Pac-Man

A one paragraph summary of game. Short and basic summary. What kind of game? When was it played? etc.

Also:

- Published by: Namco, Midway
- Developed by: Namco

Designer: Toru Iwatani - Game designer
- Platform: Arcade
- Year Released: 1980
- Significant Contributors to Game Development: First game that widely appealed to both genders, considered as one of he classics of the medium, and synonymous with video games, and a icon of 1980's pop culture, a social phenomenon with merchandise and also inspired a animated series and a top ten hit single. It created a new genre, often considered a landmark in video game history, and among the most famous arcade games of all time, and his the high brand awareness of any video game characters.
- Genre: Maze
- Other Games in Series: Ms. Pac-Man (1981), Super Pac- Man (1982), Pac-Man Plus (1982), Jr. Pac-Man (1983), Pac & Pal (1983), Pac-Land (1984), Pac-Mania (1987), Pac-In-Time (1994), Pac-Man 2 (1994), Pac-Man VR (1996), Pac-Man World (1999), Pac-Man Adventures in Time (2000), Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness (2000), Ms. Pac-Man Quest for the Golden Maze (2001), Pac-Man All-Stars (2002), Pac-Man Fever (2002), Pac-Man World 2 (2002), Pac-Man vs. (2003), Ms. Pac-Man - Maze Madness (2004), Pac-Man World 3 (2005), Pac'n Roll (2005), Pac-Pix (2005)

History

Where does this come from and when and how did it develop? Anything significant about this game or its development historically?

Developed by a young employee of Namco, Toru Iwatani began Pac-Man in April of 1979, over an eighteen mon

th period with

a nine man team. In Japan the title was pronounced pakku-man and was inspired by the Japanese phrase paku-paku taberu, where it describes the sound of the mouth when opened widely and closed in succession. His original design called for a pizza with a wedge missing for a mouth running around a maze devouring everything in sight. However due to the tech restraints at the time the programming team led by Hideyuki Mokajima had to perform a graphics scale back to a simple yellow circle but kept the mouth. Pac-man is really Munch-Man in japanese. With its distribution deal with Namco, Bally/Midway had the first option to license the game for the US, buy the newly appointed president Robert Mullane tried to decline the offer unimpressed by the silliness of the game and was practically forced by fellow executive to accept the North American Puckman license.

Game Design Elements

A summary of the game design elements of this game.

Gameplay

The player guides Pac-man around a maze and eats dots placed along the maze. In each corner of the square playfield is a large dot that when eaten will turn the ghosts blue for a brief period, during which time the tables turn and Pac-Man can eat the ghosts (each with varying levels of hunting skills), leaving only the apparently indigestible eyes which make their way back to the cage for reincarnation into another ghost. During every screen a treat appears for the player under the ghost-cage, in the form of fruit or a bell or some other symbol waiting to be devoured. Every time Pac-Man eats something he is awarded with a set number of points. With each successive screen the ghosts get faster and their time of blue-invulneribility less. When all dots are eaten player advances to the next stage.

Controls

The game uses simple controls with only a four-position joystick needed to guide Pac-Man around the maze.

Plot

Players find themselves guiding Pac-man around a single maze eating dots, while avoiding the four ghosts Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde, who escape from a cage in the middle of the screen and will end our little yellow friend's life if they touch him.

Characters

Pac-Man-Yellow pizza

Inky-Bashful blue ghost, fickle

Blinky-Shadow red ghost, chaser

Pinky-Speedy pink ghost, ambusher

Clyde-Pokey orange ghost, stupid

Art

Visual

The game has a very distinct flat look, originally planned to look more like a cartoon than that of a video game. It has a bright color scheme of characters on top of a black background.

Between certain rounds, funny intermissions will be played featuring Pac-Man and the ghosts in funny situations. 3 intermissions are present :

1) Blinky chases Pac-Man across the screen and off the side. Then he re-appears running in the opposite direction, having turned blue, followed by a giant Pac-Man! This intermission is played after Round 2.

2) Blinky is again chasing Pac-Man, but this time he rips his red sheet on a nail on the ground, and we can see his pink body under the sheet! This intermission is played after Round 5.

3) Blinky chases Pac-Man across the screen once more, this time with his sheet sewn. They disappear at the left side and then Blinky reappears coming back the opposite direction. This time he is bare and drags his sheet behind him. This intermission is played after Rounds 9, 13 and 17.

Sound

Before the game begins it plays a distinctive tune recognized as the Pac-Man theme.

Tension is added with a steady whining sound effect that increases in pitch as the game is

played. Sound cues are played when Pac-man touches a ghost or eats.

References

A bulleted list of references

- http://www.thedoteaters.com/p2_stage4.php
- http://www.salon.com/entertainment/masterpiece/2002/06/17/pac_man/print.html
- http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=pac-man&page=detail&id=1914
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pac_man