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The Citizen
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Chomp, chomp, Pac-Man turns 45, where were you?
Mastering Pac-Man got your name on the high-score screen and earned the envy of all those who tried to beat it. There were no touch screens, face recognition or fancy technology, just a joystick controller and a few buttons to play Pac-Man. Picture: Getty Images How old were you when the highly addictive Pac-Man arcade game was unveiled to the world? While the older generation may remember when the iconic yellow chomper made its debut, some of the Gen Zs remain clueless about the addiction of playing the game, not on a console or mobile phone, but at the game arcade or local corner shop after school or on a Saturday afternoon. No fancy tech There were no touch screens, face recognition or fancy technology, just a joystick controller and a few buttons. Kids would scrounge for coins in couches and every corner of the house to go and play Pac-Man. Mastering the game got your name on the high-score screen and earned the envy of all those who tried to beat it. The game was officially released on 22 May 1980 in Japanese arcades before launching in the United States in October that year. WATCH The iconic Pac-Man turns 45 on Thursday ALSO READ: Why playing video games might be the best thing for your brain Best-selling According to the National Museum of Play, Pac-Man is the best-selling arcade video game ever, transcending generations and new advancements in technology. ABC aired an animated television show, and the song 'Pac-Man Fever' surged to the top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100 chart in March 1982. 'Pac-Mania' set the stage for later video game icons such as Mario and Sonic. Bandai Namco Entertainment America, the maker of the game, said it is commemorating the 45th anniversary of the game 'with an unprecedented year-long campaign', USA Today reported. Creator Pac-Man (or Puck Man as it was known in Japan) made video games a mass cultural phenomenon. Created by programmer Toru Iwatani in 1980 and released by Namco in Japan and Midway in the United States, Pac-Man's yellow, pizza-shaped title character and four colourful ghosts injected personality into video gaming. Since its release, Pac-Man and its many variations and sequels have munched their way into countless arcades, homes and new digital spaces. Television series In 2013, Namco and Disney launched Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, a new animated television series, video game, and toy line that introduced Pac-Man to a new generation. In 2015 a Super Bowl ad featured a Bud Light-drinking hero evading Pinky, Blinky, Inky, and Clyde. According to designer Toru Iwatani, the name Pac-Man derives from the Japanese 'paku-paku', an onomatopoeic term for eating, and that he designed the character by rounding out the Japanese character for mouth, kuchi. ALSO READ: Roblox Exposed: Risks to children playing Roblox concerning
Japan Today
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Krispy Kreme Japan has Pac-Man donuts to celebrate video game star's 45th birthday
By Casey Baseel, SoraNews24 There's a big birthday in the video game world coming up this month, as May 22 will mark the 45th anniversary of the arcade release of developer Namco's original Pac-Man arcade game. And while many people celebrate their birthday with cake, this year Pac-Man is one of those cultured individuals who instead will be opting for birthday donuts, specifically Pac-Man donuts, which are being offered by Krispy Kreme Japan. Three different treats are coming to salute the star who loves to eat, starting with the Pac-Man Custard Sprinkle, which puts a swirl of custard cream and sprinkles in the color of Pac-Man's ghost adversaries atop the ring, and also gives you a Pac-Man shaped monaka wafer. Speaking of the ghosts, they get their turn in the spotlight on the Ghost Chocolate donut, with a ghost monaka lurking inside the lines of a maze drawn in vanilla custard lines, and a chocolate cream filling inside the hole-less donut. The final Pac-Man donut, called the Power Strawberry, is a more subtle nod to in-the-know fans, who will recognize this as not just any strawberry, but the second in the series of point-granting bonus items that periodically appear within the game's maze. ▼ The Power Strawberry features a tart strawberry cream, sweeter strawberry icing, cream 'leaves,' and sprinkled sugar. The Pac-Man Custard Sprinkle and Ghost Chocolate are both priced at 410 yen, while the Power Strawberry is just 388 yen. You can also get them together in a Pac-Man Box set for 1,177 yen, 31 yen cheaper than buying them individually. ▼ Pictured: financial wisdom in donut form Or, if you're in the mood for not one, not three, but six donuts, Krispy Kreme also has the Pac-Man Half-dozen set, for 1,825 yen. This gets you one of each of the threePac-Man donuts, two Original Glazed donuts, and one chocolate sprinkle donut. While supplies last they come in a cool collaboration box, which you'll probably want to be careful not to smear chocolate on so that you can reuse or display it. Also while supplies last, purchasing the Pac-Man Half Dozen gets you a sticker, some of which are marked as winners that will get you one more Original Glazed for free. For fans of donuts and games, the urge to run to your nearest Krispy Kreme branch to try these is no doubt strong, but for those who can make the trip to the donut chain's Shibuya Cine Tower branch in Tokyo's downtown Shibuya neighborhood, you'll get to see the place decked out in Pac-Man interior decorations. The Pac-Man donuts go on sale May 14, and will be available for a limited time. Related: Krispy Kreme Shibuya Cine Tower branch Source: Krispy Kreme, PR Times Images: Krispy Kreme Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- Awesome Halloween Krispy Kreme donuts will make you a treat-giving hero -- Starbucks Japan releases new Stanley bottles and exclusive drinkware at Reserve Roastery Tokyo -- Kentucky Fried Chicken set to open all-you-can eat buffet restaurant in Japan External Link © SoraNews24
SoraNews24
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Krispy Kreme Japan has Pac-Man donuts to celebrate video game star's 45th birthday
Making 'waka-waka' noises as you eat them is optional, but very tempting. There's a big birthday in the video game world coming up this month, as May 22 will mark the 45th anniversary of the arcade release of developer Namco's original Pac-Man arcade game. And while many people celebrate their birthday with cake, this year Pac-Man is one of those cultured individuals who instead will be opting for birthday donuts, specifically Pac-Man donuts, which are being offered by Krispy Kreme Japan. Three different treats are coming to salute the star who loves to eat, starting with the Pac-Man Custard Sprinkle, which puts a swirl of custard cream and sprinkles in the color of Pac-Man's ghost adversaries atop the ring, and also gives you a Pac-Man shaped monaka wafer. Speaking of the ghosts, they get their turn in the spotlight on the Ghost Chocolate donut, with a ghost monaka lurking inside the lines of a maze drawn in vanilla custard lines, and a chocolate cream filling inside the hole-less donut. The final Pac-Man donut, called the Power Strawberry, is a more subtle nod to in-the-know fans, who will recognize this as not just any strawberry, but the second in the series of point-granting bonus items that periodically appear within the game's maze. ▼ The Power Strawberry features a tart strawberry cream, sweeter strawberry icing, cream 'leaves,' and sprinkled sugar. The Pac-Man Custard Sprinkle and Ghost Chocolate are both priced at 410 yen (US$2.80), while the Power Strawberry is just 388 yen. You can also get them together in a Pac-Man Box set for 1,177 yen, 31 yen cheaper than buying them individually. ▼ Pictured: financial wisdom in donut form Or, if you're in the mood for not one, not three, but six donuts, Krispy Kreme also has the Pac-Man Half-dozen set, for 1,825 yen. This gets you one of each of the three Pac-Man donuts, two Original Glazed donuts, and one chocolate sprinkle donut. While supplies last they come in a cool collaboration box, which you'll probably want to be careful not to smear chocolate on so that you can reuse or display it. Also while supplies last, purchasing the Pac-Man Half Dozen gets you a sticker, some of which are marked as winners that will get you one more Original Glazed for free. For fans of donuts and games, the urge to run to your nearest Krispy Kreme branch to try these is no doubt strong, but for those who can make the trip to the donut chain's Shibuya Cine Tower branch in Tokyo's downtown Shibuya neighborhood, you'll get to see the place decked out in Pac-Man interior decorations. The Pac-Man donuts go on sale March 14, and will be available for a limited time. Related: Krispy Kreme Shibuya Cine Tower branch Source: Krispy Kreme, PR Times Images: Krispy Kreme ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
