Pac-Man

This is the game that started it all, it truly was the first in video game franchises, icons, and just everything, without this little guy we wouldn't be where we are now. "Pac Man" was more than just a game, it was a phenomenon as it has become a staple in the 80's decade.

This guy just like in the maze was just everywhere and going places, there was a board game which was fun, a cartoon show from Hana Barbara which was also fun, multiple video game ports, the old VDF color handhelds from the 80's, stand alone games "Pac Man Championship Edition 1 and 2". He even referenced in the visual media, "The Simpsons", "Tiny Toon Adventures", "Futurama" and featured in the underrated film "Pixels" to this day there is almost not one place without an arcade cabinet of this game.

I mainly got into the Pac Man series playing ports of the game and after those I was hooked on the game franchise for life. It's such a simple concept where it's basically just a chase in a maze, but this simple concept turned out to be the most brilliant. Though also kind of strange as you are simply cute flying or floating yellow head that is constantly moving chomping a bunch of dots that are point rackers. And you are chased by multicolored ghosts, each of them with different speeds and go all kinds of directions.

Yeah strange but fun and they are characters in video games after all it doesn't mean they have to be realistic or even human. This is also by it's nature a scoring game as you play the same maze over and over but as you get further the game gets a little more difficult as the ghosts get a little faster and change their maneuvering patterns. Anyway, the concept and gameplay is simple and yet there is a lot to it. What I like about this and the other Pac-Man games is the fact that you use your head to beat your ghost opponents.

The overview design of the maze is finely designed, the fact you can see overhead put you a step ahead of them because you'll be able to know when the ghosts are heading your way and with that brief knowledge being prepared to outmaneuver and even hide from them. Really like those warp holes, which not just take you to the other side of the maze but can slow the ghost's momentum which give you time to get away.

Then of course you have the power pellets which I always love which always give you home court advantage where you powered up and are able to give the ghost the chomp down as they all turn blue and in a sick state and are just moving as slow as zombies making them easy targets. But of course, this only last briefly, there is a risk reward factor because you really don't want to be around when they change back color.

There is also the fruit that always appears in the middle of the screen next to the base, it's pretty much extra credit as you gain a few more points eating them. But even that has a risk reward factor as the fruit only appears briefly and the ghosts move to the middle sometimes as well, so get it while you can. Even like how after a series of levels there a little cut scene is even, which is basically a skit comedy and I thought those were really cool even like that frantic music, sort of your halftime show only it's actually good.

Overall, a solid start to the series thought personally this ranks number five on my list in the series as I like the sequels even more as they have a little more to them much like how I feel about the "Friday the 13th" franchise, but that's me. For old and young games this is a timeless classic that continues to chomp into our hearts.

Rating: 3 stars

Is it just me or is Pac-Man a metaphor for taking too many ecstasy pills? Think about it, you've got some happy little face stumbling around in the dark munching as many pills as he can get but when things go bad he's chased by ghosts all over the place until he can get more pills. Either this is really subliminal subtext by designer Toru Iwatani or it's just an amazing coincidence and I'm reading far too much into it.

Either way Pac-Man is like THE biggest ever arcade game, which is quite amazing since many more advanced and technologically superior games came out after this. And it has one funky little theme tune!

Pac-Man was one of the first extremely popular arcade games, and a major influence, if indirect and unwitting, on every computer game that followed. The reasons for its appeal are simple, it is colourful, cheerful and enjoyable; in short it is good, clean fun. Graphics date; fun is timeless. But the real key to its appeal is that it was the first video game to feature an actual character; this is the sense in which this game has paved the way for all which have followed. Pac-Man's anthropomorphic and aesthetic (i.e. "cute") qualities were particularly appealing to female audiences; this was the most popular game among girls at the time, and some sources suggest since. The after-effect was that the character itself became something of an icon; the character was the centre of a merchandising blitz. Pac-Man seemed to capture the public imagination more than any genuine cartoon character did; you could even make a claim for him being the Mickey Mouse of the 80s. I am a big fan of the Pac-Man phenomenon and have a book (Deborah Palicia's ["Pac-Man Collectibles") which details some 160 pages of related merchandising. There was everything from Bedsheets to a US Top 10 Record ("Pacman Fever" by Buckner and Garcia) and from Pasta to an animated cartoon series. It's fascinating how far such a one dimensional concept has spread. The most telling item is an advert for the game "Super Pac-Man" with a hero who "fights a never ending battle to eat row of fruit"! A lot of talented and creative people have worked on keeping this simple concept and character popular for nearly three decades, and millions more have enjoyed it.

Some games never get old, and "Pac-Man" is one of them. Like pizza or a good movie, it's built on a simple recipe - but it works every time. It's a game that's simple at its core, yet endlessly addictive, easily stealing away dozens of minutes before you know it.

As the iconic yellow dot, we zip through a maze, gobbling up pellets while being chased by a gang of colorful ghost-clouds. There are four of them. First up is Blinky (the red one), also known as Shadow, Oikake, or Akabei - the relentless pursuer who speeds up the longer the game goes on. Then there's Pinky (pink), nicknamed Speedy or Machibuse, who tries to cut you off and trap you rather than chase directly. Next comes Inky (blue), a.k.a. Bashful, Kimagure, or Aosuke - a tricky one, whose movements are based on a weird algorithm involving both Pac-Man's and Pinky's positions. And finally, Clyde (orange), also referred to as Poki, Otoboke, or Guzuta - a ghost who charges straight at you if you're far away, but switches to a totally random path when close. All four have one goal: to corner you and steal a life. Your job? Don't let them.

The mechanics are simple: it's basic human instinct to run from ghosts. But "Pac-Man" wouldn't be the legend it is without one brilliant twist - the power pellets. Eat one, and the hunters become the hunted. The ghosts turn into panicked, shivering blue blobs, scrambling to escape while you chase them down. It's a brief moment of power, revenge, and score-hunting. With good timing and sharp moves, you can chomp all four and rack up big points.

Occasionally, fruit pops up on the map. They don't grant powers, but they're great for extra points. And then there's that one genius feature - the side tunnels. Like little wormholes, they let you warp instantly from one side of the screen to the other. A small thing on paper, but when ghosts are closing in from all sides, a quick dash through the tunnel can be a lifesaver.

The scariest moment? When you think you made it through - but a ghost tags you right at the edge. I've made my entire household jump more than once with my panicked yelps. Yeah, those were the days. Childhood. The rage faded fast, though, and the next run began.

With every level, the ghosts get smarter and faster, turning the game into a kind of chess match. Where to turn? When to take a risk? Should you go for that cherry? The mechanics may be simple, but the pacing is pure chaos.

"Pac-Man" is a true and undeniable classic. Simple, yet incredibly engaging. Even decades later, it still holds up and delivers a rush of emotions. Running from danger never felt so fun - and those sneaky ghosts never stop being a thrill.

8 out of 10.

NOTE: I'm writing about the Atari VCS (a.k.a. Atari 2600) version, which is not to be confused with the original arcade game.

I can understand the Pac-Man craze that came about following the game's release. After all, it was the first video game in which you controlled a creature with an actual identity as opposed to Random Space Fighter #259. But I would have thought that Atari would at least show our yellow friend a bit of dignity.

The entire maze is etched in a puke-brown color on top of a blue background that hurts my eyes. Couldn't they just make the background black?! The ghosts flicker a lot, and some of the most irritating noises in the game world are pumped through your television speakers. The only saving grace is that the Pac-Man "eating" sound and the sound when he dies have been injected into miscellaneous techno songs and stuff, as well as an episode of "Aqua Teen Hunger Force".

Stay away from this and stick with the far superior arcade game or even the (excellent) NES port.