Latest news with #ToruIwatani
The Advertiser
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Pac-Man turns 45, timeless icon still going strong
On May 22 1980, Pac-Man first hit arcades in Japan, launching what would become one of the most legendary franchises in video game history. With its deceptively simple maze-chase gameplay and colourful ghost enemies, Pac-Man captivated an entire generation and permanently transformed the entertainment landscape. "Pac-Man is the most enduring and recognisable icon in gaming history. It's the character that has been around the longest. Everyone knows its shape, it has appeared in over 200 games," said Jose Carlos Tapia, Marketing Director at Bandai Namco, the company behind the iconic title. From the moment it debuted in arcades, Pac-Man became an unprecedented success. The game set two Guinness World Records: one for the most arcade machines sold, about 300,000 in the first seven years, and another for the highest arcade revenue. For the uninitiated, Pac-Man known as "ghost-eater" is a yellow circle that must eat all the dots in a maze while being chased by four uniquely-behaved ghosts. Along the way, Pac-Man can eat fruit for bonus points or grab power pellets that make the ghosts temporarily vulnerable. The character was born from the imagination of Japanese game designer Toru Iwatani, who wanted to create a game based on eating. Initially called Puck-Man (inspired by the Japanese onomatopoeia "paku-paku", the sound of munching), the name was later changed to Pac-Man for Western audiences. "Iwatani had the concept and elements like fruit already in mind, but not the character. One day while eating pizza, he noticed a missing slice and instantly envisioned a character shaped like that, simple, friendly, and food-related," Tapia said. Far from fading into nostalgia, Pac-Man continues to evolve. In July, the character will co-star in a new title called Shadow Labyrinth, and his signature "cameos" in hit games like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. will keep him relevant for new generations. On May 22 1980, Pac-Man first hit arcades in Japan, launching what would become one of the most legendary franchises in video game history. With its deceptively simple maze-chase gameplay and colourful ghost enemies, Pac-Man captivated an entire generation and permanently transformed the entertainment landscape. "Pac-Man is the most enduring and recognisable icon in gaming history. It's the character that has been around the longest. Everyone knows its shape, it has appeared in over 200 games," said Jose Carlos Tapia, Marketing Director at Bandai Namco, the company behind the iconic title. From the moment it debuted in arcades, Pac-Man became an unprecedented success. The game set two Guinness World Records: one for the most arcade machines sold, about 300,000 in the first seven years, and another for the highest arcade revenue. For the uninitiated, Pac-Man known as "ghost-eater" is a yellow circle that must eat all the dots in a maze while being chased by four uniquely-behaved ghosts. Along the way, Pac-Man can eat fruit for bonus points or grab power pellets that make the ghosts temporarily vulnerable. The character was born from the imagination of Japanese game designer Toru Iwatani, who wanted to create a game based on eating. Initially called Puck-Man (inspired by the Japanese onomatopoeia "paku-paku", the sound of munching), the name was later changed to Pac-Man for Western audiences. "Iwatani had the concept and elements like fruit already in mind, but not the character. One day while eating pizza, he noticed a missing slice and instantly envisioned a character shaped like that, simple, friendly, and food-related," Tapia said. Far from fading into nostalgia, Pac-Man continues to evolve. In July, the character will co-star in a new title called Shadow Labyrinth, and his signature "cameos" in hit games like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. will keep him relevant for new generations. On May 22 1980, Pac-Man first hit arcades in Japan, launching what would become one of the most legendary franchises in video game history. With its deceptively simple maze-chase gameplay and colourful ghost enemies, Pac-Man captivated an entire generation and permanently transformed the entertainment landscape. "Pac-Man is the most enduring and recognisable icon in gaming history. It's the character that has been around the longest. Everyone knows its shape, it has appeared in over 200 games," said Jose Carlos Tapia, Marketing Director at Bandai Namco, the company behind the iconic title. From the moment it debuted in arcades, Pac-Man became an unprecedented success. The game set two Guinness World Records: one for the most arcade machines sold, about 300,000 in the first seven years, and another for the highest arcade revenue. For the uninitiated, Pac-Man known as "ghost-eater" is a yellow circle that must eat all the dots in a maze while being chased by four uniquely-behaved ghosts. Along the way, Pac-Man can eat fruit for bonus points or grab power pellets that make the ghosts temporarily vulnerable. The character was born from the imagination of Japanese game designer Toru Iwatani, who wanted to create a game based on eating. Initially called Puck-Man (inspired by the Japanese onomatopoeia "paku-paku", the sound of munching), the name was later changed to Pac-Man for Western audiences. "Iwatani had the concept and elements like fruit already in mind, but not the character. One day while eating pizza, he noticed a missing slice and instantly envisioned a character shaped like that, simple, friendly, and food-related," Tapia said. Far from fading into nostalgia, Pac-Man continues to evolve. In July, the character will co-star in a new title called Shadow Labyrinth, and his signature "cameos" in hit games like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. will keep him relevant for new generations. On May 22 1980, Pac-Man first hit arcades in Japan, launching what would become one of the most legendary franchises in video game history. With its deceptively simple maze-chase gameplay and colourful ghost enemies, Pac-Man captivated an entire generation and permanently transformed the entertainment landscape. "Pac-Man is the most enduring and recognisable icon in gaming history. It's the character that has been around the longest. Everyone knows its shape, it has appeared in over 200 games," said Jose Carlos Tapia, Marketing Director at Bandai Namco, the company behind the iconic title. From the moment it debuted in arcades, Pac-Man became an unprecedented success. The game set two Guinness World Records: one for the most arcade machines sold, about 300,000 in the first seven years, and another for the highest arcade revenue. For the uninitiated, Pac-Man known as "ghost-eater" is a yellow circle that must eat all the dots in a maze while being chased by four uniquely-behaved ghosts. Along the way, Pac-Man can eat fruit for bonus points or grab power pellets that make the ghosts temporarily vulnerable. The character was born from the imagination of Japanese game designer Toru Iwatani, who wanted to create a game based on eating. Initially called Puck-Man (inspired by the Japanese onomatopoeia "paku-paku", the sound of munching), the name was later changed to Pac-Man for Western audiences. "Iwatani had the concept and elements like fruit already in mind, but not the character. One day while eating pizza, he noticed a missing slice and instantly envisioned a character shaped like that, simple, friendly, and food-related," Tapia said. Far from fading into nostalgia, Pac-Man continues to evolve. In July, the character will co-star in a new title called Shadow Labyrinth, and his signature "cameos" in hit games like Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. will keep him relevant for new generations.
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
