.org/games/literature/books/master.jpg) to learn the patterns.

Umm, did you check that link after posting? You might want to; what I got wasn't a book cover ...

[efoto]

Bleh - I don't even want to think about how much I money I spent on those things....

I think Miss PacMan is a better game, though...

D

The creepy part is that you see the exact same thing when you look up her skirt as you do up PacMan's. Or do you? :confused: *que eery music* Ooe Ooe Oo!!!

[Lyle]

Umm, did you check that link after posting? You might want to; what I got wasn't a book cover ...Yikes. The first time I went to that link, it does in fact show the book cover. On subsequent visits, well, looks like we get a nasty message from the site host. :eek:

Sorry about that. I've replaced the original link with a different one that (as far as I can tell) is safer.

[wdlove]

Bleh - I don't even want to think about how much I money I spent on those things....

I think Miss PacMan is a better game, though...

D

You almost had me there Mr. Anderson. Thought you were just kidding around about Miss PacMan until I looked at the site by posted by Lyle.
:D