Tag Archives: pac man

Pac-Man-inspired side table with ‘an open mouth’ adds warmth and wonder to your interior space

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Although it isn’t really apparent at first, designer Yu Ren did mention that the inspiration for the table came from the popular Japanese game featuring a hungry yellow circle with a gaping mouth. “I eat therefore I am”, says Ren as he describes Pac-Man’s demeanor, and explains how the table’s open mouth has the same fun, hungry appeal. The table, however, comes with a cylindrical design that opts for space and material optimization over being too similar to the original Pac-Man.

Designer: Yu Ren

The Pac Man Side Table’s appeal lies in the fact that it masks its inspiration rather well, resulting in a piece of furniture that looks unique. The table’s design is realized using curved plywood that’s layered with a disc of black marble on the top and bottom. The side table also comes with a handle that sits flush against the cylindrical body of the table, and opens out to reveal a light strip built into the inside. There’s a hidden ambient light built into the top of the table’s inner compartment, filling the interiors with a nice wash of warm light. Touching the handle also helps toggle the light as well as adjust its temperature.

To pay homage to the original Pac Man, Ren designed a version in yellow too. I’ll be honest, it resembles a LEGO head more than anything else, but just like beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, creative execution lies in the mind of the creator. The inclusion of lighting panels is a clever touch, although that means needing to keep the side table near a plug point at all times.

The Pac Man Side Table is a Gold Winner of the A’ Design Award for the year 2023.

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The detailed LEGO Pac-Man Arcade Set is testament to the enduring impact of gameplay nostalgia

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LEGO, renowned for its nostalgic creations, has once again struck a chord with brick fans by unveiling a remarkable new creation. This time, LEGO has taken a captivating twist by paying tribute to the iconic Pac-Man character and the arcade experience that has enthralled millions worldwide.

Brick by brick, LEGO has faithfully recreated the charm of a vintage arcade machine in its latest release. Timed perfectly for the 43rd anniversary of the game, LEGO has announced the iconic rendition ideally to capture the essence of a classic arcade machine.

Designer: LEGO

The Pac-Man Arcade set boasts meticulous attention to detail, complete with Pac-Man’s nostalgic maze, a functional joystick, and even a coin slot. The set is a non-functional gaming system but nonetheless promises to transport enthusiasts back to the golden era of gaming.

Behind this remarkable LEGO creation lies the tireless efforts of talented designers who worked passionately to capture the spirit of the beloved Pac-Man arcade machine, LEGO designer Sven Franic informs. From the Pac-Man character to the maze-like environment he navigates, every aspect has been meticulously considered and created.

Thus, the result is an unparalleled LEGO set that not only faithfully reproduces the original game’s magic but also introduces a delightful new twist. A special feature of that accord is the crank on the machine allows builders to simulate the adventure of Pac-Man in the mechanical maze. This creative addition brings an extra layer of interactivity to the set.

By recreating a 1980s arcade game cabinet, LEGO has sparked a resurgence of priceless memories for enthusiasts who grew up with Pac-Man. The attention to detail and the commitment to preserving the essence of the original game reflects vividly in its affordable $269.99 price tag. LEGO enthusiasts can get their set starting June 4.

The post The detailed LEGO Pac-Man Arcade Set is testament to the enduring impact of gameplay nostalgia first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Custom Pac-Man Synthesizer Looks A-maze-ing

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You know what? I’m surprised that they never came up with a vaccine for Pac-Man Fever. I mean, I’ve had it for nearly four decades, and it’s not getting any better. I suppose if you’re still a Pac-Man fan like me, you might want something like this sweet Pac-Man-themed synthesizer by Swedish artist and vintage gadget fan Love Hultén.

The custom-built synthesizer is done up in a vibrant color scheme inspired by Namco’s classic maze game. The customized Korg Minilogue synth has Pac-Man yellow keys with orange sharps and flats. Its case has a Pac-Man logo and ghost artwork straight from the game’s original arcade cabinet, and there are other little details like cherries on the keyboard and a pair of blue ghosts with light-up eyes being chased by Pac-Man. Check it out in action and give it a listen in the video below:

Surprisingly, this isn’t the only Pac-Man synthesizer that Hultén has built. He also created a custom synth with a yellow case and blue keys, presumably on Opposite Day.

If you love the retro-modernist look of these pieces, be sure to check out Love’s Instagram page and website for more awesome custom electronic gear.

The Ghosts Give Chase in this LEGO Pac-Man Automaton

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Wakka Wakka Wakka, Everything is Awesome! It’s LEGO Pac-Man time! Do you love retro arcade games and LEGO bricks? Well, then, you’ll love this LEGO Pac-Man display that moves when you turn its crank.

The 1603-piece set was designed by LiteBricks and submitted to LEGO Ideas. Its modular design lets you rearrange its pieces so Pac-Man can be chased by ghosts, gobble dots, chase blue ghosts, or make a hasty escape as their eyeballs scurry home to regenerate. Or any combination thereof. The set features a mini Pac-Maze on its side, made up of 1×1 round LEGO bricks.

If you’d like to see this set go into production, you can show your support by casting a vote on LEGO Ideas. If it gets at least 10,000 votes, it’ll go to the LEGO Ideas internal committee for consideration. I’d love to see more LEGO sets inspired by classic arcade games. The plastic bricks gave us pixel art before pixel art was a thing, so it’s a natural fit.

This LEGO PACMAN kinetic sculpture actually opens and closes its mouth when you crank the lever!

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With over 1,000 supporters, the Pac-Man kinetic sculpture is on the path to being picked up by the LEGO team and turned into a buyable/buildable kit.

The LEGO IDEAS forum is perhaps one of the most outstanding examples of a well-functioning meritocracy. The forum exists for LEGO master-builders to upload and showcase their custom-made design ideas, while the collective LEGO community votes for their favorite designs. As the votes collect over time, the highest-ranking designs get a chance to be produced into actual on-shelf kits that everyone can buy. Today’s design comes courtesy master-builder and retro-gaming-fan LiteBricks. Titled the “Pac-Man Moving Display”, LiteBricks’ little kinetic sculpture is more than just a standalone static toy… it actually moves! With a rotating crank-lever on the side (sort of like a jack-in-the-box) the Pac-Man Moving Display is a fun little interactive toy that features the familiar pill-munching spherical character along with 4 ghosts. Rotate the lever on the side and the ghosts bob up and down, while Pac-Man’s mouth moves vertically too, just like in the videogame!

Designer: LiteBricks

LiteBricks’ design-idea comprises a total 1,603 LEGO pieces, which include the Pac-Man figure, the red/pink/blue/orange ghosts, 4 blue ghosts, 4 ghost eyes, 3 pellets, 1 power pellet, the display stand, the crank-turning mechanism, and 5 figure supports. The manual crank on the side of the stand moves Pac-Man’s mouth and alternates the up and down movement for any 4 adjacent figures – which means you can build out your display in a variety of styles and formats, using any of the characters. Scroll below to see GIFs of LiteBricks’ concept in action and I dare you to not make the WOCKA-WOCKA sound as you see them move!

You can click here to vote for the “Pac-Man Moving Display” idea on the LEGO IDEAS forum. It needs a total of 10,000 votes to go from concept to reality, and the voting is free and open to all.

This Pac-Man “Neon” Light Is Pretty A-Maze-ing

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We know that Pac-Man has a thing for dots and ghosts. And while the yellow dot-gobbler and his ghostly enemies look pretty great as pixel art, I think they’re even better all lit up in neon. This awesomely geeky Pac-Man light comes from Neon World Custom, which makes all kinds of amazing and vibrant lights using silicone tubing filled with LEDs, resulting in an impressively accurate neon effect, and without any of the downsides like broken glass tubes, slowly-leaking gas, or high voltage electrocution.

Each one is handmade and would look amazing in any game room. For that matter, you could put it in your dining room or master bedroom if your significant other is into retro gaming too. The Pac-Man LED Neon Light is available on Etsy. It comes in sizes ranging from 23″ x 6″ to a massive 55″ x 14″, with prices from $225 to $400. Neon World Custom has lots of other cool lights in their shop, like this LED neon cheeseburger and light-up astronaut. They can also make custom designs to your specs, so be sure to check them out.

Now can I have a neon maze to go with my neon Pac-Man?

Pac-Man and Ghost Planters Gobble Up Dirt and Power Pills

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If you’re trying to grow plants, you’ll need seeds, dirt, water, and sunlight if you hope to keep them alive. But did you know that plants grow extra strong when you feed them power pills? At least that’s what Pac-Man told me. Or maybe I’m just starting to hear things after being quarantined at home too long. Either way, this Pac-Man and Ghost planter set looks like a fun way to grow house plants.

Manchester, UK outfit RetroGamingCentre makes these colorful 3D-printed plastic planters inspired by Namco’s classic 8-bit arcade game. The set includes a Pac-Man planter, along with Blinky, Pinky, and Clyde pots. Apparently, Inky is as bashful as they said he was on the title screen of the game, and didn’t show up for the garden party. The set comes with a matching blue tray, decorated with white pellets around its edge. Clearly, Pac-Man hasn’t found any power pills yet, because none of the ghosts have turned blue.

The set is available over on Etsy, with prices ranging from about $50 up to $118, depending on the size you go with (6cm or 10cm) and if you want the tray. If Pac-Man isn’t your thing, they also make a Super Mario planter set, a couple of Pokémon planter sets, and also individual planters so you can mix and match.

Pac-Man Goes for the Gold with This Connect-and-Play Special Edition

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Pac-Man, Galaga, and Dig Dug are three of my all-time favorite 8-bit arcade games. There are lots of ways to play Namco’s classic game at home these days, but how many of them are shiny and gold? Well before now, none of them. Now, thanks to the guys at Bandai, there’s a special gold edition of the Pac-Man Connect and Play game system.

The plug-and-play style system plays those classics on your TV using its built-in joystick and arcade buttons. It comes loaded with a dozen games, including those I already mentioned, plus Galaxian, Bosconian, New Rally-X, Super Pac-Man, Xevious, Mappy, Pac-Man Plus, and the glitchy 256th-level of the original Pac-Man. Of course what makes it special is its case, which is shaped like a pixel art Pac-Man, and done up in a glistening golden finish.

The Pac-Man Connect and Play: Gold Edition is available for pre-order from Premium Bandai for $60, and is expected to ship starting in March 2021. That’s quite a bit more expensive than the plain yellow version, but the way I figure it, if you played the original games 240 times, which I’m sure many of you did, you would have pumped in the same amount in quarters and not gotten to take the games home with you after you left the arcade.

Celebrate Your Pixel Art Love with These Colorful Plexiglass Sprites

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Those of us who grew up playing video games back in the 1980s have a special place in our hearts for the pixel art characters from the 8-bit arcade and home console world. From Pac-Man to Dig Dug to Donkey Kong to Galaga, game artists had to really stretch their creativity and imagination to give us memorable and identifiable characters using the most primitive of blocks and limited color schemes.

If you love old school pixel art as much as I do, then you need to check out this collection I found over on Etsy.

Idaho-based artist Thunktronix makes all kinds of nifty collectible trinkets based on classic video game characters and items, including all of the aforementioned games, along with Robotron 2049, Wizard of Wor, Frogger, Space Invaders, and more. Each of the sprites is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, so you can put a whole bunch of these on your shelf without taking up too much space.

Each one is precision cut from 1/4″-thick plexiglass, with some characters getting colorful backprinting, and others left to stand on their own as see-through shapes. In addition to video game characters, they’ve got a few other great designs, like Ignignokt and Err, the iconic, antagonistic, bird-flipping Mooninites from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, which I just had to buy for myself.

Some pieces are sold individually, while many of them come in complete sprite sets. Prices start at just $5 for a single keychain-sized figure, while full game sprite sets range from $25 to $32. You can check out all of their designs over on the Thunktronix Etsy shop.

A Pac-Man edition of ‘Monopoly’ includes a mini arcade game

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Pac-Man just turned 40 years old and to help mark the anniversary, there’s a new version of Monopoly centered around the iconic character. It includes a digital banking unit that doubles as a mini arcade game you play whenever you pass Go.You’ll play...