42 years ago, in May of 1980, PAC-MAN first hit arcades taking the world by storm
If you had to pick one symbol for games and gaming, it’s highly likely that PAC-MAN would be on your shortlist. The iconic arcade game celebrates its 42nd birthday this month. While the official birthday was yesterday (May 22nd), developers Bandai Namco Entertainment are spending the rest of the month celebrating the small spherical protagonist.
PAC-MAN has been sold and playable, in one form or another, for over four decades. It’s been released on literally dozens of platforms, from Arcade, to home consoles ranging from the wood-panelled Atari 2600 to the far more advanced Xbox 360.
Pac-Man Museum
For its 42nd birthday, the franchise is adding a new game to the family. PAC-MAN MUSEUM+ releases on May 27th. That game will feature 14 of the series’ games, including the original, Ms Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, and many more. It even includes a personal favorite, Pac-Man Championship Edition, which was originally released on the Nintendo 3DS, PSP, and Android.
Beyond this, Bandai Namco are celebrating the occasion with a huge giveaway. Winners will receive a Namco Legacy Edition Arcade Machine, a Proplica Waka Waka PAC-MAN (whatever that is), a PAC-MAN Tamagotchi (Okay, I’m back on board for this), a PAC-MAN Nanoblock Collectors Set, a PAC-MAN Zojirushi mug bundle, the PAC-MAN iron-on patch from Patch Collection, an PAC-MAN x ORLINSKI sculpture bundle, and the new PAC-MAN MUSEUM+ game.
Most of this sounds (and looks) like typical gamer kitsch. But it would be a great way to transform your gaming nook/bedroom into some kind of PAC shrine. You find details of how to enter on the official PAC-MAN Twitter account.
And if you’re thirsting to play some PAC-MAN, then you don’t even need to leave your browser. Type in PAC-MAN Doodle into Google, and you can still play Google’s 30th anniversary celebration game!