Pac-Man was brought to like back in 1980 (May 22nd to be exact), and immediately set the world on digital fire by the gobbling hearts of fans everywhere he went. Definitely in arcades first, followed by consoles as this little yellow dude went pop throughout the 80s and held his own through the 90s.
For those of you interested in grabbing the Arcade1Up - 40th Anniversary Pac-Man Special Edition Arcade Game Machine and licensed Pac-Man stool combo... they will be available 07/10/2020.
$499.99 is a pretty penny, but this is for the fans... those arcade veterans and legends + onlookers of yesteryear. The ones who desire a blast with this playable collector's combo. There are no quarter slots for the business owners in the room, but this would be sick in a mancave or a she-shed.
The machine comes loaded with:
Pac-Man Plus
Pac-Man (duh of the day)
Pac & Pal
Pac-Mania
Super Pac-Man
Pac-Land
Galaga
If you already own the arcade machine and want a Pac-Man stool... you can snag one for less than $100. This is also from Arcade1Up with legs that can be extended from 21.5" to 29.5". I was one of the kids who preferred to stand up unless I was at the arcade for a few hours... then it was time to look for a stool (with fingers crossed in hopes that no one had an accident on it). This isn't part of the 40th-anniversary edition.
This is the arcade machine I remember first and foremost when it comes to Pac-Man, I remember my mom and dad both playing the crap out of this. I don't even recall how old I was at the time, all I remember is that... I wanted to play. This classic head to head Arcade1Up machine comes in at $499 also, but... it doesn't include stools and isn't part of the 40th-anniversary edition.
Nostalgia doesn't have to break the bank, the 35th-Anniversary Connect & Play is also available... for $19.99! This would be the item I would send to my mom and stepdad as a gift, just to remind them to... game on! Hmmm I think I'm going to do that. If anything, he has a mancave that could use some games and perhaps the light-up silhouette sign.
I hope to see the Pac-Man Battle Royal game added to the next Anniversary edition of Pac-Man. By now... some of you may be thinking "Okay, we get it... it's not that serious" but... for me Pac-Man is one of the first games I remember. At the same time... it was one of the few games that I remember from the past... that didn't feel retro. I don't know how to describe it, nothing felt retro at the time, but at the same time... it stood the test of time. Is it fair to call it timeless? I say that it didn't feel retro, because looking back and even playing it today... it doesn't feel out of place or slow. Pac-Man is still challenging, and whether you play the classic Pac-Man, Pac-Man 256, Pac-Man CE, or whatever... I challenge you to give it a try.
You can literally get Pac-Man 256 in the Bandai Namco Bundle 4 for $1. You have about 8 days left for this bundle... so grab it and game on!
