Consumer News

Icon Celebrates 30 Years; Welcome To The Party

Posted: 12/13/2010

Pac-Man is back with a new birthday party−themed game.

(NAPSI) - He was born of a simple, brown laminate cabinet plonked in the corner of a bustling arcade in 1980. Not much to look at, back then. But, of course, humble beginnings seldom are.

Fast-forward to today, 30 years and a cultural phenomenon later, and the iconic Pac-Man is the most recognizable video game character of all time.

How does such an icon who has achieved everything celebrate his 30th birthday? Simple. Throw a giant party and invite everyone.

Enter “PAC-MAN Party,” Pac- Man’s latest gig in a laundry list of hit titles spanning as many gaming platforms as there have been bad hairstyles since its first release.

A Nintendo Wii exclusive, Namco Bandai’s “PAC-MAN Party” is a collection of more than 45 minigames and challenges that will call on every trick Pac-Man has learned over his 30 years. Play as the icon alone or with up to four friends for motion-controlled games of racing, eating, giant snowball rolling and more.

With curling, tennis and golfing also among the litany of sporty and fun minigames packed in, it’s clear no one throws a party like Pac-Man.

The game has three modes of play:

• Story Mode—Explore all the game board worlds and meet familiar faces and new characters.

• Minigame Mode—A quick fix for those wanting the immediate rush of competition.

• Party Mode—A more in-depth party experience that has up to four friends traveling across different themed boards in a race to collect the most points.

But being the ever hard worker that Pac-Man is, “PAC-MAN Party” comes packed with the original arcade versions of “Galaga” and “Dig-Dug.” And, of course, the original “Pac-Man” we first fell in love with 30 years ago under the neon lights of 1980s arcade America.