The most popular video game of all time, and the second best video game with the words "Pac Man" in its name, turns twenty-five this month. Pac Man launched a Saturday-morning cartoon, an ice-cream bar, a hit song, and numerous sequel games.
What explains Pac Man's popularity? Its simplicity. This puts in it in sharp contrast to many contemporary video games, which defeat the purpose of mindless entertainment by requiring the operators to read Bible-length manuals to play. A child could understand Pac Man, and many did. Some adults, such as Billy Mitchell, understood it better. In 1999, Mitchell played Pac Man's first perfect game. "Billy Mitchell’s first 'perfect' game has made this category of achievement one of the most sought-after accomplishments in the gaming world," explains the editor of the Video Game and Pinball Book of World Records. "Just like Roger Bannister’s four-minute-mile in 1954, a human barrier has been knocked down and others now have the desire to match Billy Mitchell's feat."
Pac Man proves the axiom that it's better to be first than best. Pac Man's better half, Ms. Pac Man, is Pac Man's better half. Its mazes change while Pac Man's maze remains static throughout. Most stages of Ms. Pac Man boast multiple escape chutes. Its bonus fruit moves about, whereas Pac Man's is fixed below the ghost house. And it is generally a more challenging game. Did Billy Mitchell play a perfect game in Ms. Pac Man? Didn't think so.
Though Ms. Pac Man surpasses the greatness of the original, it is only because it stands atop the shoulders of a giant. Happy birthday, Pac Man.
The best of this genre (wierd dudes chasing you while you grab stuff), and quite frankly, the best game of all time is not Pac Man.
It is, of course, the one and only Burgertime.
Hail Pacman.
Also: long live MAME! The death of the classic 80s arcade is a blow to western civilization, but at least the games live on...
I miss Pac-Man. I miss all the "old school" video games... Space Invaders... Pong... Donkey Kong... Q-bert....
Modern video games require WAY too much thought to be fun.
After seeing that picture of Billy Mitchell I wouldn't be surprised if he went on a 6 state shooting spree as he act's out scenario's of the game he loves.
Traveling from state to state complying with his usual diet of Mountain Dew and Slim Jims. Targeting people wearing "Pac-Man must die" T-Shirt's. He doesn't look like he can separate Pac-Man from reality. That empty stare is quite disturbing.
Burger Time is excellent. I had the 2600, but I had a friend with Intellevision, which boasted Burger Time among its games. Another friend had Colecovision, which was more advanced than Atari and Intellevision and came with Zaxxon.
pfffffffffffffff
The Original Doom is where it's at. Those are MY childhood memories.
FYI: Burgertime on MAME is THE Burgertime from the arcade. It's the actual ROM, and you can play on your PC.
No other game can you get eaten 3 times for a quater. I can't get enough!
I want to learn the method used by Billy Mitchell and the other 3 Pac-man perfect-game players to lure the 4 monsters to be eaten within the short energizer time on the 6th key board. I have tried to play a perfect game, but have never got past the peach board with a perfect score.
I have had:
14,800 after the cherry board
30,000 after the strawberry board
My best non-perfect play is 1,058,000 at Florida Festival, July 1984 on a mini-cabinet game. 72 key.
If anyone knows where video can be seen or downloaded, please email me (remove NOSPAM from email address).
thanks,
Jim
"Fleece and Wino" from Attleboro Mass: if you're out there, thanks for showing me how to play the game!
