Just recently, the classic arcade game Pacman celebrated its 30th anniversary. In the honor of Pacman 30th anniversary, Google unveiled a new doodle game that became a hit instantly. The classic 80s game has shaped most of our childhoods, and most of us spent countless hours standing in front of the arcade machine, trying to run away from the ghosts. With snappy graphics and incredible sounds, the game quickly became a sensation around the world. So, it makes sense that Pacman 30th anniversary is celebrated across the world. Most hardcore players don’t even know that the arcade game was distributed by Japanese game manufacturer Namco Limited.
The Pacman has been played by multiple generations of kids mostly because of the game design and catchy graphics. But, nothing can beat the rush you feel when you escape with your life from just a couple of inches away. The memories that Pacman helped us create make Pacman’s 30th anniversary worth celebrating.
Soon after the launch of the game, it became a talking point for newspapers, magazine articles, cartoon TV shows, pop songs, and merchandise all across the USA. On the occasion of Pacman’s 30th anniversary, Google embedded the game’s link with the Google Logo for everyone to play the game once more for free.
History of Pacman
The creator of Pacman will go down in history as one of the most iconic game creators. Toru Iwatani, a member of Namco Limited gave birth to Pacman all by himself. His goal was to create a peaceful and enjoyable game without needing to show violence. He got the inspiration for Pacman’s iconic design from a Pizza. The Pizza was missing two slices, and it looked like a mouth to Iwatani. So, he ended up creating Pacman, earlier known as “Pakkuman”, a character referring to the Japanese term “Paku-Paku taberu”. This term refers to the sound the mouth makes when it is open and closed quickly. This also gave birth to the iconic Pacman sound.
Since it was released, Pacman has had a rich history and multiple milestones. Here’s the complete step-by-step breakdown of the game’s history:
1. 1980 – Testing
On May 22, the first ever test was held for Pacman to see how people react to the game. In June 1980, Pacman was released in Japan for the very first time. It didn’t arrive in the United States until October 1980. Soon after its launch, the game broke many records. In just one year since its launch, 1,00,000 units were sold in the United States.
2. 1981 – A New Game
In the year 1981, a new game was designed by the company with a dual fighter option and an advanced bonus stage. That game became the infamous Galaga.
3. 1982 – Ms. PAC-MAN
Ms. PAC-MAN was released keeping women in mind. The arcade game machine was sold with a ribbon on the top. Apart from that, there were no differences between the classic Pacman and the Ms. PAC-MAN. The famous “Pacman Fever” song was released soon after and it gained the 9th ranking in hot 100 charts and the whole album reached 24th rank on the music charts. That’s not all, some cartoons regarding the game Pacman were also released in the United States. The channel that premiered was ABC Network Television channels.
4. 1983 – Nickname for Pacman
PACMAN became so popular in the United States that millions upon millions of players played the game every day. Hardcore fans gave Pacman the nickname “Mickey Mouse of the 80s”.
5. 1984 – New Perspective of Pacman
The year 1984 marked the year when the game was released from a new perspective. Players had to face different mysteries to reach the top of the tower.
6. 1985
In the year another game was released for the gaming community named “Dragon Buster”. It was a unique game, where players had to scroll and run away from the dragons to save the princess.
7. 1987 – More Games By Namco Limited
A new shooting game “Dragon Spirit” came into existence in 1987 by Namco Limited where the hero of the game is transformed into an evil demon monster king.
8. 1988 – Metal Hawk
Metal Hawk is another shooting game where the players had to drive a large size arcade cab to access the fighting helicopter. After its launch, this game became incredibly popular among gamers.
9. 1990 – Introduction of New Technology
New technologies were introduced in the gaming community to increase the gaming experience all across the world. Super Famicom, Game Gear, and Neo Geo were some of the technologies released that year in Japan. Large-scale shooting games with 3D capabilities were also released to the market in that year.
10. 1991 – 2004 – Pacman Improvement
During all these years, the Pacman game kept improving with new technology. Soon a new game was released every year to amuse the gamers with a new game.
11. 2005 – Pacman Book
In 2005, Pacman’s creator published his book “Pac-Man No Game Gaku Nyumon ” by Enterbrain publishers. Pacman achieved great success in 2005 after the release of the book. Pacman even got a mention in the Guinness Worlds Records for being the world’s most successful Coin based game. This was the same year when the Xbox 360 was launched in Japan.
12. 2006 – Pac-Man Defence
2006 was the year of many launches. The list included Nintendo DS Lite, Wii, and Pac-Man Defense
13. 2009 – Handheld Console
The PSP Go was released in 2009, which was considered to be the fattest handheld console to play games. It quickly started the gaming trend of speed runs.
How Does Pacman Game Work?
In the 1980s, all the games were designed for the arcade, so it makes sense that Pacman was another arcade game. So, players all across the world had an option to either play the game with a keyboard or a joystick. While it is a game that focuses on the game’s hero evading adversaries, Pacman isn’t trying to run away from monsters or aliens. In the game, Pacman is trying to run away from “not-so-intimidating” ghosts.
The goal of the game is to run Pacman across the screen to consume all the 240 dots. If you don’t remember how the game works, you can visit the Google Pacman Doodle. To consume the whole 240 dots, players had to use the joystick to move Pacman in either of the 4 directions.
The four ghosts that Pacman is trying to evade have names, they’re called:
- Blinky (Red)
- Pinky (Pink)
- Inky (Cyan)
- Clyde (Orange)
Most players think that the four ghosts operate on a singular AI, but the truth is that every single ghost has its own set of attack strategies.
Every single ghost will be operating in one of the three manners, Chase, Scatter, or Frightened. Yes, there is a ghost that will run away frightened but while playing the game you may not be able to notice it.
Pacman game lovers from all over the world have decoded how each ghost behaves, here are some traits of each ghost. If you’re planning to go to the Google Pacman Doodle in the honor of Pacman’s 30th anniversary, then knowing these strategies is crucial.
- Blinky
Blinky, sometimes called Shadow, often uses the strategy to follow Pacman. But his strategy changes to cruising at Pac-Man’s speed, and it becomes faster as the game progresses.
- Pinky
She follows Pac-Man’s direction but she doesn’t follow the character itself. It follows the strategy to maneuver around walls to try and catch the players suddenly.
- Inky
Inky is the most dangerous ghost according to all the Pacman game players. He never uses the same strategy twice. He uses a mix of all the strategies to try and catch Pac-Man as soon as possible.
- Clyde
Clyde has earned the nickname ‘pokey’ all because of its strategy of leaving the box and straight up attacking Pac-Man. Although it changes directions soon after for a “scatter” strategy. He is one of the toughest ghosts to play against in the lower parts of the Maze.
Impact of Pacman on the Gaming Industry
The fact that everyone’s celebrating Pacman 30th anniversary, is a testament to how beautiful this game is. Pacman can be called the father of power-ups in video games and how they motivate players to think strategically.
Moreover, Pacman primarily popularized cutscenes. Not a single game in this world had cutscenes before Pacman. Now, almost every single game that you play has its fair share of cutscenes.
Google Doodle Celebrates Pacman 30th Anniversary
Google itself celebrated “Pacman 30th anniversary” and allowed users all over the world to play the game once again. Initially, the doodle was intended to be a one-time easter egg, but the company was encouraged by the positive user feedback to create interactive logos. Now the new “Pacman 30th anniversary” celebration Doodle is currently playable, although it’ll transition to the archive page. But you can easily find the doodle game and play it whenever you want.
The original arcade game wasn’t fully planned, and the developers were happy to surprise fans by making an alternative version. For the Google Doodle, the developers created a pixel-perfect reproduction of the original game. The original game however was designed for the 16:9 screens.
The classic arcade game Pacman became an instant sensation as soon as it hit the market. The game has been since translated into over 12 languages, and it still has millions of followers. To make the Pacman’s 30th anniversary, Google created a special Doodle for the game. Google first created a doodle for Pacman in 1998 but a new animated version was earlier this year with better quality.
Originally, the game was named PuckMan, and it sold more than 300 million copies all across the USA. As mentioned above, the game has strongly influenced many other video games. The popularity of the game has led to it being a legend in the gaming industry. So, if you want to play the game once again, then you can visit the Pacman 30th anniversary Google Doodle.
Pacman Game is Remastered
Pacman is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year with a remake. The new version offers better graphics and sounds, and it also has 3 game modes, and new achievements for gamers to reach new heights. While it has been 30 years since its original launch, the game still has a huge following. If you wish to celebrate Pacman’s 30th anniversary as well, then there are some things you should be aware of before playing.
Pacman is arguably one of the most popular arcade games of all time, and it has inspired endless trends for new games. The new Pacman 30th anniversary Doodle created by Google is superior to the original in terms of graphics, sound, and gameplay. It has sold over 300 million copies worldwide. The popularity of the game is the reason why it was re-imagined for Pacman 30th anniversary.
The original game is available on multiple devices, and the game still has its place in many hearts. Google recently unveiled the interactive logo for the Pacman 30th anniversary doodle. It contains a 255-level version of Pacman. This re-imagined version of the game was created from the ground up, providing the look of the original game. It’s not the only retro-future classic that’s being celebrated by fans all over the world.
If you want, you can even play the Remastered version of the Pacman from Google Play. The game interface is sleek, and you get to revisit the memories that you had while playing the game before. While there are many remastered versions available online, the original game is still the classic, and the endless replay value stays unparalleled.
Pacman Game Playing Experience
If you loved the Pacman 1980s arcade version, then you’re gonna love the remastered version available on Google Play Store. The game is an updated version of the original game and has incredible graphics. The game is easy-to-play that you can play on mobile devices, iPad, or computers. The levels are easy at the beginning but they become challenging as you progress.
If you haven’t ever played the original game, then you can play the Pacman 30th anniversary re-mastered version. If you want, you can play the Google Doodle version of the game, or if you want you can download it on your phone. Pacman is one of the most popular games to play online, and the “Pacman 30th anniversary game” is super easy and entertaining to play.
While Pacman topped the charts when it hit the markets initially, it still is popular today. Just a couple of years ago, Google created an interactive version of the game for fans to play. To play, you can Google “Pacman Doodle” and play the game within the browser. The Google Doodle team claims that the Pacman 30th anniversary was meant to be celebrated.
The Pacman 30th anniversary game is a downloadable version of the arcade game, and it has 255 levels and it has new enemies. There’s a two-player version of the game as well, and you should click on the coin to activate this gaming mode. It allows you to play with either a friend or a computer. Each player controls one of the Pacman and tries to clear the level.
The objective of the game is the same as its original version, to collect as many dots and fruits as possible. You have to evade ghosts and consume all the dots to move on to the next level. Initial levels are easy, but the later levels are challenging.
Pacman’s Current Fanbase (Pacman 30th Anniversary)
It’s been 3 decades since the release of the original Pacman. Today, the Pacman is considered a legend in the arcade gaming industry, and it still has a huge fanbase. Not just that, there are almost hundreds of variations of the game, these include different endings. In the Pacman 30th anniversary game, you can play it as many times as you want.
Several remastered or sequel-type versions of the original game have been released since its original launch, but not all of them celebrate anniversaries of the game. You can play the Pacman 30th anniversary game just for the bonus content that includes alternative versions and different clothing.
Before the launch, the Pacman 30th anniversary game was rumored to be the first game with a boss level. But that was just a rumor. But there are other reasons for you to play the game. 255 interesting levels, different skins, power-ups, sleek and easy design, and much more. The best part is that the game is available for playing almost anywhere in the world and on multiple devices (PC, smartphones, consoles).
Undoubtedly the original Pacman is a classic and nothing can beat the memories we created while playing it for hours in the arcade. But, if you want a better-looking version, you can definitely play the 30th-anniversary game. The rich history attached to the game and the records it sets, and the inspiration it gave to future game designers are some reasons why Pacman became a legendary game.
In the end, the credit for the original PacMan goes to Toru Iwatani who wanted to create a simple game that can be enjoyed by everyone. 30 years later, the game is a global sensation and has shaped endless childhoods.