30th anniversary of pac man series#

Each ghost has unique A.I., programmed so that the game would not get impossibly difficult or boring. They cycle through different 'modes' of behavior, colloquially known as 'scatter'–where they retreat to the four corners of the maze–and 'chase'–where their A.I. The four ghosts, formerly known as 'monsters', are the enemies in the original arcade game. However, DIP switches inside the machine can change the required points (15,000 or 20,000) or disable the bonus life altogether.Īll of the fruits and their point values Ghosts Pac-Man is awarded a single bonus life at 10,000 points by default. The third intermission appears several times afterward on later levels. There are three total, appearing after levels 2, 5, and 9.

30th anniversary of pac man series#

The items change and bonus values increase throughout the game.Ī series of intermissions (also referred to as as Coffee Breaks) play after certain levels toward the beginning of the game, showing a humorous set of interactions.

These items score extra bonus points when eaten. In addition to Pac-Dots and Power Pellets, bonus items, usually referred to as Fruits (though not all items are fruits) appear near the center of the maze. In later stages, the ghosts do not change colors at all, but they still reverse direction when a power pellet is eaten. The amount of time the ghosts remain vulnerable varies from one round to the next, but the time period generally becomes shorter as the game progresses. Blue ghosts flash white before they become dangerous again. When a ghost is eaten, its eyes return to the ghost home where it is regenerated in its normal color. The ghosts turn deep blue, reverse direction, and move slower when Pac-Man eats one. Near the corners of the maze are four larger, flashing dots known as Power Pellets, provide Pac-Man with the temporary ability to eat the ghosts. When all lives have been lost, the game ends. Four ghosts, Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde roam the maze, trying to catch Pac-Man - if a ghost touches him, a life is lost. The player guides the titular Pac-Man through a maze to eat Pac-Dots when all dots are eaten, Pac-Man is taken to the next stage. 10.4 Concept Artwork and Unreleased Material.2.1 Arcade Game Series (PC, PS4, Xbox One).If your contribution is approved, you will earn points and be credited as a contributor.Īdditional contributors: Pseudo_Intellectual, LepricahnsGold. You can also play the Google version of Pac-Man at this site.įree, legal play of the game through a web browser.Īre you familiar with this game? Help document and preserve this entry in video game history! Google Pac-Man at the Pac-Man 30th Anniversary site (English version).The game was a one-time event only, and was only available on the website's homepage for a single day - but it lives on in a Google sub-page (see: Links/Searches on the left sidebar.) Groups +

The player controls Pac-Man by either using the mouse, clicking in the direction they wish for Pac-Man to move in, or by using the arrow keys on the player's keyboard.īy pressing the 'insert coin' button twice, a two-player mode can be accessed, allowing another player to join in as Ms. The playing area has been re-worked so that the walls now spell the word 'GOOGLE'. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Pac-Man's original launch in video game arcades, Google placed a themed version of the game in place of their company logo on the homepage of their search engine website, which could be activated by either clicking on the playing field, or clicking on the 'insert coin' button next to the usual search button.