Pac-Man is a classic arcade game that deserves all the love. Guiding an abstract mouth around a ghost-patrolled maze in pursuit of dots is pure joy. As good as it is, I never imagined the greedy yellow circle would bring my family closer together, but that’s exactly what happened this summer. Ever since the Arcade1Up Pac-Man Deluxe Arcade Machine displaced a tatty old cat tree in the corner of my office, I have been battling for the high score with my eldest teen.
As a teenager, figuring out what you want to do and who you want to be is tough at the best of times. Try juggling all of that during a pandemic. And as a parent, you can feel it in your bones when your kids are unhappy. But accepting the unpalatable truth that there’s little you can do about it is one of life’s hardest lessons. My advice, no matter how well-meaning, holds little value right now. My eldest mostly responds to any query about her day with a scowl and the single word “Fine.” The days of playing with Lego blocks, bike rides in the woods, and swimming trips are long gone.
Part of growing up is turning away from your parents, especially during the teenage years. As a dad who always enjoyed hanging out with my kids, that rejection has been a bitter pill that even Pac-Man would struggle to swallow. If I want them to hang out with me now I need a solid sales pitch, so I was delighted when the bleeps and bloops of the new arcade machine brought quizzical teens into my office. They watched me play, and I could see they were itching for a shot. So began a summer pursuit for the high score and the bragging rights that come with it.
Simply Irresistible
The Arcade1Up Pac-Man Deluxe Arcade Machine arrived flat-packed in a couple of boxes. This easy-to-build cabinet features a 17-inch color LCD screen, a light-up marquee, and authentic arcade controls. It runs 14 Namco games, including Galaxian, Galaga, Dig Dug, and Rolling Thunder, but as the artwork attests, this is all about Pac-Man, and you get Pac-Land, Pac-Man Plus, Super Pac-Man, Pac & Pal, and Pac-Mania alongside the original.
Pac-Man began life in Japan in 1980 as Puckman. The nine-strong development team led by Toru Iwatani wanted to make a game with universal appeal. With 300,000 cabinets sold by 1987, gracing every arcade in the land, we can agree they succeeded. The name change for the North American release came amid fears that mischievous vandals would alter the first letter. The arcade was the perfect habitat for Pac-Man, but it has since been ported to every conceivable system and device, racking up an estimated $15 billion worth of lifetime sales.
Photograph: Simon Hill