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Pac-Man Turns 25
blacklily8 writes "CNN Money is running a story about Pac-Man's 25th birthday. After going on a bit about the history of our favorite pizza sans one slice, the article waxes a bit on why the game was (and is) such a success, with some quotations from Namco's marketing manager: 'He's very colorful, very safe. It's definitely different than the trends going on in games. He just has an appeal.' I think it's because the game is just plain fun, with no need to rely on tech-demo thrills to attract attention. Time to dig out the X-Arcade." It's also *hard*, proving that challenging games are what people have always been looking for.
It's also *hard*, proving that challenging games are what people have always been looking for. There's also a Pac-Man, proving that games with a Pac-Man are what people have always been looking for.
Is this going to be the first of an accelerating deluge of articles as an increasing number of items from the explosive growth in early days of computing turn a quarter century?
"It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
...than to have him as the icon for the "Classic Games" category.
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I think it's because the game is just plain fun, with no need to rely on tech-demo thrills to attract attention.
Twenty-five years ago, Pac-man was a tech-demo thrill. Compare it to Space Invaders, the previous blockbuster game, and it's a night and day difference in graphics, sound, and presentation.
But apart from that, I think one of the things that really made pac-man was being the first truly funny game to come along. And to invest each of the ghosts with a personality, and even make them chase differently, that's just genius.
And don't get me started on having the intermission shows, the fantastic sound effects, and the fruit prize intended to lure greedy gamers to their doom. It wasn't until the mid-80s, with Zaxxon, Pole Position, and especially Marble Madness, that Pac-Man lost its luster for me.
I'm generally "Interesting," "Insightful," and even "Funny" here. What the hell happens to me at parties?
"It's also *hard*, proving that challenging games are what people have always been looking for."
Yes. One game out of thousands proves your point.
No.
Ugh. If I was grading that I'd knock you down for having at least 3 levels of inheretance too many.
I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
Was when I was 3 years old and my dad hoisted me up to the pac man machine. First thing I did was eat a ghost, and died. I realized then that video games like to rip you off by suprising you with dangers. I also thought that a better video game than pacman could be made by adding buttons that did something.
God spoke to me.
" I agree with the poster. Pac-man was great not because it was a technological marvel. It was great because it was simple, yet addictive."
What? what are you talking about? PacMan was a HUGE technological marvel back in its day! The sprites were alot more defined than any other game, it had a "neon" light effect in the maps, the sound consisted in something more than "beeps" and it was the first game with actual AI and a real map! (which changed each level) even today amateur coders have a bad time trying to pull pacman clones that actually feel and look authentic. (just look at the terrible Atari 2600 port for further reference) this was "doom 3 meets hl2" 25 years ago!
Sorry but the "gameplay versus nice graphics/features" is pointless. sure nice graphics and features dont make a game, but they do provide an excellent background for good gameplay, otherwise is like michellangelo painting with 2 crayons, or amadeus using one of those tiny electronic pianos, even if they create a masterpiece is not as good as it could be if they used the correct tools. Period.
Go ahead MOD my day!
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People wax on poetically about all the classic video games (Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Defender, Space Invaders, etc), but I suspect their popularity was due to their novelty rather than their appeal.
They were fun, colorful, but there's too much meaning being attached to them. It appealed to the future-nerds (myself included).
If you had the option of being trapped on a deserted island for a year with one video game (and the hardware and electricity to play it), would it be Pac Man (all safe and colorful), or Empire Earth II in all it's glory and challenge?
"Sinistar" is still one of the best games out there. Hard as hell, action packed, and a great way to eat through quarters. heh.
:)
Actually, "Gauntlet" was the best way to eat through quarters - until you realize that the levels start to repeat themselves.
How many Pac-Man levels were there, anyway?