Blake Dowling
The most played song at the roller rink in 1980 was “Call Me” by Blondie, while the top movie at the theater was “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.”
The car most commonly seen on the road was the Oldsmobile Cutlass, and Jimmy Carter was the President of the United States.
It was a pivotal year, as a man was about to emerge who would revolutionize the gaming and entertainment world. He would inspire a global obsession with his mission to devour dots, leading to the creation of cartoons, songs, and cereals in his honor.
This man’s name was PAC.
Originally titled Puck Man, Pac-Man does not stand for Political Action Committee man; it derives from the Japanese word “Paku,” which means chomp. Celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, Pac-Man was part of the early arcade era, alongside games like Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, Centipede, Frogger, and Asteroids, which forever changed the gaming landscape.
These pioneers of the video game industry transformed the social fabric of teen America. Arcade games became ubiquitous in malls, bowling alleys, skating rinks, and restaurants, including local spots like Godfather’s Pizza. With the advent of home consoles, first led by Atari and later by Nintendo, it is no surprise that video games have emerged as the dominant form of entertainment, both then and now.
The gaming industry is now valued at over $200 billion, surpassing the combined value of film, television, and music, with the gaming industry alone generating an estimated $14 billion over the years. I recall the rigors of my academic career, which began during this time. After hours of studying, I had perfected the art of drawing seagulls by making an M. I also led my class in peeling Elmer’s Glue off my hands, and when it came to Red Rover, no one was more determined than I was. But everything changed when kindergarten introduced me to video games.
Every outing now had to include video games whenever possible. Lunch with Dad often began with, “Can I have some quarters?” Sleepovers included asking, “Do you have an Atari?” and weekends at Grandma’s meant packing up that Atari. Pac-Man was at the forefront of this gaming takeover, and over the years, more than 50 different Pac-Man games have been released, from the classics like Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man to the upcoming Shadow Labyrinth, a dark twist on the original, set to debut this summer.
Florida holds a special place in Pac-Man history. Resident Billy Mitchell achieved the first perfect score on Pac-Man in 1999, amassing 3,333,360 points after clearing all 256 levels. There was even a Pac-Man Café in Orlando, the city known for having everything.
Additionally, a unique rental house featuring a Pac-Man theme is available this summer in Orlando.
On a national scale, before “The Last of Us,” “Fallout,” and other TV shows based on video games, there was the PAC-MAN cartoon. I watched it and loved it. Running from 1982 to 1983, it was the first cartoon based on a video game. Let’s not overlook the food either: Chef Boyardee produced Pac-Man spaghetti, and Pac-Man Potato Chips were a thing. This year, Krispy Kreme introduced anniversary Pac-Man doughnuts.
Pac-Man’s sensational impact on pop culture extended beyond television; it infiltrated the airwaves during FM radio’s heyday. The song “Pac-Man Fever” reached #9 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1982, selling over a million copies. Recorded by Buckner and Garcia, the song was so popular that it inspired an album of the same name, featuring eight tracks about video games. The phenomenon was akin to Beatlemania, a cultural craze that swept the nation. Gary Garcia, a resident of Englewood, Florida, passed away in 2011, but Pac-Man Fever remains their legacy. Explore it here:
None of us can predict what the next 45 years will bring for gaming. However, one thing is sure: The beauty of the first video games is unmatched. The sound of the arcade (that iconic Pac-Man sound, “wakka wakka wakka”) and the excitement of discovering an arcade in the mall or bowling alley were truly magical. If you were there, you know what I mean. As we conclude today, I can still hear that sound of Pac-Man gobbling up pellets, a sound that embodies victory and happiness.
As the song goes…
I got a pocket full of quarters, and I’m headed to the arcade
I don’t have a lot of money, but I’m bringing ev’rything I made
I’ve got a callus on my finger, and my shoulder’s hurting too
I’m gonna eat them all up, just as soon as they turn blue
‘Cause I’ve got Pac-Man fever (Pac-Man fever)
Happy birthday, Pac. Thank you for the memories.
