The Comic-Con Character Museum has announced the latest inductee into its Character Museum Hall of Fame, withPac-Manbeing the first video game character entered.
First debuting in Japanese arcades,Pac-Manis joining the likes ofBatman, who was the inaugural inductee of the museum in its inception in 2019.
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2020 also marks the 40th anniversary of the character and the original game which debuted in 1980. While the originalPac-Manhas been ported to dozens of home consoles, handheld consoles, and mobile devices, the character himself has been a part of many spin-offs including the Nintendo Switch mega-hit,Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Pac-Mancreator Toru Iwatani recently commented on the legacy ofPac-Manin an interview with IGN. Iwatani discussed the development of the game and revealed thatPac-ManChampionship Editionis his favorite follow-up to the original game. When talking about theorigins of thePac-Manghosts, Iwatani revealed that Japanese manga such asLittle Ghost Q-Taroplayed a huge part in the concept, also indicating that Japanese “youkai,” spirits that exist without origin, was another influence.
In celebration of the 40th anniversary earlier this year, Bandai Namco announced theStadia exclusive titlePac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle, a battle royale that recently launched on the streaming service.Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battletakes the classic arcade game and adds 64 players that battle across interconnected mazes until the last Pac is standing.
In addition, Bandai Namco alsoannouncedPac-Man GEOfor mobile phones.Pac-Man GEOis a location-based collection game in the veins ofPokemon GO. One key difference is the ability to play the game at home and use shared generated mazes inspired by real-world locations. The new releases andPac-Man’s popularity inSmashshow that despite the long legacy,Pac-Manis as popular as ever.
Pac-Manwill be officially inducted when the event takes place on June 24, 2025.
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