Pac-Man
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Pong, Pac-Man and Space Invaders meet in mega mashup
We may have reached peak video game nostalgia. Mega-hybrid game Pacapong takes Pong, Pac-Man, and Space Invaders and crams them into a two-player mish-mash extravaganza. Players launch Pac-Man from Pong paddles through his maze hoping that he makes it to the other side without running into a ghost. If a player does launch the gobbling hero into a ghost, the other player gets to serve. Meanwhile, the players are also battling Space Invaders with the same paddles. It sounds confusing, but after few minutes, you'll be wondering when someone will build a mashup of Galaga, Joust, and Dig Dug.
Daily Roundup: MacBook Pro review, the new Surface 3 and more!
April Fools' Day is nearly upon us and now's your chance to get caught up on the last bit of serious news before the internet gets crazy. First up, we review Apple's refreshed MacBook Pro with Retina display and find out if the Force Touch trackpad is everything we've hoped and dreamed. Meanwhile, Microsoft announces the Surface 3 running Windows 8.1 and Google comes up with a new way to put Chrome OS on your television. Head past the break for the details on these stories and more.
Google Maps turned your streets into Pac-Man today
Your streets can be an iconic arcade game right now. Google Maps has a Pac-Man option just in time for April Fool's Day. With the click of a button, your streets will be dotted with yellow pellets and the four famous ghosts. New York City, with its perpendicular streets, is perfect for Pac-Man's maze. I zipped around the block for a few minutes, until I ran into Pinky outside Webster Hall. Even though everyone's streets probably won't convert into a Pac-Man-like grid, Google might be getting better at gags after years of trying and failing.
'Pixels' looks like another horrible video game movie
Pixels is a live-action movie about an alien-controlled cadre of classic video game characters wreaking havoc upon humanity by turning everything they touch into, well, pixels. It's based on the charming 2010 short by the same name that Sony thought would make a great feature-length movie starring Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) and Paul Blart (Kevin James). A mulleted Peter Dinklage is along for the ride too, in what looks like a less challenging role than his voice work in Destiny was. His character bears more than a passing resemblance to Dog the Bounty Hunter, because sure why not? At one point, Pac-Man's creator Toru Iwatani (played by Denis Akiyama) gets his hand chomped off by the big yellow guy himself. And just when I thought it couldn't get any more stupid, out came trite "homages" to iconic scenes from Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Independence Day. All this to say: The movie looks absolutely abhorrent.
Real-life, giant Pac-Man maze stars in Super Bowl ad
Bud Light's Super Bowl XLIX commercial sends a clear message: Drink beer, be chased by ghosts. Or is it "Drink beer, have a lot of strangers touch you?" No, no – it's probably "Drink beer, then run around a ton and don't throw up!" Or just, "Pac-Man is still awesome."
Real-world Pac-Man maze is what dreams, Super Bowl ads are made of
It appears someone on the Bud Light marketing team has shared our daydreams about emulating video game moments in real life. As you can see above, the difference between us is a substantial, dream-fueling marketing budget – according to Game Informer's take on a Chicago Tribune report, this life-sized Pac-Man maze was built in LA's Fashion District to be used in a 60-second Super Bowl commercial called "coin." In the ad, a man will reportedly find a message in a beer bottle that instructs him to go outside, where he will be given a giant coin for use toward a round of real life Pac-Man. We've taken the liberty of mailing a revised script to Budweiser, in which the man graciously gives up his chance to sprint through a glowing, Ghost-plagued maze so that all of us can have a shot instead. The script also notes that we will all run the maze perfectly, thereby forcing Budweiser to build six-foot-tall Ms. Pac-Man-themed mazes in our backyards. For free. We'll be sure to alert you all once our revision is cleared. [Image: LA Fashion District]
Video: If Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 was released today
We've seen variations on this sort of thing before, but this mocked-up glimpse at our industry's terrifying future is more plausible than most. Something Awful founder Rich "Lowtax" Kyanka proposes what Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 might play like if it was released today in the video above. The slick pay-to-play hooks clash fantastically with Pac-Man's terrible audiovisual presentation on the 2600, and some of the features parodied here are already an unfortunate reality in modern games. Maybe it's for the best if this one stays buried in a New Mexico landfill. [Video: Rich Kyanka]
Play Ms. Pac-Man on iOS in October and help fight breast cancer
Want to fight breast cancer using your iPhone or iPad? Bandai Namco is making it as easy as downloading a new in-game map for one of the company's many Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man titles from the App Store in the month of October. The new maze is priced at US$0.99 and all proceeds go directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The download -- called "The Hope Maze" -- is shaped like the iconic pink ribbon of breast cancer awareness, and can be downloaded on any of the following Pac Man titles: Pac-Man Ms. Pac-Man Pac-Man Lite Ms. Pac-Man Lite Ms. Pac-Man for iPad Ms. Pac-Man for iPad Lite
The Pac-Man family fights breast cancer during October
Bandai Namco is teaming up with the National Breast Cancer Foundation this month by offering special pink mazes for its mobile Pac-Man games. The mazes will cost $1 each, with 100 percent of proceeds going to the NBCF. Bandai Namco is calling the initiative, which will last until the end of the month, the "Ms. Pac-Man Pink Ribbon Campaign." If you have an iOS device, the list of compatible games is as follows: Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man Lite, Ms. Pac-Man Lite, Ms. Pac-Man for iPad and Ms. Pac-Man for iPad Lite. If you're rocking an Android device, your options are limited to Ms. Pac-Man and Pac-Man + Tournaments. "We are very excited about our new partnership with BANDAI NAMCO and the Ms. PAC-MAN Pink Ribbon Campaign," NBCF founder and CEO Janelle Hail said in a related press release. "By encouraging their gamers to Join the Pac, we can reach more women than ever with our message of hope. The funds they raise will allow us to provide early detection services for women in need in all 50 states." [Image: Bandai Namco]
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 gobbles up an October release
Ohhhhhhhh no / Those ghosts have got to go / Go go Paczilla Pac-Man and his pals are back for another round of 3D platforming with the upcoming release of Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS, publisher Bandai Namco announced this week. Based on the latest season of the ongoing animated series Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, this year's sequel allows players to switch between Pac-Man and new playable characters Spiral and Cylindria. Players are also equipped with new powers and skills, including the ability to transform Pac-Man into the monstrous (and, honestly, kinda terrifying) Paczilla. Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 will hit retail in North America on October 14. [Image: Bandai Namco]
E3 2014 round-up: Weird tales from Los Angeles
Had you been on the floor of the Los Angeles Convention Center this year, you would have heard one question, echoing from journalist to journalist: "This year feels a little ... weird, don't you think?" It's hard to put a finger on exactly why E3 2014 gave off a strange vibe, but darn it all, we're gonna try. Here are some of the most eccentric, the most peculiar, most "hmm"-inducing stories of E3:
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 reaching UK in October
Bandai Namco gave the entirety of 2014 as a North American release window for Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2, but a recent press release narrows the game's UK arrival down to the month of October. With the help of Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U and 3DS owners, Pac-Man can stretch his legs and get out of that maze called life for a while. Like the TV show sharing the same universe, Ghostly Adventures 2 will feature Pac-Man and pals Spiral and Cylindria, with the sidekicks appearing in their own on-rails levels and to assist Pac-Man in "tough situations." The sequel follows the trio's efforts to defend PacWorld from Lord Betrayus' army, with Pac-Man using power ups and vehicles to help get the job done. If you're pretty sure a 3D Pac-Man adventure game could never be your thing, well ... at least there's always Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+. [Image: Bandai Namco]
Six Pacmen turns Pac-Man into a musical conductor (sort of)
"Six Pacmen" is a performance piece from Tacit Group that fuses the arcade game Pac-Man with the 1973 musical composition "Six Pianos" by Steve Reich. In this twist on the Namco classic, the song "Six Pianos" is played one measure at a time. Players must move their Pac-Man character around a shared level with five other players, each working to collect an object in the maze. Once a set of objects has been collected, the song advances to the next measure of the song. And who still says video games can't be art? [Image: Tacit Group]
Retro redux Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ now $5 on Steam
Steam's Daily Deal has just knocked 50 percent from the price of Namco Bandai's hit Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+, granting the revived incarnation of the pellet-chomping arcade classic a $5 price tag. If you've ever played Pac-Man you're already familiar with the basics of Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+. Navigate a maze, avoid ghosts, eat pellets - you know the drill. Where the new game differentiates itself is in its novel tweaks to the classic formula. Players are given all manner of options to change the core Pac-Man experience, from slowing down time when you run too close to a dangerous ghost, to changing the stage to resemble something out of Dig Dug. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ is less a modern Pac-Man sequel and more a remix of its central concepts mated with the technology of today. To take advantage of this discount, simply visit the Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ page on Steam and purchase the game before Friday, February 14 at 10AM. After that time, Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ returns to its standard $10 price point. [Image: Namco Bandai]
'Delayed development' cancels Pac-Man Museum on 3DS, Wii U
Yesterday, we brought you a happy story on the free copy of Ms. Pac-Man included with early purchases of Pac-Man Museum. Today, we bring you gloomy news: The compilation's 3DS and Wii U ports are no longer planned for release. Pac-Man Museum was first announced last summer. At that time it was slated for release on Steam, Xbox Live, the PlayStation Network, and the Wii U and 3DS eShops. That story from yesterday only mentioned the Steam, Xbox Live and PSN iterations of Pac-Man Museum, prompting Nintendo Everything to contact publisher Namco Bandai. According to the site's report, both the Wii U and 3DS versions of Pac-Man Museum have been cancelled "as a result of delayed development." While this cancellation is depressing news for Nintendo devotees, those who have access to any of the platforms Pac-Man Museum will be appearing on should give the game a shot, if only for Pac-Man Battle Royale. Unless you frequent Japanese arcades, you probably won't have many other chances to experience the gleeful chaos that is four-player Pac-Man.
Pac-Man Museum arrives February 25, free Ms. Pac-Man DLC in tow
Come February 25, Pac-Man Museum will make its PlayStation Network debut, with Xbox Live and Steam versions following on February 26. Buy the game early and you can add a gratis copy of Ms. Pac-Man to your new surfeit of pellet-chomping adventures. As its name would suggest, Pac-Man Museum is a compilation drawn from the dozens of games starring everyone's favorite ravenous yellow pie chart. Included are copies of Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, Pac-Land, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, Pac-Attack, Pac-Man Remix and Pac-Man Battle Royale - an especially addictive multiplayer take on the Pac-Man formula that's relatively rare outside of Japanese arcades. Those who purchase the game on Steam will also receive a copy of Namco Bandai's recent franchise redux Pac-Man: Championship Edition. Regardless of which platform you prefer, those who purchase Pac-Man Museum between launch and March 31 will receive a free copy of Ms. Pac-Man, arguably the highlight of the franchise's arcade entries. After March 31, this Ms. Pac-Man DLC will feature a $5 price tag.
More games for Xbox One: XBOXIE collects HTML5 controller games
Xbox One supports a controller, Internet Explorer and HTML5 games, but not all HTML5 games support a controller – and that's where XBOXIE comes in. Run by Reddit user CitadelSaint, XBOXIE lists HTML5 games you can play with a controller in IE on the Xbox One. So far the list includes Pac-Man, Bejeweled, Super Breakout, Pong, Contre Jour, Sketch Out and Solitaire, among others. "Even though the Xbox One can play HTML5 games, it doesn't mean developers are supporting the controller," XBOXIE's About page reads. "Most game are aimed at keyboard and mouse. So we at XBOXIE search and test each game to make sure it runs smooth and plays well on a controller. So to sum up, if it's on XBOXIE then you can play it on your Xbox One." That's right: Pong has entered the next generation. Take that, Tetris.
Sonic the Hedgehog box art illustrator Greg Martin passes away
Prolific video game cover artist Greg Martin has passed away, a personal friend announced at the NintendoAge forum this week. Martin illustrated many iconic video game covers throughout the 1990s, establishing distinctive looks for Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series characters and Namco's Pac-Man, in particular. Many Sonic the Hedgehog games released stateside during the Sega Genesis and Game Gear era bear Martin's cover art, including Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic CD, and Sonic Spinball, among others. Martin created cover illustrations for several Hanna-Barbera and Looney Tunes-licensed games during his long-running industry stint, and his art also adorned the covers of acclaimed classics like Landstalker, Shining in the Darkness, and Little Nemo: The Dream Master. Several examples of Martin's work can be seen at NintendoAge.
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ munches on Steam on Sept. 25
2010's re-imagining of the Pac-Man series is adding to its train-of-a-name on September 25 when it launches on Steam for $10 as Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+. DX+ will add four courses, two songs and a trio of skin packs that mimic sights and sounds from Dig Dug, Rally-X and the Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventure cartoon series. The game's Steam page lists this content as a pre-order bonus, which is curious given that Namco Bandai announced the same features in June as a free update to console versions. We enjoyed the original release's shake-up of the series' traditional gameplay.
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures chomps North America this fall
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures will launch this fall on PS3, Wii U and Xbox 360, with a special side-scrolling version coming to 3DS, Namco Bandai announced. The game takes inspiration from the TV show of the same name, which is slated to begin airing June 17 on Disney XD. Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures features the iconic yellow character in a 3D adventure game in which he turns into a chameleon at some point, using his tongue to reel in ghosts. In the game's announcement trailer, Pac-Man also eats entire vending machines. Healthy choices, kids! %Gallery-188309%
