| Pac-Man | |
| Italic Title: | no |
| Developer: | Namco Bandai Namco Studios |
| Publisher: | Namco Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| Creator: | Toru Iwatani |
| Composer: | Toshio Kai |
| Genre: | Maze |
| First Release Version: | Pac-Man |
| First Release Date: | May 22, 1980 |
| Latest Release Version: | Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs |
| Latest Release Date: | May 9, 2024 |
is a video game series and media franchise developed, published and owned by Bandai Namco Entertainment, a video game publisher that was previously known as Namco. Entries have been developed by a wide array of other video game companies, including Midway Games, Atari and Mass Media, Inc., and was created by Toru Iwatani. The eponymous first entry was released in arcades in 1980 by Namco, and published by Midway Games in North America. Most Pac-Man games are maze chase games, but it has also delved into other genres, such as platformers, racing, and sports. Several games in the series were released for a multitude of home consoles and are included in many Bandai Namco video game compilations, The franchise contains 2 animated series and an upcoming film.
Pac-Man is one of the longest-running, best-selling, and highest-grossing video game franchises in history, and the game has seen regular releases for over 40 years, has sold nearly 48 million copies across all of the platforms, and has grossed over US$14 billion, most of which has been from the original arcade game. The character of Pac-Man is the official mascot of Bandai Namco, and is one of the most recognizable video game characters in history. The franchise has been seen as important and influential, and is often used as a representation for 1980s popular culture and video games as a whole.
Also having been released as iOS applications are ports of the original Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, and Pac-Man Championship Edition (all of these except for Pac-Mania have also been released on Android). Emulated versions of the original Pac-Man and Pac-Land are included in the defunct Namco Arcade application for iOS and Android. There was also a Pac-Man themed Twitter application for iOS devices, the Pac-Man Live Wallpaper application for iOS and Android devices, the Pac-Man Watch Face for Android Wear, and Pac-Man Moving Stickers for iOS. In July 2015, Pac-Man Championship Edition DX was released on both iOS and Android. Both versions were discontinued in March 2020.
Pac-Man Museum was released on Xbox Live Arcade (Xbox 360), PlayStation Network (PS3) and Windows PC (through Steam); the planned Nintendo eShop release for Wii U and 3DS was cancelled. Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 was also originally going to have a Windows version.
See main article: Pac-Man (TV series). Pac-Man is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and it is the first series based on the franchise. It premiered on ABC and ran for 44 episodes over two seasons from September 25, 1982, to November 5, 1983. It was the first cartoon based on a video game.
The series aired on ABC Saturday Morning in the following formats:[1]
Pac-Man Halloween Special The Halloween special consisted of two segments from the show, "Pacula" and "Trick or Chomp". The special aired in primetime on ABC on October 30, 1982.[2] It has been replayed on channels like Cartoon Network and Boomerang during Halloween in later years until 2014.[3]
Christmas Comes to Pac-LandIn this Christmas special, Pac-Man and his family help Santa Claus (voiced by Peter Cullen) after he crash lands in Pac-Land (after the reindeer were startled by the floating eyes of the Ghost Monsters after Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man and Pac-Baby chomped them). Mezmeron was the only character from the cartoon that is not in the special (although his lair, which is covered in snow, appears). It was shown every December on the Boomerang Christmas Party until 2014.[4] [5]
See main article: Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures. Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, known in Japan as Pac-World, is an animated television series produced by 41 Entertainment, Arad Productions, a partnership between Sprite Animation Studios and OLM, Inc., and Bandai Namco Entertainment for Tokyo MX (stereo version), BS11 (stereo version) and Disney XD (bilingual version).[3] It is the second animated series to be based upon the game franchise, following the 1982 TV series. The show aired from June 15, 2013, to May 25, 2015, running for three seasons and 52 episodes.
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.[6] In 2008, a live-action film based on the series was in development at Crystal Sky.[7] [8] In 2022, plans for a live-action Pac-Man film were revived at Wayfarer Studios, based on an idea by Chuck Williams.[9] [10] [11]
The kid's area of the park originally opened in 1983 as Pac-Man Land. Today the park is called Bugs Bunny Boomtown since 2014. Due to the appearance of Looney Tunes characters since 1985. The attractions are now based on Looney Tunes characters.