View source for Pac-Man

{{short description|1980 video game}}
{{About|the video game|the character|Pac-Man (character)|the series of games|Pac-Man (franchise){{!}}''Pac-Man'' (franchise)|other uses}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Pac-Man
| image = Pac flyer.png
| caption = North American arcade flyer
| developer = [[Namco]]
| publisher = {{vgrelease|JP/DE|Namco<ref>{{cite web |title=Video Game Flyers: Puck Man, Namco (Germany) |url=https://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=thumbs&db=videodb&id=3286 |website=The Arcade Flyer Archive |access-date=8 April 2021}}</ref>|NA/FRA|[[Midway Games|Midway]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Video Game Flyers: Pac-Man, Midway Manufacturing Co. (France) |url=https://flyers.arcade-museum.com/?page=thumbs&db=videodb&id=3136 |website=The Arcade Flyer Archive |access-date=8 April 2021}}</ref>}}
| designer = [[Toru Iwatani]]
| programmer = Shigeo Funaki<br />Shigeichi Ishimura
| composer = Shigeichi Ishimura<br />Toshio Kai
| artist = [[Hiroshi Ono (artist)|Hiroshi Ono]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.siliconera.com/former-namco-pixel-artist-hiroshi-mr-dotman-ono-has-died/|title=Former Namco Pixel Artist Hiroshi 'Mr. Dotman' Ono Has Died|website=[[Siliconera]]|date=October 17, 2021|access-date=October 17, 2021|last=Kiya|first=Andrew}}</ref>
| platforms = {{collapsible list|title=[[Arcade video game|Arcade]]|[[Atari 2600]], [[Atari 5200]], [[Apple II]], [[Atari 8-bit]], [[MSX]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Commodore 64]], [[VIC-20]], [[Intellivision]], [[ZX Spectrum]], [[TI-99/4A]], [[IBM PC]], [[Game Boy]], [[Game Gear]], [[Game Boy Color]], [[Neo Geo Pocket Color]], [[Mobile phone]], [[Game Boy Advance]], [[iPod Touch]], [[Xbox 360]], [[PlayStation 4]], [[Xbox One]], [[iOS]], [[Android (operating system)|Android]]}}
| released = {{vgrelease|JP|May 22, 1980<ref name="Pac-Man Official Website">{{cite web |title=Pac-Man Official Website – History |url=https://pacman.com/en/history/ |website=Pac-Man Official Website |access-date=26 April 2022}}</ref>|US|October 1980<ref name="Pac-Man Official Website"></ref>}}
| genre = [[Maze video game|Maze]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[multiplayer]]
| series = ''[[List of Pac-Man video games|Pac-Man]]''
}}

'''''Pac-Man,''''' originally called {{nihongo foot|'''''Puck Man'''''|パックマン|Pakkuman|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} in Japan, is a 1980 [[maze video game]] developed and published by [[Namco]] for [[Arcade video game|arcades]]. In North America, the game was released by [[Midway Manufacturing]] as part of its licensing agreement with Namco America. The player controls [[Pac-Man (character)|Pac-Man]], who must eat all the dots inside an enclosed maze while avoiding [[Ghosts (Pac-Man)|four colored ghosts]]. Eating large flashing dots called "Power Pellets" causes the ghosts to temporarily turn blue, allowing Pac-Man to eat the ghosts for bonus points.

Game development began in early 1979, led by [[Toru Iwatani]] with a nine-man team. Iwatani wanted to create a game that could appeal to women as well as men, because most video games of the time had themes that appealed to traditionally masculine interests, such as war or sports.{{sfn|Lammers|1986|page=265}}<ref name="pac-man-at-40">{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/style/article/pac-man-40-anniversary-history/index.html |title=Pac-Man at 40: The eating icon that changed gaming history|last=Prisco|first=Jacopo|date=2020-05-21|website=cnn.com|publisher=[[CNN]]|access-date=2023-01-23}}</ref> Although the inspiration for the Pac-Man character was the image of a pizza with a slice removed, Iwatani has said he rounded out the Japanese character for mouth, '''kuchi''' ({{langx|ja|[[wikt:口|口]]}}). The in-game characters were made to be cute and colorful to appeal to younger players. The original Japanese title of ''Puck Man'' was derived from the Japanese phrase ''paku paku taberu'', which refers to gobbling something up; the title was changed to ''Pac-Man'' for the North American release due to fears of [[Vandalism|vandal]]s defacing cabinets by converting the ''P'' into an ''F'', as in ''[[fuck]]''.<ref name="pac-man-at-40" />

''Pac-Man'' was a widespread critical and commercial success, leading to several sequels, merchandise, and two television series, as well as a hit single, "[[Pac-Man Fever (song)|Pac-Man Fever]]", by [[Buckner & Garcia]]. The character of Pac-Man has become the official mascot of Namco and later [[Bandai Namco Entertainment]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-10-16 |title=Pacman: The Phenomenon - Part 1 - Classic Gaming |url=http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=249 |access-date=2023-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016203822/http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=249 |archive-date=October 16, 2007 }}</ref> The game remains one of the highest-grossing and best-selling games, generating more than $14&nbsp;billion in revenue ({{as of|2016|lc=yes}}) and 43&nbsp;million units in sales combined, and has an enduring commercial and cultural legacy, commonly listed as one of the [[List of video games considered the best|greatest video games of all time]].

==Gameplay==
<div style="image-rendering: pixelated;">[[File:Pac-Man gameplay (1x pixel-perfect recreation).png|thumb|left|224px|In-game screenshot. The ghosts are chasing Pac-Man. At bottom left is the player's life count, and at bottom right the level icon (in this case a cherry). At top is the player's score.]]</div>

''Pac-Man'' is an [[Action game|action]]<ref name="Maynard"/> [[List of maze chase games|maze chase]] video game; the player controls [[Pac-Man (character)|the eponymous character]] through an enclosed maze. The objective of the game is to eat all of the dots placed in the maze while avoiding [[Ghosts (Pac-Man)|four colored ghosts]]—Blinky (red), Pinky (pink), Inky (cyan), and Clyde (orange)—who pursue Pac-Man. When Pac-Man eats all of the dots, the player advances to the next level. Levels are indicated by fruit icons at the bottom of the screen. In between levels are short cutscenes featuring Pac-Man and Blinky in humorous, comical situations.

If Pac-Man is caught by a ghost, he loses a life; the game ends when all lives are lost. Each of the four ghosts has its own unique [[artificial intelligence]] (A.I.), or "personality": Blinky gives direct chase to Pac-Man; Pinky and Inky try to position themselves in front of Pac-Man, usually by cornering him; and Clyde switches between chasing and fleeing from Pac-Man depending on his distance from him.<ref name="CNBC.com">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2011/03/03/five-things-you-never-knew-about-pacman.html |title=Five Things You Never Knew About Pac-Man |author=Chris Morris|date=2011-03-03 |website=[[CNBC]] |access-date=2022-11-08|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015061417/https://www.cnbc.com/id/41888021 |archive-date=October 15, 2012}}</ref>

Placed near the four corners of the maze are large flashing "energizers" or "power pellets". When Pac-Man eats one, the ghosts turn blue with a dizzied expression and reverse direction. Pac-Man can eat blue ghosts for bonus points; when a ghost is eaten, its eyes make their way back to the center box in the maze, where the ghost "regenerates" and resumes its normal activity. Eating multiple blue ghosts in succession increases their point value. After a certain amount of time, blue-colored ghosts flash white before turning back into their normal forms. Eating a certain number of dots in a level causes a bonus item—usually a fruit—to appear underneath the center box; the item can be eaten for bonus points. To the sides of the maze are two "warp tunnels", which allow Pac-Man and the ghosts to travel to the opposite side of the screen. Ghosts become slower when entering and exiting these tunnels.

The game increases in difficulty as the player progresses: the ghosts become faster, and the energizers' effect decreases in duration, eventually disappearing entirely. An [[integer overflow]] causes the 256th level to load improperly, rendering it impossible to complete.<ref>{{cite book |title=Cult Fiction |last1=Dwyer |first1=James |last2=Dwyer |first2=Brendan |publisher=Paused Books |year=2014 |isbn=9780992988401 |page=14}}</ref> This is known as a [[kill screen]].

{{clear}}

==Development==
After acquiring the struggling Japanese division of [[Atari]] in 1974, video game developer [[Namco]] began producing its own video games in-house, as opposed to licensing them from other developers and distributing them in Japan.<ref name="nytimes nakamura">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/30/business/pac-man-masaya-nakamura-dead.html?_r=0 |title=Masaya Nakamura, Whose Company Created Pac-Man, Dies at 91 |first=Jonathan |last=Sobel |date=January 30, 2017 |access-date=January 30, 2017 |work=[[New York Times]]}}</ref><ref name="Ultimate History"/> Company president [[Masaya Nakamura (businessman)|Masaya Nakamura]] created a small video game development group within the company and ordered them to study several [[NEC]]-produced microcomputers to potentially create games with.<ref name="AAN">{{cite book |author1=Microcomputer BASIC Editorial Department |title=All About Namco |date=December 1986 |publisher=Dempa Shimbun |isbn=978-4885541070 |language=ja}}</ref><ref name="Supercade">{{cite book |title=Supercade |last=Burnham |first=Van |year=2001 |publisher=MIT Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=0-262-02492-6 |page=181}}</ref> One of the first people assigned to this division was a 24-year-old employee named [[Toru Iwatani]].<ref name="Programmers At Work"/> He created Namco's first video game ''[[Gee Bee (video game)|Gee Bee]]'' in 1978, which while unsuccessful helped the company gain a stronger foothold in the quickly growing video game industry.<ref name="4Gamer">{{cite web |last1=Kurokawa |first1=Fumio |title=ビデオゲームの語り部たち 第4部：石村繁一氏が語るナムコの歴史と創業者・中村雅哉氏の魅力 |url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/999/G999905/20180313040/ |language=ja |website=[[4Gamer]] |publisher=Aetas |access-date=2 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801205701/https://www.4gamer.net/games/999/G999905/20180313040/ |archive-date=1 August 2019 |date=17 March 2018}}</ref><ref name="Akagi">{{cite book|last=Masumi|first= Akagi |title=It Started With Pong |publisher=Amusement News Agency |year=2005 |pages=183–184}}</ref> He assisted in the production of two sequels, ''[[Bomb Bee]]'' and ''[[Cutie Q]]'', both released in 1979.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bomb Bee - Videogame by Namco |url=http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7179 |website=[[Killer List of Videogames]] |publisher=The International Arcade Museum |access-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802063946/http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7179 |archive-date=2 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Cutie Q - Videogame by Namco |url=https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7462 |website=[[Killer List of Videogames]] |publisher=The International Arcade Museum |access-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016144809/https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7462 |archive-date=16 October 2017}}</ref>

[[File:Toru Iwatani, creator of Pac-Man, at GDC 2011 (cropped to upper body).jpg|thumb|right|Creator of ''Pac-Man'', [[Toru Iwatani]], at the 2011 [[Game Developers Conference]]]]
The Japanese video game industry had surged in popularity with games such as ''[[Space Invaders]]'' and ''[[Breakout (video game)|Breakout]]'', which led to the market being flooded with similar titles from other manufacturers in an attempt to cash in on the success.<ref name="Eurogamer Interview"/><ref name="Iwatani">{{cite book|last=Iwatani |first=Toru |title=Introduction to Pac-Man's Game Science |publisher=[[Enterbrain]] |year=2005 |page=33}}</ref> Iwatani felt that arcade games only appealed to men for their crude graphics and violence,<ref name="Eurogamer Interview"/> and that arcades in general were seen as seedy environments.<ref name="Time"/> For his next project, Iwatani chose to create a non-violent, cheerful video game that appealed mostly to women,<ref name="Power-Up"/> as he believed that attracting women and couples into arcades would potentially make them appear to be much more family-friendly in tone.<ref name="Eurogamer Interview"/> Iwatani began thinking of things that women liked to do in their time; he decided to center his game around eating, basing this on women liking to eat desserts and other sweets.<ref name="Q&A"/> His game was initially called ''Pakkuman'', based on the Japanese onomatopoeia term "paku paku taberu",<ref>{{cite web |title=Top 25 Smartest Moves in Gaming |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/july03/25smartest/index6.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218003840/http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/july03/25smartest/index6.shtml |archive-date=February 18, 2009 |publisher=Gamespy.com |access-date=July 26, 2010}}</ref> referencing the mouth movement of opening and closing in succession.<ref name="Power-Up">{{cite book| first=Chris | last=Kohler |year=2005|title=Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life|publisher=[[BradyGames]]|pages=51–52|isbn=0-7440-0424-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=auMTAQAAIAAJ|access-date=July 16, 2019}}</ref>

The game that later became ''Pac-Man'' began development in early 1979 and took a year and five months to complete, the longest for a video game up to that point.<ref name="Dossier">{{cite web |last1=Pittman |first1=Jamey |title=The Pac-Man Dossier |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/the-pac-man-dossier |website=Gamasutra |access-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109075706/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/132330/the_pacman_dossier.php |archive-date=9 January 2020 |url-status=live |date=23 February 2009}}</ref> Iwatani enlisted the help of nine other Namco employees to assist in production, including composer Toshio Kai, programmer Shigeo Funaki, and hardware engineer Shigeichi Ishimura.<ref name="Szczepaniak">{{cite book |last1=Szczepaniak |first1=John |title=The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers |date=11 August 2014 |isbn=978-0992926007 |pages=201 |publisher=SMG Szczepaniak |edition=First |url=https://archive.org/details/TheUntoldHistoryOfJapaneseGameDevelopersVol.2JohnSzczepaniak/page/n361?q=cutie+q |access-date=12 August 2019}}</ref> Care was taken to make the game appeal to a "non-violent" audience, particularly women, with its usage of simple gameplay and cute, attractive character designs.<ref name="Dossier"/><ref name="Time"/> When the game was being developed, Namco was underway with designing ''[[Galaxian]]'', which used a then-revolutionary RGB color display, allowing sprites to use several colors at once instead of using colored strips of cellophane that was commonplace at the time;<ref name="Dossier"/> this technological accomplishment allowed Iwatani to greatly enhance his game with bright pastel colors, which he felt would help attract players.<ref name="Dossier"/> The idea for energizers was a concept Iwatani borrowed from [[Popeye the Sailor]], a cartoon character that temporarily acquires superhuman strength after eating a can of spinach;<ref name="Q&A"/> it is believed that Iwatani was partly inspired by a Japanese children's story about a creature that protected children from monsters by devouring them.<ref name="Dossier"/> Frank Fogleman, the co-founder of [[Gremlin Industries]], believes that the maze-chase gameplay of ''Pac-Man'' was inspired by [[Sega]]'s ''[[Head On (video game)|Head On]]'' (1979), a similar arcade game that was popular in Japan.<ref name="Horowitz 2018 p3-6">{{Cite book|title=The Sega Arcade Revolution, A History in 62 Games|last=Horowitz|first=Ken|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|year=2018|isbn=978-1-4766-3196-7|ref=refHorowitz2018|pages=24–26}}</ref>

Iwatani has often claimed that the character of Pac-Man was designed after the shape of a pizza with a missing slice while he was at lunch; in a 1986 interview he said that this was only half-true,<ref name="Programmers At Work">{{cite book |last=Lammers |first=Susan M. |title=Programmers at Work: Interviews |year=1986 |page=[https://archive.org/details/programmersatwor00lamm_0/page/266 266] |publisher=Microsoft Press |location=New York |isbn=0-914845-71-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/programmersatwor00lamm_0/page/266 |url-access=registration}}</ref> and that the Pac-Man character was also based on him rounding out and simplifying the Japanese character "kuchi" ([[wikt:口|口]]), meaning "mouth".<ref name="salon"/><ref name="Programmers At Work"/> The four ghosts were made to be cute, colorful and appealing, using bright, pastel colors and expressive blue eyes.<ref name="Dossier"/> Iwatani had used this idea before in ''Cutie Q'', which features similar ghost-like characters, and decided to incorporate it into ''Pac-Man''.<ref name="Eurogamer Interview">{{cite web |last1=Purchese |first1=Robert |title=Iwatani: Pac-Man was made for women |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/iwatani-pac-man-was-made-for-women |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=19 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190304181633/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/iwatani-pac-man-was-made-for-women |archive-date=4 March 2019 |date=20 May 2010}}</ref> He was inspired by the television series ''[[Casper the Friendly Ghost]]'' and the manga ''[[Little Ghost Q-Taro|Obake no Q-Taro]]''.<ref name="Q&A"/> Ghosts were chosen as the game's main antagonists because they were used as villainous characters in animation.<ref name="Q&A">{{cite magazine |last1=Kohler |first1=Chris |title=Q&A: Pac-Man Creator Reflects on 30 Years of Dot-Eating |url=https://www.wired.com/2010/05/pac-man-30-years/ |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |access-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712174728/https://www.wired.com/2010/05/pac-man-30-years/ |archive-date=12 July 2019 |date=21 May 2010}}</ref> The idea for the fruit bonuses was based on graphics displayed on slot machines, which often use symbols such as cherries and bells.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Iwatani |first1=Toru |title=The Development of Pac-Man |url=https://www.glitterberri.com/developer-interviews/the-development-of-pacman/ |website=Game Staff List Association Japan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190213032515/https://www.glitterberri.com/developer-interviews/the-development-of-pacman/ |archive-date=February 13, 2019 |date=2003}}</ref>
Originally, Namco president Masaya Nakamura had requested that all of the ghosts be red and thus indistinguishable from one another.<ref name="Business Insider"/> Iwatani believed that the ghosts should be different colors, and he received unanimous support from his colleagues for this idea.<ref name="Business Insider">{{cite web |last1=England |first1=Lucy |title=When Pac-Man was invented there was a huge internal fight with the CEO over what colour the ghosts should be |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/pac-man-ghosts-were-almost-all-one-color-2015-6 |website=Business Insider |access-date=19 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807132255/http://www.businessinsider.com/pac-man-ghosts-were-almost-all-one-color-2015-6 |archive-date=7 August 2017 |date=11 June 2015}}</ref> The ghosts were programmed to have their own distinct personalities, so as to keep the game from becoming too boring or impossibly difficult to play.<ref name="Dossier"/><ref>{{cite journal |last=Mateas |first=Michael |title=Expressive AI: Games and Artificial Intelligence |url=http://www.lcc.gatech.edu/~mateas/publications/MateasDIGRA2003.pdf |year=2003 |journal=Proceedings of Level up: Digital Games Research Conference, Utrecht, Netherlands |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514225846/http://www.lcc.gatech.edu/~mateas/publications/MateasDIGRA2003.pdf |archive-date=May 14, 2012 |access-date=September 21, 2007 }}</ref> Each ghost's name gives a hint to its strategy for tracking down Pac-Man: Shadow ("Blinky") always chases Pac-Man, Speedy ("Pinky") tries to get ahead of him, Bashful ("Inky") uses a more complicated strategy to zero in on him, and Pokey ("Clyde") alternates between chasing him and running away.<ref name="Dossier"/> (The ghosts' Japanese names are おいかけ, ''chase''; まちぶせ, ''ambush''; きまぐれ, ''fickle''; and おとぼけ, ''playing dumb'', respectively.) To break up the tension of constantly being pursued, humorous intermissions between Pac-Man and Blinky were added.<ref name="Iwatani"/> The sound effects were among the last things added to the game,<ref name="Dossier"/> created by Toshio Kai.<ref name="Time">{{cite magazine |last1=Peckham |first1=Matt |title=Pac-Man Creator Toru Iwatani on the Character's Past and Future |url=https://time.com/3892662/pac-mans-35-years/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |publisher=[[Time Warner]] |access-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607072436/http://time.com/3892662/pac-mans-35-years/ |archive-date=7 June 2019 |date=22 May 2015}}</ref> In a design session, Iwatani noisily ate fruit and made gurgling noises to describe to Kai how he wanted the eating effect to sound.<ref name="Time"/> Upon completion, the game was titled ''Puck Man'', based on the working title.<ref name="Power-Up"/>

==Release==
Location testing for ''Puck Man'' began on May 22, 1980, in Shibuya, Tokyo. Non-gamers responded well to it, finding it easy to learn, while arcade regulars were not impressed.<ref name="Q&A"/> A private showing for the game was done in June, followed by a nationwide release in July.<ref name="Ultimate History"/> Eyeing the game's success in Japan, Namco initialized plans to bring the game to the international market, particularly the United States.<ref name="Dossier"/> Before showing the game to distributors, Namco America made a number of changes, such as altering the names of the ghosts.<ref name="Dossier"/> Another was the game's title, as executives at Namco were worried that vandals would change the "P" in ''Puck Man'' to an "F".<ref name="Ultimate History"/><ref>{{cite web |website=[[Kotaku]] |title=This Guy Has a Rare Arcade Cabinet. Is It Real? |author=Brian Ashcraft |date=October 27, 2011 |url=http://kotaku.com/5853782/this-guy-has-a-rare-arcade-cabinet-is-it-real/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520230643/http://kotaku.com/5853782/this-guy-has-a-rare-arcade-cabinet-is-it-real/ |archive-date=May 20, 2013}}</ref> Masaya Nakamura chose to rename it to ''Pac-Man'', as he felt it was closer to the game's original Japanese title of ''Pakkuman''.<ref name="Ultimate History"/> In Europe, the game was released under both titles.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=November 1981 |title=Arcade Action: Beat the Machine |url=https://www.solvalou.com/arcade/reviews/158/428 |magazine=[[Computer and Video Games]] |publisher=[[EMAP]] |location=United Kingdom |page=28 |issue=1}}</ref> After ''Puck Man'' was ruled out but before ''Pac-Man'' was decided upon, early American promotional material used the name ''Snapper''.<ref>{{cite web |website=Flyer Fever |title=Namco Video Games Catalog (1978-1980) |date=April 8, 2023 |url=https://www.flyerfever.com/namco-video-games-catalog-1978-1980/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231128203320/https://www.flyerfever.com/namco-video-games-catalog-1978-1980/ |archive-date=November 28, 2023}}</ref>

When Namco presented ''Pac-Man'' and ''[[Rally-X]]'' to potential distributors at the 1980 AMOA tradeshow in November,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1980/CB-1980-11-15.pdf|title=Coin Machines|date=15 November 1980|access-date=20 March 2020|agency=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]]}}</ref> executives believed that ''Rally-X'' would be the best-selling game of that year.<ref name="Ultimate History"/><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Atari Spectacularly Fails to Do the Math |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=26 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=February 1997 |page=47}}</ref> According to ''[[Play Meter]]'' magazine, both ''Pac-Man'' and ''Rally-X'' received mild attention at the show. Namco had initially approached [[Atari, Inc.|Atari]] to distribute ''Pac-Man'', but Atari refused the offer.<ref name="PM94">{{cite magazine |title=Pac-Man gobbles his way into the industry |magazine=[[Play Meter]] |date=December 1994 |volume=20 |issue=13 |pages=22, 24, 26 |url=https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-20-number-13-december-1994/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2020%2C%20Number%2013%20-%20December%201994/page/22}}</ref> [[Midway Manufacturing]] subsequently agreed to distribute both ''Pac-Man'' and ''Rally-X'' in North America, announcing their acquisition of the manufacturing rights on November 22<ref>{{cite news |title=Midway Bows New 'Pac-Man' Video |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1980/CB-1980-11-22.pdf |access-date=20 March 2020 |agency=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]] |date=22 November 1980 |page=42}}</ref> and releasing them in December.<ref>{{cite book |title=Midway Pac-Man Parts and Operating Manual |chapter-url=http://www.arcade-museum.com/manuals-videogames/P/Pac-Man.pdf |access-date=July 20, 2009 |date=December 1980 |publisher=[[Midway Games]] |location=Chicago, Illinois |chapter=Game Board Schematic |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923222824/http://www.arcade-museum.com/manuals-videogames/P/Pac-Man.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2015}}</ref>

==Ports==
''Pac-Man'' was ported to several home video game systems and personal computers; the most infamous of these is the 1982 [[Pac-Man (Atari 2600 video game)|Atari 2600 conversion]], designed by [[Tod Frye]] and published by [[Atari, Inc.]]<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Lapetino|first=Tim|date=2018|title=The Story of PAC-MAN on Atari 2600|journal=Retro Gamer Magazine|volume=179|pages=18–23}}</ref> This version of the game was widely criticized for its inaccurate portrayal of the arcade version and for its peculiar design choices, most notably the flickering effect of the ghosts.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Creating a World of Clones |newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |page=16 |date=October 9, 1983}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Thompson |first=Adam |title=The King of Video Games is a Woman |journal=Creative Computing Video and Arcade Games |volume=1 |issue=2 |page=65 |date=Fall 1983 |url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/cva/v1n2/mspacman.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706072650/http://www.atarimagazines.com/cva/v1n2/mspacman.php |archive-date=July 6, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ratcliff |first=Matthew |title=Classic Cartridges II |journal=Antic |volume=7 |issue=4 |page=24 |date=August 1988 |url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/v7n4/classicii.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100524113605/http://www.atarimagazines.com/v7n4/classicii.html |archive-date=May 24, 2010}}</ref> However, it was a commercial success, selling over seven million copies. Atari released versions for the [[Intellivision]], [[VIC-20]], [[Commodore 64]], [[Apple II]], [[IBM PC compatible]]s, [[TI-99/4A]], [[ZX Spectrum]], and the [[Atari 8-bit computers]]. A port for the [[Atari 5200]] was released in 1983, a version that is considered as a significant improvement over the Atari 2600 version.<ref name="Racing">{{cite book|title= Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System|last1=Montfort|first1=Nick|last2=Bogost|first2=Ian|publisher=[[MIT Press]]|year=2009|isbn=978-0-262-01257-7|pages=[https://archive.org/details/racingbeamatariv00mont_656/page/n78 66]–79|chapter=Pac-Man|title-link=Racing the Beam}}</ref>

Namco released a version for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Nintendo Famicom]] in 1984 as one of the console's first third-party titles,<ref name="FC Book">{{cite book |author1=Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography |author-link1=Tokyo Photographic Art Museum |title=Family Computer 1983 - 1994 |date=2003 |publisher=Otashuppan |location=Japan |isbn=4872338030}}</ref> as well as a port for the [[MSX]] computer.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dempa Micomsoft Super Soft Catalogue |url=https://archive.org/details/MicomsoftSuperSoftCatalogue19845/page/n3 |access-date=14 July 2019 |publisher=Dempa |date=May 1984 |page=4}}</ref> The Famicom version was later released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System by [[Tengen (company)|Tengen]], a subsidiary of [[Atari Games]]. Tengen produced an unlicensed version of the game in a black cartridge shell, released during a time when Tengen and Nintendo were in disagreements over the latter's stance on quality control for its consoles; this version was re-released by Namco as an official title in 1993, featuring a new cartridge label and box. The Famicom version was released for the [[Famicom Disk System]] in 1990 as a budget title for the Disk Writer kiosks in retail stores.<ref name="FC Book"/> The same year, Namco released a port of ''Pac-Man'' for the [[Game Boy]], which allowed for two-player co-operative play via the [[Game Link Cable]] peripheral. A version for the [[Game Gear]] was released a year later, which likewise enabled support for multiplayer. In celebration of the game's 20th anniversary in 1999, Namco re-released the Game Boy version for the [[Game Boy Color]], bundled with ''[[Pac-Attack]]'' and titled ''Pac-Man: Special Color Edition''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Harris |first1=Craig |title=Pac-Man: Special Color Edition |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/09/04/pac-man-special-color-edition |website=IGN |access-date=31 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181019163930/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/09/04/pac-man-special-color-edition |archive-date=19 October 2018 |date=3 September 1999}}</ref> The same year, Namco and [[SNK]] co-published a port for the [[Neo Geo Pocket Color]], which came with a circular "Cross Ring" that attached to the d-pad to restrict it to four-directional movement.<ref name="HGamer NGPC">{{cite web |last1=Hannley |first1=Steve |title=Pocket Power: Pac-Man |url=https://www.hardcoregamer.com/2013/07/06/pocket-power-pac-man/46429/ |website=Hardcore Gamer |access-date=2 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171207003802/https://www.hardcoregamer.com/2013/07/06/pocket-power-pac-man/46429/ |archive-date=7 December 2017 |date=6 July 2013}}</ref>

In 2001, Namco released a port of ''Pac-Man'' for various Japanese [[mobile phone]]s, being one of the company's first mobile game releases.<ref name="Softbank 1">{{cite web |author1=Softbank |title=「パックマン」「ギャラクシアン」が携帯電話に登場！ |url=https://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/games/gsnews/0101/18/news14.html |website=Soft Bank News |access-date=22 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527211901/https://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/games/gsnews/0101/18/news14.html |archive-date=27 May 2019 |date=18 January 2001}}</ref> The Famicom version of the game was re-released for the [[Game Boy Advance]] in 2004 as part of the ''Famicom Mini'' series, released to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Famicom; this version was released in North America and Europe under the ''[[Classic NES Series]]'' label.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Harris |first1=Craig |title=Classic NES Series: Pac-Man |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/06/04/classic-nes-series-pac-man |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=2 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430151748/https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/06/04/classic-nes-series-pac-man |archive-date=30 April 2019 |date=4 June 2004}}</ref> [[Namco Networks]] released ''Pac-Man'' for [[Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless|BREW]] mobile devices in 2005.<ref>{{cite news|title=Namco Networks' Pac-Man Franchise Surpasses 30&nbsp;Million Paid Transactions in the United States on Brew|url=http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/software-services-applications-internet/14737270-1.html|access-date=22 February 2012|agency=[[AllBusiness.com]]|year=2010}}</ref> The arcade original was released for the [[Xbox Live Arcade]] service in 2006, featuring achievements and online leaderboards. In 2009 a version for [[iOS]] devices was published; this release was rebranded as ''Pac-Man + Tournaments'' in 2013, featuring new mazes and leaderboards. The NES version was released for the [[Wii Virtual Console]] in 2007. A [[Roku]] version was released in 2011,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pierce |first1=David |title=Roku 2 gets new firmware, games; Pac-Man, Galaga, and more |url=https://www.theverge.com/2011/10/31/2526587/roku-2-firmware-update-games |website=[[The Verge]] |access-date=13 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113081212/http://www.theverge.com/2011/10/31/2526587/roku-2-firmware-update-games |archive-date=13 November 2016 |date=31 October 2011}}</ref> alongside a port of the Game Boy release for the [[3DS Virtual Console]]. ''Pac-Man'' was one of four titles released under the ''[[Arcade Game Series]]'' brand, which was published for the [[Xbox One]], [[PlayStation 4]] and [[Personal computer|PC]] in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Romano |first1=Sal |title=Bandai Namco bringing classic Arcade Game Series to PS4, Xbox One, and PC |url=http://gematsu.com/2015/12/bandai-namco-bringing-classic-arcade-game-series-ps4-xbox-one-pc |website=Gematsu |access-date=13 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020084020/http://gematsu.com/2015/12/bandai-namco-bringing-classic-arcade-game-series-ps4-xbox-one-pc |archive-date=20 October 2017 |date=21 December 2015}}</ref> In 2021, according to [[Nintendo Direct]], it was announced that [[Hamster Corporation]] would release ''Pac-Man'', along with ''[[Xevious]]'', for the [[Nintendo Switch]] and PlayStation 4 as part of its ''[[Arcade Archives]]'' series, marking the first two Namco games to be included as part of the series.

''Pac-Man'' is included in many [[List of Bandai Namco video game compilations|Namco compilations]], including ''[[Namco Museum Vol. 1]]'' (1995),<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Review Crew: Namco Arcade Classics |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=82|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=May 1996|page=34}}</ref> ''[[Namco Museum#Namco Museum 64 and Namco Museum (1999-2002)|Namco Museum 64]]'' (1999),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fielder |first1=Joe |title=Namco Museum 64 Review |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/namco-museum-64-review/1900-2544859/ |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=13 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512172203/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/namco-museum-64-review/1900-2544859/ |archive-date=12 May 2019 |date=28 April 2000}}</ref> ''[[Namco Museum Battle Collection]]'' (2005),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parish |first1=Jeremy |title=Namco Museum Battle Collection |url=http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3143275&did=1 |website=[[1UP.com]] |publisher=[[IGN]] |date=30 August 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603183328/http://www.1up.com/reviews/namco-museum_2 |archive-date=3 June 2016 |access-date=12 August 2020}}</ref> ''[[Namco Museum DS]]'' (2007), ''[[Namco Museum Essentials]]'' (2009),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roper |first1=Chris |title=Namco Museum Essentials Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/07/21/namco-museum-essentials-review |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=13 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429211839/https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/07/21/namco-museum-essentials-review |archive-date=29 April 2019 |date=21 July 2009}}</ref> and ''[[Namco Museum Megamix]]'' (2010).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Buchanan |first1=Levi |title=Namco Museum Megamix Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/11/22/namco-museum-megamix-review |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=14 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190216185805/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/11/22/namco-museum-megamix-review |archive-date=16 February 2019 |date=22 November 2010}}</ref> In 1996, it was re-released for arcades as part of ''[[Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2]]'', alongside ''[[Dig Dug]]'', ''[[Rally-X]]'' and special "Arrangement" remakes of all three titles.<ref>{{cite news |title=Retroview - Namco Classic Collection 2 |url=https://archive.org/details/edgeuk033/page/n65/mode/2up/search/Classic?q=Namco+Classic+Collection+Vol.+2 |access-date=3 March 2020 |agency=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |issue=33 |date=May 1996 |page=79}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Bobinator |title=Pac-Man Arrangement |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/pac-man-arrangement/ |website=Hardcore Gaming 101 |access-date=11 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819134929/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/pac-man-arrangement/ |archive-date=19 August 2019 |date=18 August 2019}}</ref> [[Microsoft]] included ''Pac-Man'' in ''[[Microsoft Return of Arcade]]'' (1995) as a way to help attract video game companies to its [[Windows 95]] operating system.<ref>{{cite news |title=Windows 95 Gets Into The Game |url=https://archive.org/details/ElectronicEntertainment20Aug1995? |access-date=12 August 2020 |agency=Electronic Entertainment |issue=20 |publisher=[[IDG Communications]] |date=August 1995 |page=48}}</ref> Namco released the game in the third volume of ''Namco History'' in Japan in 1998.<ref>{{cite web |title=キャラクターモノ大特集の「NAMCO HISTORY VOL.3」6月発売 |url=https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/980327/game.htm |website=PC Watch |publisher=Impress Group |access-date=12 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326204810/https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/980327/game.htm |archive-date=26 March 2016 |language=ja |date=27 March 1998}}</ref> The 2001 Game Boy Advance compilation ''[[Pac-Man Collection]]'' compiles ''Pac-Man'', ''[[Pac-Mania]]'', ''Pac-Attack'' and ''[[Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2#Pac-Man Arrangement|Pac-Man Arrangement]]'' onto one cartridge.<ref name="NL PM Collection">{{cite web |last1=Latshaw |first1=Tim |title=Pac-Man Collection |url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/wiiu-eshop/pac_man_collection_gba |website=[[Nintendo Life]] |access-date=1 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430001541/http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/wiiu-eshop/pac_man_collection_gba |archive-date=30 April 2019 |date=17 June 2014}}</ref> ''Pac-Man'' is a hidden extra in the arcade game ''Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga - Class of 1981'' (2001).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Harris |first1=John |title=Passing Through Ghosts in Pac-Man |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/passing-through-ghosts-in-pac-man |website=Gamasutra |access-date=13 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412124442/https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/JohnHarris/20170328/294597/Passing_Through_Ghosts_in_PacMan.php |archive-date=12 April 2019 |url-status=live |date=28 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga - Class of 1981 - Videogame by Namco |url=https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8784 |website=[[Killer List of Videogames]] |access-date=13 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190613234301/https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8784 |archive-date=13 June 2019}}</ref> A similar cabinet was released in 2005 that featured ''Pac-Man'' as the centerpiece.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pac-Man 25th Anniversary - Videogame by Namco |url=https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=13351 |website=[[Killer List of Videogames]] |access-date=13 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325035909/https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=13351 |archive-date=25 March 2019}}</ref> ''[[Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures]]'' (1993) and ''[[Pac-Man World 2]]'' (2002) have ''Pac-Man'' as an unlockable extra. Alongside the Xbox 360 remake ''[[Pac-Man Championship Edition]]'', it was ported to the [[Nintendo 3DS]] in 2012 as part of ''[[Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wahlgren |first1=Jon |title=Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions Review (3DS) |url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2011/07/pac_man_and_galaga_dimensions_3ds |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616231512/http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2011/07/pac_man_and_galaga_dimensions_3ds |archive-date=16 June 2019 |website=[[Nintendo Life]] |date=27 July 2011 |access-date=13 July 2019}}</ref> The 2010 [[Wii]] game ''[[Pac-Man Party]]'' and its 2011 3DS remake include ''Pac-Man'' as a bonus game, alongside the arcade versions of ''Dig Dug'' and ''[[Galaga]]''.<ref>{{cite web |author1=IGN Staff |title=Pac-Man Party has Gone Gold for Wii |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/10/25/pac-man-party-has-gone-gold-for-wii |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=13 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713195824/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/10/25/pac-man-party-has-gone-gold-for-wii |archive-date=13 July 2019 |date=25 October 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Zachary |title=Pac-Man Party 3D Review |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/28591/pac-man-party-3d-nintendo-3ds |website=Nintendo World Report |access-date=14 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214005925/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/28591/pac-man-party-3d-nintendo-3ds |archive-date=14 February 2019 |date=2 December 2011}}</ref> In 2014, ''Pac-Man'' was included in the compilation title ''[[Pac-Man Museum]]'' for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, alongside several other ''Pac-Man'' games.<ref name="Engadget PM Museum">{{cite web |last1=Cavalli |first1=Earnest |title=Pac-Man Museum arrives February 25, free Ms. Pac-Man DLC in tow |url=https://www.engadget.com/2014/01/30/pac-man-museum-arrives-february-25-free-ms-pac-man-dlc-in-tow/ |website=[[Engadget]] |access-date=31 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731221308/https://www.engadget.com/2014/01/30/pac-man-museum-arrives-february-25-free-ms-pac-man-dlc-in-tow/?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZW5nYWRnZXQuY29tLzIwMTQvMDEvMzAvcGFjLW1hbi1tdXNldW0tYXJyaXZlcy1mZWJydWFyeS0yNS1mcmVlLW1zLXBhYy1tYW4tZGxjLWluLXRvdy8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABb5KPYKm3qK1-hBWygDv7NG64wd4xSxmagJ5pthLkjBC7ZyidN9n49cujiKnaEhgnbIc0915T9GzH822pkbHX-n1q5-HgdkoW9-2ClIFEGZAfeuY7ioqni0_lYLeREYgkGvbp3HOtQWc_hA50QgaCoJ2g6PQpHGzkLqu-EsLjv0&_guc_consent_skip=1564611213 |archive-date=31 July 2019 |date=30 January 2014}}</ref> The NES version is one of 30 games included in the [[NES Classic Edition]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Webster |first1=Andrew |title=Nintendo is releasing a miniature NES with 30 built-in games |website=[[The Verge]] |url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/14/12187296/nintendo-nes-classic-edition-announced-price-games |access-date=13 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607054430/https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/14/12187296/nintendo-nes-classic-edition-announced-price-games |archive-date=7 June 2019 |date=14 June 2016}}</ref>

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| Allgame = {{Rating|5|5}} (Arcade)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alan Weiss |first1=Brett |title=Pac-Man [Namco Arcade] |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=428 |website=[[Allgame]] |publisher=Allmedia |access-date=2 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114094356/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=428 |archive-date=14 November 2014 |date=1998}}</ref><br /> {{rating|4|5}} (NES)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alan Weiss |first1=Brett |title=Pac-Man [Tengen Unlicensed] |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=15048&tab=review |website=[[Allgame]] |publisher=Allmedia |access-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114201129/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=15048&tab=review |archive-date=14 November 2014 |date=1998}}</ref>
| CVG = 9/10 (Atari 400/800)<ref name="CVG">{{cite news |title=Atari - Pac-Man |url=https://archive.org/stream/computer-video-games-magazine-017/CVG017_Mar_1983#page/n106/mode/1up |access-date=1 February 2020 |agency=[[Computer & Video Games]] |issue=17 |date=March 1983 |page=7}}</ref>
| EuroG = 10/10 (Virtual Console)<ref name="EuroG Review">{{cite web |last1=Pickering |first1=Chris |title=Pac-Man |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/pac-man-review |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008105126/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/pac-man-review |archive-date=8 October 2019 |date=31 October 2007}}</ref>
| IGN = 7/10 (Neo Geo Pocket)<ref name="IGN NGPC">{{cite web |last1=Harris |first1=Craig |title=Pac-Man - Neo Geo Pocket Color |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/09/04/pac-man-2 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201220951/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/09/04/pac-man-2 |archive-date=1 February 2020 |date=3 September 1999}}</ref>
| rev1 = ''Computer Games''
| rev1Score = Classic (computers)<ref name="CG1985">{{cite magazine |title=1985 Software Buyer's Guide |magazine=Computer Games |date=February 1985 |volume=3 |issue=5 |publisher=Carnegie Publications |location=United States |pages=11–8, 51–8 |url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Games_Vol_3_No_5_1985-02_Carnegie_Publications_US/page/n13/mode/2up}}</ref> <br /> Positive (IBM PC)<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Conversion Capsules: Hit Games in New Formats |magazine=Computer Games |date=December 1984 |volume=3 |issue=4 |publisher=Carnegie Publications |location=United States |pages=62–3 |url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Games_Vol_3_No_4_1984-12_Carnegie_Publications_US/page/n61/mode/2up}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Mean Machines]]''
| rev2Score = 80% (Game Boy)<ref name="MMachines">{{cite news |author1=Matt |author2=Julian |title=Pac-Man review - Nintendo Gameboy |url=http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/review/78/pacman.php |access-date=1 February 2020 |agency=[[Mean Machines]] |issue=4 |date=January 1991 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724014141/http://www.meanmachinesmag.co.uk/review/78/pacman.php |archive-date=24 July 2019}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''Popular Computing Weekly''
| rev3Score = {{rating|4|5}} (VIC-20)<ref name="PCW">{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=David |title=Power Pills |url=https://archive.org/stream/popular-computing-weekly-1984-07-05/PopularComputing_Weekly_Issue_1984-07-05#page/n19/mode/1up |access-date=1 February 2020 |agency=Popular Computing Weekly |date=5 July 1984 |page=29}}</ref>
| award1Pub = [[Electronic Games#1982 Arcade Awards (1981)|Arcade Awards (1981)]]
| award1 = Best Commercial Arcade Game<ref name="AA81"/>
| award2Pub = [[Video Software Dealers Association]] (VSDA)
| award2 = Best Videogame<ref name="VSDA"/>
| award3Pub = [[Dixons Retail|Dixons]] (2001)
| award3 = Greatest Video Game<ref name="Dixons"/>
| award4Pub = ''[[Killer List of Videogames]]''
| award4 = Most Popular Game<ref name="Top100"/>
}}

Upon its North American debut at AMOA 1980, the game initially received a mild response. ''[[Play Meter]]'' magazine previewed the game and called it "a cute game which appears to grow on players, something which cute games are not prone to do," saying that there's "more to the game than at first appears" but criticized the sound as a drawback, saying it is "good for awhile, then becomes annoying." Upon release, the game exceeded expectations with wide critical and commercial success.<ref name="PM94"/>

===Commercial performance===
When it was first released in Japan, ''Pac-Man'' was initially only a modest success; Namco's own ''[[Galaxian]]'' (1979) had quickly outdone the game in popularity because its predominately male player base was familiar with its shooting gameplay as opposed to ''Pac-Man''{{'}}s cute characters and maze-chase theme.<ref name="Dossier"/> ''Pac-Man'' eventually became very successful in Japan,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lammers |first1=Susan M. |title=Programmers at Work: Interviews |date=1986 |publisher=[[Microsoft Press]] |isbn=978-0-914845-71-3 |pages=262–3 |url=https://archive.org/details/programmersatwor00lamm_0/page/262/mode/2up |url-access=registration|ref=CITEREFLammers1986b}}</ref> where it went on to be Japan's highest-grossing [[1980 in video games|arcade game of 1980]] according to the annual ''{{ill|Game Machine|ja|ゲームマシン|vertical-align=sup}}'' charts,<ref name="GM159">{{cite magazine|title=ベストスリー 本紙調査 (調査対象1980年) 〜 アーケードゲーム機|trans-title=Best Three Book Survey (Survey Target 1980) ~ Arcade Game Machines|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=159|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=15 February 1981|page=2|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19810215p.pdf#page=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201000303/https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19810215p.pdf|archive-date=1 February 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> dethroning ''[[Space Invaders]]'' (1978) which had topped the annual charts for two years in a row and leading to a shift in the Japanese market away from space shooters towards action games featuring comical characters.<ref>{{cite magazine|title="Pole Position" No. 1 Video Game: ''Game Machine''{{'}}s "The Year's Best Three AM Machines" Survey Results|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=207|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 March 1983|page=30|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19830301p.pdf#page=16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131232040/https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19830301p.pdf|archive-date=31 January 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Pac-Man'' was Japan's fourth highest-grossing arcade game of 1981.<ref>{{cite magazine|title="Donkey Kong" No.1 Of '81 — ''Game Machine's Survey Of "The Year's Best Three AM Machines"'' —|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=182|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=15 February 1982|page=30|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19820215p.pdf#page=16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131232143/https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19820215p.pdf|archive-date=31 January 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

In North America, Midway had limited expectations prior to release, initially manufacturing 5,000 units for the US, before it caught on upon release there.<ref name="Cash-Box"/> Some arcades purchased entire rows of ''Pac-Man'' cabinets.<ref name="Ultimate History"/> It became a nationwide success. Upon release in 1980, it was earning about {{US$|8.1|long=no}}&nbsp;million per week in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |title=Arcade games a bigger draw than the movies |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5P0hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0KQFAAAAIBAJ&dq=arcade%20game&pg=922%2C2509334 |access-date=6 March 2022 |work=[[The Montreal Gazette]] |date=July 27, 1981}}</ref> Within one year, more than 100,000 arcade units had been sold which grossed more than {{US$|1|long=no}}&nbsp;billion in [[Quarter (United States coin)|quarters]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=Vintage games: an insider look at the history of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the most influential games of all time |author1=Bill Loguidice |author2=Matt Barton |name-list-style=amp |publisher=[[Focal Press]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-240-81146-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M_bFdsP9L7oC |access-date=April 23, 2011 |page=181 |quote=The machines were well worth the investment; in total, they raked in over a billion dollars worth of quarters in the first year alone. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514120916/http://books.google.com/books?id=M_bFdsP9L7oC |archive-date=May 14, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Wolf-73">{{Cite book |title=The video game explosion: a history from PONG to PlayStation and beyond |author=Mark J. P. Wolf |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-313-33868-7 |page=73 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XiM0ntMybNwC&pg=PA73 |access-date=April 10, 2011 |quote=It would go on to become arguably the most famous video game of all time, with the arcade game alone taking in more than a billion dollars. One study estimated that it had been played more than 10&nbsp;billion times during the twentieth century. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418024806/https://books.google.com/books?id=XiM0ntMybNwC&pg=PA73 |archive-date=April 18, 2016}}</ref> It overtook [[Atari, Inc.|Atari]]'s ''[[Asteroids (video game)|Asteroids]]'' (1979) as the best-selling arcade game in the country,<ref>{{Cite book |title=The medium of the video game |author=Mark J. P. Wolf |publisher=[[University of Texas Press]] |year=2001 |isbn=0-292-79150-X |page=44 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lKZriBxbcwQC&pg=PA44 |access-date=April 9, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418062304/https://books.google.com/books?id=lKZriBxbcwQC&pg=PA44 |archive-date=April 18, 2016}}</ref> and surpassed the film ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' (1977) with more than {{US$|1|long=no}}&nbsp;billion in revenue.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Electronic and Computer Games: The History of an Interactive Medium |journal=[[Screen (journal)|Screen]] |year=1988 |volume=29 |issue=2 |pages=52–73 [53] |doi=10.1093/screen/29.2.52 |quote=Revenue from the game Pac-Man alone was estimated to exceed that from the cinema box-office success Star Wars. |last1=Haddon |first1=L. | issn = 0036-9543}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameMuseum.Detail&id=261 |title=Game of the Week: ''Pac-Man'' |author=Kevin "Fragmaster" Bowen |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |year=2001 |access-date=April 9, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001232751/http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameMuseum.Detail&id=261 |archive-date=October 1, 2011}}</ref> ''Pac-Man'' was the United States' highest-grossing [[1981 in video games|arcade game of 1981]],<ref name="C18">{{cite magazine |title=1981 Jukebox/Games Route Survey |magazine=[[Cash Box]] |date=31 October 1981 |page=C-18 |url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox43unse_22/page/n75 |publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.}}</ref><ref name="C91">{{cite magazine |title=Authoritative Industry Sources Acclaim: Pac-Man Top Video Game of the Year |magazine=[[Cash Box]] |date=26 December 1981 |page=91 |url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox43unse_30/page/91 |publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.}}</ref> and second highest [[1982 in video games|game of 1982]].<ref name="cashbox">{{cite magazine |title=1982 Jukebox / Games Route Survey |magazine=[[Cash Box]] |date=20 November 1982 |page=53 |url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox44unse_23/page/53 |publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.}}</ref> By 1982, it was estimated to have had 30&nbsp;million active players across the United States;<ref>{{cite journal |title=Men's wear, Volume 185 |journal=Men's Wear |year=1982 |volume=185 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=59ZOAAAAYAAJ&q=donkey+kong+arcade+revenue |access-date=February 28, 2012 |publisher=[[Fairchild Publications]]}}</ref> ''Pac-Man'' was so compelling that a player in San Francisco reportedly shot someone for interrupting him during play.<ref name="wise19820412">{{Cite magazine |last=Wise |first=Deborah |date=1982-04-12 |title=Video arcades rival Broadway theater and girlie shows in NY |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YjAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA3 |magazine=InfoWorld |page=15}}</ref> The game's success was partly driven by its popularity among female audiences, becoming "the first commercial videogame to involve large numbers of women as players" according to Midway's Stan Jarocki, with ''Pac-Man'' being the favorite coin-op game among [[female gamers]] through 1982.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Worley |first=Joyce |title=Move Over Guys, Here Come the Gals... Women Join the Arcade Revolution |magazine=[[Electronic Games]] |date=May 1982 |volume=1 |issue=3 |pages=30–2 |url=https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Games_Volume_01_Number_03_1982-05_Reese_Communications_US/page/n29/mode/2up}}</ref> Among the nine arcade games covered by ''How to Win Video Games'' (1982), ''Pac-Man'' was the only one with females accounting for a majority of players.<ref name="howtowin">{{Cite book |title=How to Win Video Games |publisher=Pocket Books |year=1982 |isbn=978-0-671-45841-6 |pages=82–90 | url=https://archive.org/stream/book_how_to_win_video_games#page/n81/mode/2up}}</ref>
[[File:TOMY LSI PACMAN handheld electronic game.jpg|thumb|Portable version ([[Handheld electronic game]]) by Japanese company [[Tomy]]]]
The number of arcade units sold had tripled to 400,000 by 1982, receiving an estimated total of between seven billion coins<ref name="kao45">{{cite book|first=Kao|last=John|date=1989|title=The Industry |url=https://archive.org/details/entrepreneurship0000kaoj/page/44/mode/2up|publisher=Englewood Cliffs|page=45|accessdate=April 1, 2023}}</ref> and {{US$|6|long=no}}&nbsp;billion.<ref name="John1999">{{cite book |title=Uncle John's Legendary Lost Bathroom Reader |date=September 1999 |publisher=[[Portable Press]] |isbn=978-1-879682-74-0 |page=373 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OdxLduEdxmcC |quote=In 1982 alone, Americans pumped $6&nbsp;billion in quarters into Pac-Man's mouth—more than they spent in Las Vegas casinos and movie theatres combined.}}</ref><ref name="John2012">{{cite book |title=Uncle John's Legendary Lost Bathroom Reader |date=November 2012 |publisher=[[Simon and Schuster]] |isbn=978-1-60710-670-8 |page=348 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QClZDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT348 |quote=In 1982 alone, Americans pumped $6&nbsp;billion in quarters into Pac-Man's mouth—more than they spent in Las Vegas casinos and movie theatres combined.}}</ref><ref name="Stern">{{cite book |last1=Stern |first1=Jane |last2=Stern |first2=Michael |title=Jane & Michael Stern's Encyclopedia of Pop Culture: An A to Z Guide of Who's who and What's What, from Aerobics and Bubble Gum to Valley of the Dolls and Moon Unit Zappa |date=1992 |publisher=[[Harper Perennial]] |isbn=978-0-06-055343-2 |page=373 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7AAi0VbjGU8C |quote="I think we have the Mickey Mouse of the 1980s," said one Pac-Man executive when it was noted that Americans were spending about $6&nbsp;billion per year on the game and its spinoffs}}</ref> In a 1983 interview, Nakamura said that though he did expect ''Pac-Man'' to be successful, "I never thought it would be this big."<ref name="nytimes nakamura" /> ''Pac-Man'' is the best-selling arcade game of all time, with total estimated earnings ranging from {{nowrap|10 billion}} coins<ref name="Wolf-73"/><ref name="CNN-Morris"/> and $3.5&nbsp;billion ($7.7&nbsp;billion adjusted for inflation)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usgamer.net/articles/top-10-biggest-grossing-arcade-games-of-all-time |title=Top 10 Highest-Grossing Arcade Games of All Time |date=January 1, 2016 |work=[[USgamer]] |access-date=January 3, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111065518/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/top-10-biggest-grossing-arcade-games-of-all-time |archive-date=January 11, 2016}}</ref> to {{US$|6|long=no}}&nbsp;billion<ref name="John1999"/><ref name="John2012"/><ref name="Stern"/> ({{US$|{{Inflation|US|6|1982}}|long=no}}&nbsp;billion adjusted for inflation) in arcades. ''Pac-Man'' and ''[[Ms. Pac-Man]]'' also topped the US ''RePlay'' [[Arcade cabinet#Cocktail cabinets|cocktail arcade cabinet]] charts for 23 months, from [[1982 in video games|February 1982]]<ref>{{cite magazine |title=RePlay: The Players' Choice |magazine=RePlay |date=February–December 1982}}</ref> through [[1983 in video games|1983]]<ref>{{cite magazine |title=RePlay: The Players' Choice |magazine=RePlay |date=January–December 1983}}</ref> up until [[1984 in video games|February 1984]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=RePlay: The Players' Choice |magazine=RePlay |date=January–February 1984}}</ref>

The Atari 2600 version of the game sold over {{nowrap|8 million}} copies,{{efn|name=PacMan|7,271,844 in 1982. 684,569 in 1983.<ref name="Atari">{{cite book |title=Cartridge Sales Since 1980 |publisher=[[Atari Corp.]]}} Via {{cite episode |title=The Agony & The Ecstasy |series=Once Upon Atari |date=August 10, 2003 |number=4 |minutes=23 |publisher=Scott West Productions}}</ref> {{formatnum:{{#expr:21279+15784}}|}} in 1986. 61,685 in 1987. 3,885 in 1988. 34,374 in 1989. 2,166 in 1990.<ref name="Vendel">{{Cite web|last=Vendel|first=Curt|date=May 28, 2009|title=Site News|url=http://www.atarimuseum.com/whatsnew/2009-MAY-28.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206090952/http://www.atarimuseum.com/whatsnew/2009-MAY-28.html|archive-date=2010-12-06|access-date=2021-11-27|website=Atari Museum}}</ref>}} making it the [[List of best-selling Atari 2600 video games|console's best-selling title]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://retro.ign.com/articles/903/903024p1.html| title = Top 10 Best-Selling Atari 2600 Games| first = Levi| last = Buchanan| date = August 26, 2008| publisher=[[IGN]]| access-date =July 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028231456/http://retro.ign.com/articles/903/903024p1.html |archive-date=28 October 2008}}</ref> In addition, [[Coleco]]'s tabletop mini-arcade unit sold over {{nowrap|1.5 million}} units in 1982,<ref>{{cite journal|title=Coleco Mini-Arcades Go Gold|journal=Arcade Express|date=August 15, 1982|volume=1|issue=1|url=http://www.digitpress.com/library/newsletters/arcadeexpress/arcade_express_v1n1.pdf|access-date=3 February 2012|page=4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120914135153/http://www.digitpress.com/library/newsletters/arcadeexpress/arcade_express_v1n1.pdf|archive-date=14 September 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=More Mini-Arcades Coming From Coleco|work=Arcade Express|date=January 30, 1983|volume=1|issue=13|page=2|url=http://www.digitpress.com/library/newsletters/arcadeexpress/arcade_express_v1n13.pdf#page=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114124852/http://www.digitpress.com/library/newsletters/arcadeexpress/arcade_express_v1n13.pdf|archive-date=November 14, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> the ''Pac-Man'' [[Nelsonic Game Watch]] sold more than 500,000 units the same year,<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Shea |first1=Tom |title=Shrinking Pac-Man leads game-wristwatch market |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |date=20 December 1982 |volume=4 |issue=50 |pages=44–5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FTAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA44 |publisher=[[InfoWorld Media Group, Inc.]] |issn=0199-6649}}</ref> the [[Family Computer]] (Famicom) version and its 2004 [[Game Boy Advance]] re-release sold a combined 598,000 copies in Japan,<ref>{{cite web |title=Game Search (based on Famitsu data) |url=https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/game-search |website=Game Data Library |access-date=16 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424035430/https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/game-search |archive-date=24 April 2019 |date=1 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Namco (Japan sales, 2000-2006)|url=http://garaph.info/gamesearch.php?publisher=Namco&opt=0|publisher=Garaph (based on [[Famitsu]] data)|access-date=17 March 2012|date=2005-07-28}}</ref> the [[Atari 5200]] version sold {{formatnum:{{#expr:29716+5223+72}}|}} cartridges between 1986 and 1988,<ref name="Vendel"/> the [[Atari 8-bit computers|Atari 8-bit computer]] version sold {{formatnum:{{#expr:24973+9214+7992+84+96}}|}} copies in 1986 and 1990,<ref name="Vendel"/> Thunder Mountain's 1986 budget release for home computers received a Diamond certification from the [[Software Publishers Association]] in 1989 for selling over 500,000 copies,<ref name="megahits">{{cite journal | author=Worley, Joyce | title=Mega Hits: The Best of the Best | journal=[[Video Games & Computer Entertainment]] | issue=11 | date=December 1989 | url=https://archive.org/details/Video_Games_Computer_Entertainment_Issue_11_December_1989 | pages=130–132, 137, 138 }}</ref> and mobile phone ports have sold over {{nowrap|30 million}} paid downloads {{as of|2010|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Namco Networks' PAC-MAN Franchise Surpasses 30&nbsp;Million Paid Transactions in the United States on Brew |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100630005033/en/Namco-Networks%E2%80%99-PAC-MAN-Franchise-Surpasses-30-Million |website=[[Business Wire]] |publisher=[[Berkshire Hathaway]] |access-date=8 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170629204316/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100630005033/en/Namco-Networks%E2%80%99-PAC-MAN-Franchise-Surpasses-30-Million |archive-date=29 June 2017 |date=30 June 2010}}</ref> ''II Computing'' also listed the [[Atarisoft]] port tenth on the magazine's list of top [[Apple II]] games as of late 1985, based on sales and market-share data.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://archive.org/stream/II_Computing_Vol_1_No_1_Oct_Nov_85_Premiere#page/n51/mode/2up |title=Top Software: A List of Favorites |journal=II Computing |date=Oct–Nov 1985 |access-date=January 28, 2015 |last1=Ciraolo |first1=Michael |page=51 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313041801/https://archive.org/stream/II_Computing_Vol_1_No_1_Oct_Nov_85_Premiere |archive-date=March 13, 2016}}</ref> {{As of|2016}}, all versions of ''Pac-Man'' are estimated to have grossed a total of more than {{US$|12|long=no}}&nbsp;billion in revenue.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Leack |first1=Jonathan |title=World of Warcraft Leads Industry With Nearly $10&nbsp;Billion In Revenue |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/features/13510-world-of-warcraft-leads-industry-with-nearly-10-billion-in-revenue |access-date=27 February 2021 |work=[[GameRevolution]] |date=26 January 2017}}</ref>

===Accolades===
''Pac-Man'' was awarded "Best Commercial Arcade Game" at the [[Electronic Games#1982 Arcade Awards (1981)|1982 Arcade Awards]].<ref name="AA81">"1981 Arcade Awards" – ''Electronic Games'' March 1982, pages 46–49.</ref> ''Pac-Man'' also won the [[Video Software Dealers Association]]'s VSDA Award for Best Videogame.<ref name="VSDA">{{cite magazine|title=Pac-Man Scores!|magazine=[[Electronic Games]]|date=January 1983|volume=1|issue=11|url=https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGames/Electronic%20Games%20Issue%2011%20%28January%201983%29/page/n12|page=12}}</ref> In 2001, ''Pac-Man'' was voted the greatest video game of all time by a [[Dixons Retail|Dixons]] poll in the UK.<ref name="Dixons">{{cite news |title=Pac Man 'greatest video game' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/new_media/1653809.stm |access-date=March 13, 2012 |date=November 13, 2001 |agency=[[BBC News]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061218040931/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/new_media/1653809.stm |archive-date=December 18, 2006}}</ref> The ''[[Killer List of Videogames]]'' listed ''Pac-Man'' as the most popular game of all time.<ref name="Top100">{{cite web |title=The Top Coin-Operated Videogames of All Time |url=https://www.arcade-museum.com/TOP100.php |website=[[Killer List of Videogames]] |publisher=The International Arcade Museum |access-date=10 October 2021}}</ref> The list aggregator site Playthatgame currently ranks Pac-Man as the #53rd top game of all-time & game of the year.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jeroen te Strake |first1=Peter Searle |title=Thebiglist |url=http://playthatgame.co.uk/?action=mainlist |website=Playthatgame.co.uk |access-date=Jan 5, 2020}}</ref>

===Impact===
[[File:Carrers guarnits Gràcia 2012 - Plaça Rovira, Recreatius Rovira 02.JPG|thumb|''Pac-Man'' characters as street decorations in [[Barcelona]], Spain]]
''Pac-Man'' is considered by many to be one of the most influential video games of all time.<ref name="1up_influential" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Wilson |first=Jeffrey L. |at=1. Pac-Man (1980) |url=https://www.pcmag.com/slideshow_viewer/0,3253,l%253D251652%2526a%253D251651%2526po%253D10,00.asp?p=n |title=The 10 Most Influential Video Games of All Time |work=[[PC Magazine]] |access-date=April 19, 2012 |date=June 11, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120411203009/http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow_viewer/0%2C3253%2Cl%3D251652%26a%3D251651%26po%3D10%2C00.asp?p=n |archive-date=April 11, 2012}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110902230443/http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/gadgets_and_gaming/article2455080.ece The ten most influential video games ever], ''[[The Times]]'', September 20, 2007</ref> The game established the [[List of maze chase games|maze chase game]] genre,<ref name="1up_influential" /> was the first video game to make use of [[power-up]]s,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3151392 |title=Playing With Power: Great Ideas That Have Changed Gaming have from 1UP.com |work=1Up.com |access-date=November 4, 2015 |archive-date=November 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112211813/http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3151392 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the individual ghosts have deterministic [[Artificial intelligence (video games)|artificial intelligence]] (AI) that reacts to player actions.<ref name="consalvo">{{cite book |last=Consalvo |first=Mia |year=2016 |title=Atari to Zelda: Japan's Videogames in Global Contexts |pages=193–4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tH3TCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA193 |publisher=[[MIT Press]] |isbn=978-0262034395}}</ref> ''Pac-Man'' is considered one of the first video games to have demonstrated the potential of [[player character]]s in the medium;<ref name="1up_influential"/><ref>{{cite book|last1=DeMaria|first1=Rusel|last2=Wilson|first2=Johnny L.|title=High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games|date=2003|publisher=McGraw-Hill/Osborne|location=New York|isbn=0-07-223172-6|page=62|edition=2}}</ref> its title character was the first original gaming [[mascot]], it increased the appeal of video games with [[Women and video games|female audiences]], and it was gaming's first broad [[licensing]] success.<ref name="1up_influential">{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3122102 |title=The Essential 50 Part 10 -- Pac-Man from 1UP.com |work=1Up.com |access-date=November 4, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003105413/http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-pac-man |archive-date=2015-10-03}}</ref> It is often cited as the first game with [[cutscene]]s (in the form of brief comical interludes about [[Pac-Man (character)|Pac-Man]] and [[Blinky (Pac-Man)|Blinky]] chasing each other),<ref name="gamesradarimportant">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/gamings-most-important-evolutions/ |title=Gaming's most important evolutions |date=October 8, 2010 |work=GamesRadar+ |access-date=November 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131107072239/http://www.gamesradar.com/gamings-most-important-evolutions/ |archive-date=November 7, 2013}}</ref>{{rp|2}} though actually ''[[Space Invaders Part II]]'' employed a similar style of between-level intermissions in 1979.<ref>{{cite web |title=Space Invaders Part II |url=https://www.arcade-history.com/?n=space-invaders-part-ii&page=detail&id=2543 |website=Arcade History}}</ref>

''Pac-Man'' was a turning point for the [[arcade video game]] industry, which had previously been dominated by space [[shoot 'em up]]s since ''[[Space Invaders]]'' (1978). ''Pac-Man'' popularized a genre of "character-led" [[action game]]s, leading to a wave of character action games involving player characters in 1981, such as [[Nintendo]]'s prototypical [[platform game]] ''[[Donkey Kong (arcade game)|Donkey Kong]]'', [[Konami]]'s ''[[Frogger]]'' and [[Universal Entertainment]]'s ''[[Lady Bug (video game)|Lady Bug]]''.<ref name="DK">{{cite news |title=Donkey Kong |url=https://www.retrogamer.net/retro_games80/donkey-kong-4/ |access-date=4 May 2021 |work=[[Retro Gamer]] |publisher=[[Future Publishing Limited]] |date=13 September 2008}}</ref> ''Pac-Man'' was one of the first popular non-shooting action games, defining key elements of the genre such as "parallel visual processing" which requires simultaneously keeping track of multiple entities, including the player's location, the enemies, and the energizers.<ref name="Maynard">{{cite book |last1=Maynard |first1=Ashley E. |last2=Subrahmanyam |first2=Kaveri |last3=Greenfield |first3=Patricia M. |chapter=Technology and the Development of Intelligence: From the Loom to the Computer |editor-last1=Sternberg |editor-first1=Robert J. |editor-last2=Preiss |editor-first2=David D. |title=Intelligence and Technology: The Impact of Tools on the Nature and Development of Human Abilities |date=13 May 2005 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=978-1-136-77805-6 |pages=29–54 (32) |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VZgVId2jGXIC&pg=PA32}}</ref>

Maze games became popular on home computers after the release of ''Pac-Man''. Some of them appeared before official ports and garnered more attention from consumers, and sometimes lawyers, as a result. These include ''[[Taxman (video game)|Taxman]]'' (1981) and ''[[Snack Attack]]'' (1982) for the Apple II, ''[[Jawbreaker (video game)|Jawbreaker]]'' (1981) for the Atari 8-bit computers, ''[[Scarfman]]'' (1981) for the TRS-80, and ''[[K.C. Munchkin!]]'' (1981) for the Odyssey². Namco produced several other maze games, including ''[[Rally-X]]'' (1980), ''[[Dig Dug]]'' (1982), ''[[Exvania]]'' (1992), and ''[[Tinkle Pit]]'' (1994).{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}} Atari sued [[Philips]] for creating ''K.C. Munchkin'' in the case ''[[Atari, Inc. v. North American Philips Consumer Electronics Corp.]]'', leading to ''Munchkin'' being pulled from store shelves under court order.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|title=CourtVille: Why Unclear Laws Put EA v. Zynga Up for Grabs|language=en-US|magazine=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/2012/08/ea-sues-zynga/|access-date=2021-05-30|issn=1059-1028}}</ref> No major competitors emerged to challenge ''Pac-Man'' in the maze subgenre.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Vaidhyanathan|first=Siva|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G_2gBwAAQBAJ&q=kc+munchkin&pg=PA169|title=Copyrights and Copywrongs: The Rise of Intellectual Property and How it Threatens Creativity|date=2001-08-01|publisher=NYU Press|isbn=978-0-8147-8834-9|language=en}}</ref>

''Pac-Man'' inspired 3D variants of the concept, such as ''[[Monster Maze]]'' (1982),<ref>{{cite web |title=Monster Maze |url=http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-monster-maze_3491.html}}</ref> ''[[Spectre (1982 video game)|Spectre]]'' (1982), and early [[first-person shooter]]s such as ''[[MIDI Maze]]'' (1987; which had similar character designs).<ref name="gamesradarimportant" />{{rp|5}}<ref>{{cite web |title=25 years of Pac-Man |publisher=MeriStation |date=July 4, 2005 |url=http://www.meristation.com/v3/des_articulo.php?pic=DC&id=cw42b7458f0dfc7&idj=&idp=&tipo=art&c=1&pos=7 |access-date=May 6, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929150234/http://www.meristation.com/v3/des_articulo.php?pic=DC&id=cw42b7458f0dfc7&idj=&idp=&tipo=art&c=1&pos=7 |archive-date=September 29, 2011}} ([https://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.meristation.com%2Fv3%2Fdes_articulo.php%3Fpic%3DDC%26id%3Dcw42b7458f0dfc7%26idj%3D%26idp%3D%26tipo%3Dart%26c%3D1%26pos%3D7&sl=es&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8 Translation])</ref> [[John Romero]] credited ''Pac-Man'' as the game that had the biggest influence on his career;<ref>{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Kat |title=These games inspired Cliff Bleszinski, John Romero, Will Wright, and Sid Meier |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/09/these-games-inspired-cliff-bleszinski-john-romero-will-wright/ |publisher=Joystiq |access-date=April 2, 2012 |date=March 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202004044/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/these-games-inspired-cliff-bleszinski-john-romero-will-wright/ |archive-date=February 2, 2017 }}</ref> ''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]'' includes a ''Pac-Man'' level from a first-person perspective.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Book of Games: The Ultimate Reference on PC & Video Games |publisher=Book of Games |year=2006 |isbn=82-997378-0-X |page=24 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cllMaThkYlIC&pg=PA24 |access-date=May 6, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122175354/https://books.google.com/books?id=cllMaThkYlIC&pg=PA24 |archive-date=November 22, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Game developer |volume=2 & 5 |publisher=[[Miller Freeman]] |year=1995 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9zg9AQAAIAAJ |access-date=June 6, 2011 |page=62 |quote=If you made it to the secret Pac-Man level in Castle Wolfenstein, you know what I mean (Pac-Man never would have made it as a three-dimensional game). Though it may be less of a visual feast, two dimensions have a well-established place as an electronic gaming format. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122191415/https://books.google.com/books?id=9zg9AQAAIAAJ |archive-date=November 22, 2016}}</ref> Many post-''Pac-Man'' titles include power-ups that briefly turn the tables on the enemy.{{clarify|date=January 2024}} The game's artificial intelligence inspired programmers who later worked for companies like [[Bethesda Softworks|Bethesda]].<ref name="consalvo" />

==Reviews==
Reviewing home console versions in 1982, ''[[Games (magazine)|Games]]'' magazine called the [[Atari 5200]] implementation a "splendidly reproduced" version of the arcade game, noting a difference in maze layouts for the television screen. It considered the [[Atari 2600]] version to have "much weaker graphics", but to still be one of the best games for that console. In both cases the reviewer felt that the [[joystick]] controls were harder to use than those of the arcade machine, and that "attempts to make quick turns are often frustrated".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/games-34-1982-december/page/n51/mode/2up | title=GAMES Magazine #34 | date=December 1982 }}</ref>

==Legacy==
[[File:The_Art_of_Video_Games_2012_(6848237506).jpg|thumb|''Pac-Man'' interactive exposition at [[The Art of Video Games]]]]

[[Guinness World Records]] has awarded the ''Pac-Man'' series eight records in ''Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008'', including "Most Successful Coin-Operated Game". On June 3, 2010, at the NLGD Festival of Games, the game's creator, Toru Iwatani, officially received the certificate from Guinness World Records for ''Pac-Man'' having had the most "coin-operated arcade machines" installed worldwide: 293,822. The record was set and recognized in 2005 and mentioned in the ''Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008'', awarded in 2010.<ref name="nlgd" /> In 2009, ''Guinness World Records'' listed Pac-Man as the most recognizable video game character in the United States, recognized by 94% of the population, above [[Mario]] who was recognized by 93% of the population.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Turi |first1=Tim |title=Gain Knowledge From Guinness 2010 Gamer's Edition |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2009/12/21/gear-guinness-2010-gamer-s-edition-has.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091223064711/http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2009/12/21/gear-guinness-2010-gamer-s-edition-has.aspx |url-status=live |archive-date=December 23, 2009 |access-date=13 December 2021 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |date=December 21, 2009}}</ref> In 2015, [[The Strong National Museum of Play]] inducted ''Pac-Man'' to its [[World Video Game Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Pac-Man |url=https://www.museumofplay.org/games/pac-man/ |website=[[The Strong National Museum of Play]] |publisher=[[The Strong]] |access-date=6 May 2022}}</ref> The Pac-Man character and game series became an icon of [[1980s in video games|video game culture during the 1980s]].

The game has inspired various real-life recreations, involving real people or robots. One event called [[Pac-Manhattan]] set a Guinness World Record for "Largest ''Pac-Man'' Game" in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pacmanhattan.com/about.php |title=About Pac-Manhattan |publisher=Pac-Manhattan |year=2004 |access-date=July 3, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508155903/http://pacmanhattan.com/about.php |archive-date=May 8, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://pacman.elstonj.com |title=Roomba Pac-Man Web Site |access-date=October 10, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091109104243/http://pacman.elstonj.com/ |archive-date=November 9, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Dominic |last=Lau |url=http://www.cs.sfu.ca/news/index.cgi/articles/2007-11-15-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530004141/http://www.cs.sfu.ca/news/index.cgi/articles/2007-11-15-1.html |archive-date=May 30, 2009 |title=Pacman in Vancouver |publisher=SFU Computing Science |access-date=July 3, 2009}}</ref>

The business term "[[Pac-Man defense]]" in [[mergers and acquisitions]] refers to a [[Takeover|hostile takeover]] target that attempts to reverse the situation and instead acquire its attempted acquirer, a reference to ''Pac-Man''{{'}}s energizers.<ref>{{cite news |title=Origins of the 'Pac-Man' Defense |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/23/business/origins-of-the-pac-man-defense.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=November 20, 2010 |date=January 23, 1988 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214163345/http://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/23/business/origins-of-the-pac-man-defense.html |archive-date=February 14, 2012}}</ref> The "Pac-Man [[renormalization]]" is named for a cosmetic resemblance to the character, in the mathematical study of the [[Mandelbrot set]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Selinger |first1=Nikita |last2=Lyubich |first2=Mikhail |last3=Dudko |first3=Dzmitry |date=March 3, 2017 |title=Pacman renormalization and self-similarity of the Mandelbrot set near Siegel parameters |language=en |arxiv=1703.01206|bibcode=2017arXiv170301206D }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Lyubich |first1=Mikhail |last2=Dudko |first2=Dzmitry |date=August 30, 2018 |title=Local connectivity of the Mandelbrot set at some satellite parameters of bounded type |language=en |arxiv=1808.10425|bibcode=2018arXiv180810425D }}</ref> The game's popularity has led to "Pac-Man" being adopted as a nickname, such as by boxer [[Manny Pacquiao]]<ref>{{cite web |last=Brunell |first=Evan |title=Popular Video Game Pac-Man Celebrates 30th Anniversary |url=http://www.nesn.com/2010/05/popular-video-game-pacman-celebrates-30th-anniversary.html |publisher=[[New England Sports Network]] |access-date=April 11, 2012 |date=May 22, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722004002/http://www.nesn.com/2010/05/popular-video-game-pacman-celebrates-30th-anniversary.html |archive-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref> and the [[American football]] player [[Adam Jones (American football)|Adam Jones]].

In 2012, the Pac-Man was inducted into the permanent collection of the [[Museum of Modern Art]] (MoMA) in New York City. This addition was part of an initial selection (Wave 1) of [[List of video games in the Museum of Modern Art|fourteen video games]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Antonelli |first1=Paola |last2=Galloway |first2=Paul |date=November 3, 2022 |title=When Video Games Came to the Museum |url=https://www.moma.org/magazine/articles/798 |access-date=February 16, 2024 |website=[[Museum of Modern Art]]}}</ref>

On August 21, 2016, in the [[2016 Summer Olympics closing ceremony]], during a video which showcases Tokyo as the host of the [[2020 Summer Olympics]], a small segment shows Pac-Man and the ghosts racing and eating dots on a [[All-weather running track|running track]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mynintendonews.com/2016/08/22/mario-pac-man-showed-up-in-the-rio-2016-olympics-closing-ceremony/ |title=Mario & Pac-Man Showed Up in the Rio 2016 Olympics Closing Ceremony |date=August 22, 2016 |access-date=December 30, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205122711/https://mynintendonews.com/2016/08/22/mario-pac-man-showed-up-in-the-rio-2016-olympics-closing-ceremony/ |archive-date=February 5, 2017}}</ref>

===Merchandise===
A wide variety of ''Pac-Man'' merchandise have been marketed with the character's image. By 1982, Midway had about 95-105 licensees selling ''Pac-Man'' merchandise, including major companies, such as [[AT&T]] selling a ''Pac-Man'' telephone. There were more than 500 ''Pac-Man'' related products.<ref name="Cash-Box">{{cite magazine |last1=Ressner |first1=Jeffrey |title=Stan Jarocki: Expanded Player Base Is The Key To The Future |magazine=[[Cash Box]] |date=20 November 1982 |pages=52–56 (56) |url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox44unse_23/page/56 |publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.}}</ref>

[[7-Eleven]] sold ''Pac-Man'' themed merchandise at its stores since the game's initial popularity in the 1980s. This has included collectible [[Slurpee]] and [[Big Gulp]] cups. In 2023, 7-Eleven included ''Pac-Man'' in its Spring 2023 marketing material including at [[Speedway (store)|Speedway]] and [[Stripes Convenience Stores|Stripes]] banner locations, and sold more merchandise around the game as well as rebranding some of its products after the ghosts. This included its house blend coffee (Clyde's Coffee Blend), two Slurpee flavors (Blinky's Cherry & Inky's Blueberry Raz), and a special limited time only cappuccino flavor (Pinky's Strawberry White Chocolate Cappuccino), the latter of which came out pink to match the ghost.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://corp.7-eleven.com/corp-press-releases/7-and-8209-eleven-inc-and-pac-man-give-fans-the-chance-to-take-their-game-play-to-the-next-level | title=Wednesday, February 22, 2023 PR: 7‑Eleven, Inc. And PAC-MAN Give Fans the Chance to Take their Game Play to the Next Level | access-date=May 1, 2023 | archive-date=May 1, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501025951/https://corp.7-eleven.com/corp-press-releases/7-and-8209-eleven-inc-and-pac-man-give-fans-the-chance-to-take-their-game-play-to-the-next-level | url-status=dead }}</ref>

''Pac-Man'' themed merchandise sales had exceeded {{US$|1|long=no}}&nbsp;billion in the US by 1982.<ref name="kao45"/><ref>{{cite web|first=Jane|last=Wollman|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_popular-computing_1982-12_2_2/page/n83/mode/2up|title=Pac-Mania|magazine=[[Popular Computing]]|page=81|date=December 1982|accessdate=April 1, 2023}}</ref> ''Pac-Man'' related merchandise products included [[bumper sticker]]s, [[jewellery]], accessories (such as a $20,000 ''Ms. Pac-Man'' [[choker]] with 14 [[karat]] gold), [[bicycle]]s, [[breakfast cereal]]s, [[Ice pop|popsicles]],<ref name="Cash-Box"/> [[t-shirt]]s, toys and pasta.

''[[Lego]]'' released an exclusive set of a PAC-MAN arcade machine for their ''Lego Icons'' line. A ''Lego'' version of PAC-MAN, Clyde, and Blinky are featured on the top of the machine, with a minifigure playing a miniature version of the machine.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thebrickblogger.com/2023/08/brick-breakdown-lego-pac-man-arcade-machine/|title=Brick Breakdown: LEGO PAC-MAN Arcade Machine|last=Reed|first=William|date=August 30, 2023|access-date=August 25, 2024|website=TheBrickBlogger.com|publisher=The Brick Blogger}}</ref>

===Television===
The ''[[Pac-Man (TV series)|Pac-Man]]'' animated television series produced by [[Hanna–Barbera]] aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from 1982 to 1983.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Pac-Page (including database of ''Pac-Man'' merchandise and TV show reference) |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |url=http://pac-man.classicgaming.gamespy.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416044015/http://pac-man.classicgaming.gamespy.com/ |archive-date=April 16, 2009 |access-date=May 7, 2011}}</ref> It was the highest-rated [[Saturday morning cartoon]] show in the US during late 1982.<ref name="Cash-Box"/>

A computer-generated animated series produced by [[Bandai Namco Games]], [[41 Entertainment]], [[Arad Productions]], [[OLM Digital]] and [[Sprite Animation Studios]] titled ''[[Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures]]'' aired on [[Disney XD]] from June 15, 2013, to May 25, 2015.<ref>White, Cindy. (June 17, 2010) [http://tv.ign.com/articles/109/1099961p1.html "E3 2010: Pac-Man Back on TV?"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100621234419/http://tv.ign.com/articles/109/1099961p1.html |date=June 21, 2010}}. IGN.com. Retrieved July 7, 2010.</ref><ref>Morris, Chris. (June 17, 2010) [https://variety.com/2010/digital/features/pac-man-chomps-at-3d-tv-1118020718/ "Pac-Man chomps at 3D TV] . Variety.com. Retrieved July 7, 2010.</ref>

===Literature===
The original ''Pac-Man'' game plays a key role in the plot of [[Ernest Cline]]'s video game-themed science fiction novel ''[[Ready Player One]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jackson |first1=Josh |title=22 Differences Between the Ready Player One Book and Movie |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/ready-player-one/difference-between-ready-player-one-book-and-movie |website=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]] |access-date=23 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412232403/https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/ready-player-one/difference-between-ready-player-one-book-and-movie/ |archive-date=April 12, 2021 |date=March 29, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Music ===
The [[Buckner & Garcia]] song "[[Pac-Man Fever (song)|Pac-Man Fever]]" (1981) went to No. 9 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] charts,<ref name="timemag" /> and received a [[RIAA certification|Gold certification]] for more than 1&nbsp;million records sold by 1982,<ref>{{Cite news |title=Popular Computing |publisher=McGraw-Hill |date=1982 |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,921174,00.html |access-date=August 14, 2010 |quote=Pac-Man Fever went gold almost instantly with 1&nbsp;million records sold. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122151527/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C921174%2C00.html |archive-date=January 22, 2011}}</ref> and a total of 2.5&nbsp;million copies sold as of 2008.<ref>{{cite book |last=Turow |first=Joseph |title=Media Today: An Introduction to Mass Communication |year=2008 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0-415-96058-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KusZ29rZHYIC&pg=PA554 |edition=3rd |access-date=January 29, 2012 |page=554 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122202438/https://books.google.com/books?id=KusZ29rZHYIC&pg=PA554 |archive-date=November 22, 2016}}</ref> More than one million copies of the group's ''[[Pac-Man Fever (album)|Pac-Man Fever]]'' album (1982) were sold.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150904081506/http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Pac-Man_Fever&artist=&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=10 RIAA Gold & Platinum Searchable Database – Pac-Man Fever] . RIAA.com. Retrieved November 1, 2009.</ref>

In 1982, [["Weird Al" Yankovic]] recorded a parody of "[[Taxman]]" by [[the Beatles]] as "Pac-Man". It was eventually released in 2017 as part of ''[[Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of "Weird Al" Yankovic]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Grosinger |first1=Matt |title=Weird Al Talks His Previously Unreleased Song "Pac-Man", Which You Can Finally Hear! |url=http://nerdist.com/weird-al-pac-man-box-set/ |website=[[Nerdist Industries]] |access-date=February 20, 2017 |date=February 16, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221005937/http://nerdist.com/weird-al-pac-man-box-set/ |archive-date=February 21, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Liptak |first1=Andrew |title=Listen to a previously unreleased Weird Al Beatles parody, Pac-Man |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/18/14658500/weird-al-unreleased-beatles-parody-pac-man |website=[[The Verge]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |access-date=February 20, 2017 |date=February 18, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219224706/http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/18/14658500/weird-al-unreleased-beatles-parody-pac-man |archive-date=February 19, 2017}}</ref> In 1992, [[Aphex Twin]] (with the name Power-Pill) released ''[[Pac-Man (album)|Pac-Man]]'', a techno album which consists mostly of samples from the game.

The character appears in the music video for [[Bloodhound Gang]]'s "[[Mope]]", released in 2000. Here, the character is portrayed as a [[cocaine]] addict.

On July 20, 2020, [[Gorillaz]] and [[Schoolboy Q]], released a track entitled "[[Pac-Man (Gorillaz song)|Pac-Man]]" as a part of Gorillaz' ''[[Song Machine]]'' series to commemorate the game's [[Pac-Man 40th Anniversary|40th anniversary]], with the music video depicting the band's frontman, [[2-D (character)|2-D]], playing a Gorillaz-themed Pac-Man arcade game.<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 20, 2020|title=GORILLAZ: SONG MACHINE SEASON 1 EPISODE 5 'PAC-MAN' FT SCHOOLBOY Q|url=https://www.nastylittleman.com/2020/07/20/gorillaz-song-machine-season-1-episode-5-pac-man-ft-schoolboy-q/|website=Nasty Little Man}}</ref>

===Film===
The Pac-Man character appears in the film ''[[Pixels (2015 film)|Pixels]]'' (2015), with [[Denis Akiyama]] playing series creator Toru Iwatani. Iwatani makes a cameo at the beginning of the film as an arcade technician.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.philstar.com/movies/2014/07/23/1349432/classic-video-game-characters-unite-film-pixels |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140723010101/http://www.philstar.com/movies/2014/07/23/1349432/classic-video-game-characters-unite-film-pixels |title=Classic video game characters unite via film 'Pixels' |work=Philstar |date=July 23, 2014 |access-date=July 23, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 23, 2014}}</ref><ref>Tarek Bazley: [http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/05/pac-man-35-video-game-changed-world-150524104416978.html ''Pac-man at 35: the video game that changed the world'']</ref> ''Pac-Man'' is referenced and makes an appearance in the 2017 film ''[[Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2]]'' and the video game, ''[[Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 redeems a gaming icon on screen |url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/5/8/15581962/guardians-of-the-galaxy-2-easter-egg |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |date=May 8, 2017}}</ref> The game, the character, and the ghosts all appear in the film ''[[Wreck-It Ralph]]'',<ref name="trailer2">{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q6DDm-3urE | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/_q6DDm-3urE| archive-date=2021-10-30| title = Wreck-It Ralph Trailer #2 | publisher = Walt Disney Animation Studios via YouTube |date=September 12, 2012 | access-date=September 12, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name=NineThings>{{cite web | last1 = Cooper | first1 = Hollander | last2 = Gilbert | first2 = Henry | title = Wreck-it Ralph&nbsp;– 9 amazing things you couldn't possibly know about the movie | url=http://www.gamesradar.com/wreck-it-ralph-9-amazing-things-you-couldnt-possibly-know-about-movie/ | access-date = October 23, 2012 | publisher = Games Radar | date = October 19, 2012}}</ref> as well as the sequel ''[[Ralph Breaks the Internet]]''.

In ''[[Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale]]'', Kirito and his friends beat a [[virtual reality]] game called ''PAC-Man 2026'', which is loosely based on ''[[Pac-Man 256]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/05/pac-man-35-video-game-changed-world-150524104416978.html |title=Pac-man at 35: The video game that changed the world |access-date=May 26, 2015 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526095324/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/05/pac-man-35-video-game-changed-world-150524104416978.html |archive-date=May 26, 2015}}. Al Jazeera English, May 25, 2015</ref> In the Japanese [[tokusatsu]] film ''Kamen Rider Heisei Generations: Dr. Pac-Man vs. Ex-Aid & Ghost with Legend Riders'', a Pac-Man-like character is the main villain.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://tokusatsunetwork.com/2016/11/shiro-sano-cast-dr-pacman-kamen-rider-heisei-generations/ |title=Shiro Sano Cast as Dr. Pacman in Kamen Rider Heisei Generations |work=Tokusatsu Network |date=November 5, 2016}}</ref>

In the 2010 film ''[[Scott Pilgrim vs. the World]]'', the titular character makes reference to the original Japanese name.

The 2018 film ''[[Relaxer (film)|Relaxer]]'' uses ''Pac-Man'' as a strong plot element in the story of a 1999 couch-bound man who attempts to beat the game (and encounters the famous Level 256 glitch) before the [[year 2000 problem]] occurs.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/28/movies/relaxer-review.html |title=Relaxer Review: Help! He's Sitting and He Can't Get Up |work=Jeannette Catsoulis |date=March 28, 2019}}</ref>

Various attempts for a feature film based on Pac-Man have been planned since the peak of the original game's popularity. Following the release of ''Ms. Pac-Man'', a feature film was being developed, but never reached an agreement.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/cashbox44unse_23 |title=Cash Box |date=1982-11-20 |publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co. |others=William and Mary Libraries Special Collections Research Center}}</ref> In 2008, a live-action film based on the series was in development at [[Crystal Sky Pictures|Crystal Sky]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071020015300/http://www.crystalsky.com/press/TEKKEN/CS%20%26%20Namco%20are%20Game%20again%202004.pdf "Crystal Sky, Namco & Gaga are game again"]. Crystalsky.com. Retrieved August 11, 2008.</ref><ref>Jaafar, Ali (May 19, 2008) [https://web.archive.org/web/20100416225534/http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=1061&articleid=VR1117986081&cs=1 "Crystal Sky signs $200&nbsp;million deal"]. Variety.com. Retrieved September 4, 2008.</ref> In 2022, plans for a live-action ''Pac-Man'' film were revived at Wayfarer Studios, based on an idea by Chuck Williams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Galuppo |first=Mia |date=2022-08-08 |title=Live-Action Pac-Man Movie in the Works from Wayfarer, Bandai Namco (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/pac-man-movie-live-action-1235194679/ |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Radulovic |first=Petrana |date=2022-08-08 |title=New Pac-Man movie will be live action, somehow |url=https://www.polygon.com/23297171/pac-man-movie-bandai-namco-wayfarer |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rubin |first=Rebecca |date=2022-08-08 |title=Pac-Man Live-Action Movie in the Works From 'Jane the Virgin' Actor Justin Baldoni |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/pac-man-movie-live-action-1235335996/ |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Other gaming media ===
In 1982, [[Milton Bradley Company]] released a board game based on ''Pac-Man''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Coopee |first1=Todd |title=Pac-Man Turns 35! |url=https://toytales.ca/pac-man-turns-35/ |website=ToyTales.ca |date=May 20, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904081506/https://toytales.ca/pac-man-turns-35/ |archive-date=September 4, 2015}}</ref> Players move up to four Pac-Man characters (traditional yellow plus red, green, and blue) plus two ghosts as per the throws of a pair of dice. The two ghost pieces were randomly packed with one of four colors.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.noisetosignal.org/2009/06/the-mb-official-pac-man-board-game.html |title=The MB Official Pac-Man Board Game |access-date=November 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151110044121/http://www.noisetosignal.org/2009/06/the-mb-official-pac-man-board-game.html |archive-date=November 10, 2015}}</ref>

Sticker manufacturer [[Fleer]] included [[Scratchcard|rub-off game cards]] with its ''Pac-Man'' stickers. The card packages contain a ''Pac-Man'' style maze with all points along the path hidden with opaque coverings. From the starting position, the player moves around the maze while scratching off the coverings to score points.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pacstar.mycoldwater.com/zindex.htm |title=The Pac-Star: Pac-Man Rub-Offs Section Index |access-date=November 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222005141/http://pacstar.mycoldwater.com/zindex.htm |archive-date=December 22, 2015}}</ref>

===Perfect scores and other records===
A perfect score on the original ''Pac-Man'' arcade game is 3,333,360 points, achieved when the player obtains the maximum score on the first 255 levels by eating every dot, energizer, fruit and blue ghost without losing a life, then uses all six lives to obtain the maximum possible number of points on level 256.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oafe.net/yo/pacplu.php |title=Pac-Man review at OAFE |publisher=Oafe.net |access-date=November 15, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021153000/http://www.oafe.net/yo/pacplu.php |archive-date=October 21, 2012}}</ref><ref name="Mitchell">{{cite web |last=Ramsey |first=David |title=The Perfect Man |url=http://www.oxfordamericanmag.com/content.cfm?ArticleID=58&Entry=Home |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080229043301/http://www.oxfordamericanmag.com/content.cfm?ArticleID=58&Entry=Home |archive-date=February 29, 2008 |publisher=Oxford American |access-date=November 13, 2012}}</ref>

The first person to achieve a publicly witnessed and verified perfect score without manipulating the game's hardware to freeze play was [[Billy Mitchell (gamer)|Billy Mitchell]], who performed the feat on July 3, 1999.<ref name="Mitchell" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&pi=2&gi=3229&vi=3365 |title=Pac-Man at the Twin Galaxies Official Scoreboard |publisher=[[Twin Galaxies]] |access-date=December 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726053417/http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&pi=2&gi=3229&vi=3365 |archive-date=July 26, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Some record keeping organizations removed Mitchell's score after a 2018 investigation by [[Twin Galaxies]] concluded that two unrelated ''[[Donkey Kong (arcade game)|Donkey Kong]]'' score performances submitted by Mitchell had not used an unmodified original circuit board.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.twingalaxies.com/feed_details.php/1047/billy-mitchells-donkey-kong-and-all-other-records-removed/4 |title=Dispute Decision: Billy Mitchell's Donkey Kong & All Other Records Removed}}</ref> As of July 2020, seven other gamers had achieved perfect ''Pac-Man'' scores on original arcade hardware.<ref>{{cite web |title=Twin Galaxies – Pac-Man (Arcade) – Points [Factory Speed] |url=https://www.twingalaxies.com/game/pac-man/arcade/points-factory-speed/page/1?ref=fbshare |access-date=January 2, 2019}}</ref> The world record for the fastest completion of a perfect score, according to Twin Galaxies, is held by David Race with a time of 3 hours, 28 minutes, 49 seconds.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pac-Man [Fastest Completion [Perfect Game ARCADE – 03:28:49.00 – David W Race |date=August 4, 2015 |url=http://www.twingalaxies.com/content.php/3974-Pac-Man-Fastest-Completion-Perfect-Game-ARCADE-03-28-49-00-David-W-Race |access-date=January 5, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |title=Perfect Pac-Man: May 22, 2013 – 3hrs 28min 49sec (2 of 2) |date=May 30, 2013 |via=[[YouTube]] |first=David |last=Race |publisher=David Race |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyA7LtJzwdc |access-date=January 5, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102123336/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyA7LtJzwdc |archive-date=January 2, 2016}}</ref>

In December 1982, eight-year-old boy Jeffrey R. Yee received a letter from United States president [[Ronald Reagan]] congratulating him on a world record score of 6,131,940 points, possible only if he had passed level 256.<ref name="Mitchell" /> In September 1983, [[Walter Day]], chief scorekeeper at Twin Galaxies at the time, took the [[U.S. National Video Game Team]] on a tour of the East Coast to visit gamers who claimed the ability to pass that level. None demonstrated such an ability. In 1999, Billy Mitchell offered $100,000 to anyone who could pass level 256 before January 1, 2000. The offer expired with the prize unclaimed.<ref name="Mitchell" />

After announcing in 2018 that it would no longer recognize the first perfect score on ''Pac-Man'', Guinness World Records reversed that decision and reinstated Billy Mitchell's 1999 performance on June 18, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-18|title=Retro gaming pariah Billy Mitchell has Guinness records reinstated|url=https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/29330854/retro-gaming-pariah-billy-mitchell-guinness-records-reinstated|access-date=2020-06-18|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}</ref>

==Remakes and sequels==
{{further|Pac-Man (franchise)}}
{{see also|List of Pac-Man clones}}

''Pac-Man'' was followed by a series of sequels, remakes, and re-imaginings, and is one of the longest-running video game franchises in history. The first of these was ''[[Ms. Pac-Man]]'', developed by the American-based [[General Computer Corporation]] and published by Midway in 1982. The character's gender was changed to female in response to ''Pac-Man''{{'}}s popularity with women, with new mazes, moving bonus items, and faster gameplay being implemented to increase its appeal. ''Ms. Pac-Man'' is one of the best-selling arcade games in North America, where ''Pac-Man'' and ''Ms. Pac-Man'' had become the most successful machines in the history of the [[amusement arcade]] industry.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Past Presidents See Dip In Video Collections |magazine=[[Cash Box]] |date=20 November 1982 |page=56 |url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox44unse_23/page/56 |publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.}}</ref> Legal concerns raised over who owned the game caused ''Ms. Pac-Man'' to become owned by Namco, who assisted in production of the game. ''Ms. Pac-Man'' inspired its own line of remakes, including ''[[Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness]]'' (2000), and ''[[Ms. Pac-Man: Quest for the Golden Maze]]'', and is included in many Namco and ''Pac-Man'' collections for consoles.

Namco's own follow-up to the original was ''[[Super Pac-Man]]'', released in 1982. This was followed by the Japan-exclusive ''[[Pac & Pal]]'' in 1983.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parish |first1=Jeremy |title=Remembering Pac & Pal, Pac-Man's Strangest Arcade Adventure |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/weekly-classic-pacpal |website=[[USgamer]] |access-date=23 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123175821/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/weekly-classic-pacpal |archive-date=23 January 2018 |date=23 July 2013}}</ref> Midway produced many other ''Pac-Man'' sequels during the early 1980s, including ''[[Pac-Man Plus]]'' (1982), ''[[Jr. Pac-Man]]'' (1983), ''[[Baby Pac-Man]]'' (1983), and ''[[Professor Pac-Man]]'' (1984). Other games include the isometric ''[[Pac-Mania]]'' (1987), the side-scrollers ''[[Pac-Land]]'' (1984), ''[[Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures|Hello! Pac-Man]]'' (1994), and ''[[Pac-In-Time]]'' (1995),<ref>{{cite journal|title=Pac-In-Time |journal=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=6|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|date=June 1995|pages=113–4|url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-006/page/n125/mode/2up}}</ref> the 3D platformer ''[[Pac-Man World]]'' (1999), and the puzzle games ''[[Pac-Attack]]'' (1991) and ''[[Pac-Pix]]'' (2005). Iwatani designed ''Pac-Land'' and ''Pac-Mania'', both of which remain his favorite games in the series. ''[[Pac-Man Championship Edition]]'', published for the [[Xbox 360]] in 2007, was Iwatani's final game before leaving the company. Its neon visuals and fast-paced gameplay was met with acclaim,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/pac-man-championship-edition/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |title=Pac-Man Championship Edition for Xbox 360 Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=25 April 2020}}</ref> leading to the creation of ''[[Pac-Man Championship Edition DX]]'' (2010) and ''[[Pac-Man Championship Edition 2]]'' (2016).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hatfield |first1=Daemon |url=http://uk.xboxlive.ign.com/articles/113/1134848p1.html |title=Pac-Man Championship Edition DX Review |publisher=[[IGN]] |access-date=25 March 2020 |date=16 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101119160028/http://uk.xboxlive.ign.com/articles/113/1134848p1.html |archive-date=19 November 2010}}</ref>

[[Coleco]]'s [[Handheld electronic game|tabletop]] [[Coleco#History|Mini-Arcade]] versions of the game yielded 1.5&nbsp;million units sold in 1982.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Mini-Arcades 'Go Gold' |journal=[[Electronic Games]] |date=November 1982 |volume=1 |issue=9 |url=https://archive.org/stream/electronic-games-magazine-1982-11/Electronic_Games_Issue_09_Vol_01_09_1982_Nov#page/n11/mode/2up |access-date=February 5, 2012 |page=13 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813230736/http://www.archive.org/stream/electronic-games-magazine-1982-11/Electronic_Games_Issue_09_Vol_01_09_1982_Nov |archive-date=August 13, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Coleco Mini-Arcades Go Gold |journal=Arcade Express |date=August 15, 1982 |volume=1 |issue=1 |url=http://www.digitpress.com/library/newsletters/arcadeexpress/arcade_express_v1n1.pdf |access-date=February 3, 2012 |page=4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108044413/http://www.digitpress.com/library/newsletters/arcadeexpress/arcade_express_v1n1.pdf |archive-date=November 8, 2012}}</ref> [[Nelsonic Industries]] produced a ''Pac-Man'' [[LCD]] [[wristwatch]] game with a simplified maze also in 1982.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Official Midway's Pac-Man Game Watch Instruction Manual |type=booklet |publisher=[[Nelsonic Industries]] |url=http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Manuals/Nelsonic-PacManWatch.pdf |access-date=November 3, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924024827/http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Manuals/Nelsonic-PacManWatch.pdf |archive-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref>

[[Namco Networks]] sold a downloadable Windows PC version of ''Pac-Man'' in 2009 which also includes an enhanced mode which replaces all of the original sprites with the sprites from ''Pac-Man Championship Edition''. Namco Networks made a downloadable bundle which includes its PC version of ''Pac-Man'' and its port of ''[[Dig Dug]]'' called ''[[List of Namco retro video game compilations#Namco All-Stars: Pac-Man and Dig Dug|Namco All-Stars: Pac-Man and Dig Dug]]''. In 2010, [[Namco Bandai]] announced the release of the game on [[Windows Phone 7]] as an Xbox Live game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bestwp7games.com/a-quick-look-at-some-of-the-new-wp7-games-from-namco.html |title=A quick look at some of the new WP7 games from Namco |date=November 9, 2010 |work=BestWP7Games |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101112002527/http://www.bestwp7games.com/a-quick-look-at-some-of-the-new-wp7-games-from-namco.html |archive-date=November 12, 2010}}</ref>

{{anchor|Google Pac-Man}}For the weekend of May 21–23, 2010, [[Google]] changed the logo on its homepage to a [[Pac-Man Google Doodle|playable version of the game]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Google gets Pac-Man fever |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-20005528-52.html |publisher=cnet |date=May 21, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027001141/http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-20005528-52.html |archive-date=October 27, 2010}}</ref> in recognition of the 30th anniversary of the game's release. The [[Google Doodle]] version of ''Pac-Man'' was estimated to have been played by more than 1&nbsp;billion people worldwide in 2010,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/google-gives-pac-man-boost-with-over-223613 |title=Google gives Pac-Man boost with over 1&nbsp;billion playing Goggle Doodle game in three days |work=Mirror |last=Fricker |first=Martin |date=May 24, 2010 |access-date=August 25, 2021}}</ref> so Google later gave the game its own page.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pac-Man |url=https://www.google.com/pacman/ |access-date=November 3, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829041556/http://www.google.com/pacman/ |archive-date=August 29, 2012}}</ref>

In April 2011, Soap Creative published ''[[World's Biggest Pac-Man]]'', working together with [[Microsoft]] and Namco-Bandai to celebrate ''Pac-Man''{{'}}s 30th anniversary. It is a multiplayer browser-based game with user-created, interlocking mazes.<ref>{{cite web |title=World's Biggest Pac-Man Is Web Sensation |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/worlds-biggest-pac-man-online-game-international-web/story?id=13417709&singlePage=true |author=Ki Mae Huessner |publisher=ABC News Internet Ventures |access-date=April 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415195034/https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/worlds-biggest-pac-man-online-game-international-web/story?id=13417709&singlePage=true |archive-date=April 15, 2014}}</ref>

For [[April Fools' Day]] in 2017, Google created a playable of the game on [[Google Maps]] where users were able to play the game using the map onscreen.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Garun|first=Natt|date=2017-03-31|title=Google Maps morphs into Ms. Pac-Man for April Fools' Day|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/3/31/15136848/google-maps-april-fools-ms-pac-man-easter-egg|access-date=2021-12-27|website=The Verge|language=en}}</ref>

A ''Pac-Man''-themed [[downloadable content]] package for ''[[Minecraft]]'' was released in 2020 in commemoration of the game's [[Pac-Man 40th Anniversary|40th anniversary]]. This pack introduced a ghost called 'Creepy', based on the [[Creeper (Minecraft)|Creeper]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/pac-man-40th-anniversary-minecraft-twitch-stream-live-studio-ai|title=Pac-Man Celebrates 40th Anniversary With Minecraft DLC, a Game You Play on Twitch, and Weird AI Programs|website=IGN|date=May 22, 2020|language=en|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref>

==Technology==

The original arcade system board had one [[Z80]]A processor, running at 3.072&nbsp;MHz, 16&nbsp;kbyte of ROM and 3&nbsp;kbyte of static RAM. Of those 1&nbsp;kbyte each was for video RAM, color RAM and generic program RAM. There were two custom chips on the board: the 285 sync bus controller and the 284 video RAM addresser, but daughterboards made only from standard parts were also widely used instead. Video output was (analog) component video with composite sync. A further 8&nbsp;kbyte of character ROM was used for characters, background tiles and sprites and an additional 1&nbsp;kbit of static RAM was used to hold 4bpp sprite data for one scanline and was written to during the horizontal blanking period preceding each line. Sprite size was always 16x16 pixels, one of the four colors per pixel was for transparency (of the background).

The monitor was installed 90 degree rotated clockwise, the first visible scanline started in the top right corner and ends in the bottom right corner. The horizontal blanking period, which starts after the level indicator at the bottom is drawn, had a duration of 96 pixel clock ticks, enough time to fetch 4 bytes of sprite data per 16 clock ticks for 6 sprites. Although attribute memory exists for them, sprites 0 and 7 are unusable: Their pixel fetch timing windows are occupied by the bottom level indicator (which just precedes the hblank) for sprite 0 and two rows of characters at the top of the screen, which just follow the hblank, for sprite 7.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.arcade-museum.com/manuals-videogames/P/Pac-Man.pdf|title=Midway's Pac-Man Parts and Operating Manual|date=December 1980}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}
{{Clear}}

==References==
<references>
<ref name="salon">{{cite news |last=Green |first=Chris |date=June 17, 2002 |url=http://www.salon.com/ent/masterpiece/2002/06/17/pac_man/print.html |title=Pac-Man |work=Salon.com |access-date=February 12, 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051225025334/http://www.salon.com/ent/masterpiece/2002/06/17/pac_man/print.html |archive-date=December 25, 2005}}</ref>

<ref name="timemag">{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,921174,00.html |title=Pac-Man Fever |work=Time Magazine |date=April 5, 1982 |access-date=October 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122151527/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C921174%2C00.html |archive-date=January 22, 2011 |quote=Columbia Records' Pac-Man Fever ... was No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 last week. |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="Ultimate History">{{cite book|last=Kent |first=Steven L. |author-link=Steven L. Kent |title=The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World |date=2002 |publisher=Random House International |location=New York |isbn=978-0-7615-3643-7 |oclc=59416169 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PTrcTeAqeaEC |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624183529/https://books.google.com/books?id=PTrcTeAqeaEC&printsec=frontcover |archive-date=June 24, 2016 }}</ref>{{rp|page=143}}

<ref name="CNN-Morris">{{cite news |title=Pac Man turns 25: A pizza dinner yields a cultural phenomenon – and millions of dollars in quarters. He also loved to eat a lot of pellets. |date=May 10, 2005 |author=Chris Morris |publisher=CNN |url=https://money.cnn.com/2005/05/10/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/index.htm |access-date=April 23, 2011 |quote=In the late 1990s, Twin Galaxies, which tracks video game world record scores, visited used game auctions and counted how many times the average Pac Man machine had been played. Based on those findings and the total number of machines that were manufactured, the organization said it believed the game had been played more than 10&nbsp;billion times in the 20th century. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515011836/http://money.cnn.com/2005/05/10/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/index.htm |archive-date=May 15, 2011}}</ref>

<ref name=nlgd>{{cite web |author=Martijn Müller |title=Pac-Man wereldrecord beklonken en het hele verhaal |url=http://www.ng-gamer.nl/game-nieuws/11117_pacman-wereldrecord-beklonken-en-het-hele-verhaal/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227102904/http://www.ng-gamer.nl/game-nieuws/11117_pacman-wereldrecord-beklonken-en-het-hele-verhaal/ |archive-date=February 27, 2012 |language=nl |publisher=[[NG-Gamer]] |date=June 3, 2010 |access-date=November 3, 2015}}</ref>

<!-- Unused references:
<ref name="upi">{{cite web |url=http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2010/05/22/Pac-Man-still-going-strong-at-30/UPI-74821274544243/ |title=Pac-Man still going strong at 30 |publisher=UPI.com |date=May 22, 2010 |access-date=May 22, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022110136/http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2010/05/22/Pac-Man-still-going-strong-at-30/UPI-74821274544243/ |archive-date=October 22, 2012}}</ref>
<ref name="wired">{{cite news |url=https://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/10/dayintech_1010 |work=Wired |title=Oct. 10, 1979: Pac-Man Brings Gaming into Pleistocene Era |date=October 10, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207034222/http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/10/dayintech_1010 |archive-date=December 7, 2013}}</ref>
<ref name="gamespotsyn">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/ds/action/pacnroll/review.html?tag=rvwBody |title=Pac 'n Roll Review |publisher=GameSpot.com |date=August 23, 2005 |access-date=May 22, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628234503/http://www.gamespot.com/ds/action/pacnroll/review.html?tag=rvwBody |archive-date=June 28, 2011}}</ref>
<ref name="video game explosion">{{Cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=to5zEwOC9BcC&pg=PA74 |title=The video game explosion: A history from PONG to PlayStation and beyond |isbn=978-0-313-33868-7 |last=Wolf |first=Mark J. P. |year=2008}}</ref>
<ref name="gamerevolution">http://www.gamerevolution.com/features/13510-world-of-warcraft-leads-industry-with-nearly-10-billion-in-revenue {{Bare URL inline|date=May 2022}}</ref>
<ref name="Early, Chas; bt.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.home.bt.com/news/on-this-day/may-22-1980-iconic-video-game-character-pac-man-makes-his-first-appearance-11363982439694 |title=May 22, 1980: Iconic video game character Pac-Man makes his first appearance |author=Early, Chas |publisher=bt.com |date=May 21, 2019 |access-date=June 16, 2019}}</ref>
<ref name="bandainamco">{{cite web |url=http://www.bandainamcogames.co.jp/bnours/hotnews/index.php?id=21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230012914/http://www.bandainamcogames.co.jp/bnours/hotnews/index.php?id=21 |archive-date=December 30, 2007 |title=Bandai Namco press release for 25th Anniversary Edition |language=ja |quote={{lang|ja|2005年5月22日で生誕25周年を迎えた『パックマン』}} ("Pac-Man celebrates his 25th anniversary on May 22, 2005", seen in image caption) |author=Namco Bandai Games Inc. |publisher=bandainamcogames.co.jp/ |date=June 2, 2005 |access-date=October 10, 2007}}</ref>
<ref name="wired_namcodispute">{{cite news |url=http://archive.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/10/dayintech_1010 |title=Oct. 10, 1979: Pac-Man Brings Gaming into Pleistocene Era |quote=[Bandai Namco] puts the date at May 22, 1980 and is planning an official 25th anniversary celebration next year. |first=Tony |last=Long |work=Wired |date=October 10, 2007 |access-date=October 10, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911050643/http://archive.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/10/dayintech_1010 |archive-date=September 11, 2014}}</ref>
<ref name="classicgaming">{{cite web |url=http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=249 |title=Pac-Man: The Phenomenon: Part 1 |author=Goldberg, Marty |publisher=Arcadegaming.us |date=January 31, 2002 |access-date=July 31, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016203822/http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=249 |archive-date=October 16, 2007}}</ref>
<ref name="Brill-120">{{Cite book |title=America in the 1980s |author=Marlene Targ Brill |publisher=[[Lerner Publishing Group|Twenty-First Century Books]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-8225-7602-0 |page=120 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NjmhJKkoKW0C&pg=PT120 |access-date=May 1, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418054516/https://books.google.com/books?id=NjmhJKkoKW0C&pg=PT120 |archive-date=April 18, 2016}}</ref>
-->
</references>

==Further reading==
* {{cite web |last=Trueman |first=Doug |date=November 10, 1999 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/hist_pacman/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090626030309/http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/hist_pacman/ |archive-date=June 26, 2009 |title=The History of Pac-Man |work=[[GameSpot]]}} Comprehensive coverage on the history of the entire series up through 1999.
* Morris, Chris (May 10, 2005). "[https://money.cnn.com/2005/05/10/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/ Pac Man Turns 25]". ''[[CNN Money]]''.
* Vargas, Jose Antonio (June 22, 2005). "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/21/AR2005062101747.html Still Love at First Bite: At 25, Pac-Man Remains a Hot Pursuit]". ''[[The Washington Post]]''.
* Hirschfeld, Tom. ''[[How to Master the Video Games]]'', Bantam Books, 1981. {{ISBN|0-553-20164-6}} Strategy guide for a variety of arcade games including ''Pac-Man''. Includes drawings of some of the common patterns.

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.pacman.com/}}
* [https://www.twingalaxies.com/game/pac-man/arcade ''Pac-Man'' highscores] on [[Twin Galaxies]]
* [https://www.arcade-history.com/?page=detail&id=1914 ''Pac-Man''] on ''Arcade History''
* {{KLOV game|id=10816}}

{{Pac-Man series}}
{{Authority control}}

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