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Google Maps Adds 'Ms. Pac-Man' Feature (blog.google)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the wakka-wakka-wakka-wakka dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a blog post by Google Maps: Starting now until April 4, you can chomp fruit, avoid ghosts, and collect PAC-Dots along city streets in Google Maps worldwide -- all as Ms. PAC-Maps. Just tap on the Ms. PAC-Maps icon on iOS and Android, or click the Ms. PAC-Maps button at the bottom left on desktop, to enter the maze and start chompin'. Sign in to save your top score on the leaderboard and share with friends.
A playable Google doodle commemorated Pac-Man's 30th anniversary in 2010 -- and was estimated to have cost the IT sector (and other workplaces) 4.8 million hours in lost productivity.

13 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Redesign by colin_faber · · Score: 1

    I sure hope so, the new UI barely functions for me on the latest FF and if the goal is to be more like fark, well, fark is a fail onto itself. This UI (color schema and design) makes the horrible mobile interface look half way usable.

  2. Gobble this by markdavis · · Score: 2

    Google, instead of wasting tons of hours programming a silly temporary game in a MAP program, how about using those resources to have freaking reminders on the Google Calendar for birthdays? People have only been asking for this for what, 5 years now?? Yeah, really, it is still impossible for the calendar to send notifications so users don't miss peoples' birthdays!

    I could go down the list of dozens of important things that people have been waiting for in Android, Maps, Chrome, ChromeOS, etc. But this is a great example.

    1. Re:Gobble this by ptaff · · Score: 1

      Feeling entitled because...?

    2. Re:Gobble this by markdavis · · Score: 1

      I wouldn't say "entitled", just frustrated. And I am certainly not alone in that regard.

  3. Re:Redesign by antdude · · Score: 1

    Whoosh!

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  4. Re:Not good. Maps is a tool not a toy by Cramit · · Score: 2

    You have to click a button to trigger it. It doesn't randomly turn into Pacman.

  5. Re:Why not regular Pac Man?? by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 2

    "Why is it always Ms. Pac-Man?" Because it's not always Ms. Pac-Man. Google already did regular Pac-Man seven years ago as a Google Doodle in celebration of Pac-Man's 30th anniversary.

    --
    #DeleteChrome
  6. Re: Not good. Maps is a tool not a toy by pollarda · · Score: 1

    I should point out that as funny as it may be Ms Pac-Man on Google Maps is real and not a April Fools Joke....

  7. Re: Why not regular Pac Man?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Well he IS running down the middle of a public street, being chased by ghosts... so there's that.

  8. Re: Not good. Maps is a tool not a toy by Zero__Kelvin · · Score: 1

    I know what you mean. I haven't figured out how they forced us to click on the Ms. Pac-Map icon to start the game, but it sure was insidious and I don't know it's I'll ever recover from being forced to play it by Google!

    --
    Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
  9. Re: Not good. Maps is a tool not a toy by Zero__Kelvin · · Score: 2

    Well ... That's half right. It is both real and an AF joke actually.

    --
    Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
  10. Re:Redesign by Carewolf · · Score: 2

    This is OT, but is the Slashdot redesign an April Fool's joke? It used to be grey but now all of the sudden everything is orange. Is this a new design after so many years or a prank?

    Slacker News? Yes it is a joke.

  11. Re: Not good. Maps is a tool not a toy by Nyckname · · Score: 2

    You would have abhorred the video game I wrote in Lotus 1-2-3 back in the day.