Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe is proud to celebrate PAC-MAN 45th anniversary with several new announcements.

First released in 1980, PAC-MAN has continued for the past four decades to be a synonym of fun for all audiences, while growing to enter different media and genres of games, with the latest examples of the Secret Level episode and Shadow Labyrinth announcement.

SHADOW LABYRINTH, the upcoming 2D action exploration platformer set in a dark Sci-Fi world inspired by PAC-MAN and other legendary arcade era games receives a brand-new look today. Released fittingly on the video game icon’s 45th anniversary – PAC-MAN was released in Japanese arcades on May 22, 1980 – an all-new trailer showcases how elements of the original game and the many memorable titles that followed in the franchise are creatively woven into the title’s game play. SHADOW LABYRINTH takes players on an epic journey on a hostile planet where dangers lurk everywhere, and where a mysterious yet recognizable companion named PUCK imparts familiar wisdom – to survive, they must explore this maze-filled world and consume everything around them to become the apex predator.

Developed by Bandai Namco Studios, SHADOW LABYRINTH blends a modern fast-paced take on the platformer genre with both story and game play nods that draw from Bandai Namco’s arcade legacy. As shown in the latest reveal, a dark vision of the PAC-MAN universe factors large in the game, with PUCK as both guide and a source of powerful – and often familiar – skills and abilities. Taking on the role of a warrior named Swordsman No. 8, and accompanied by PUCK at every turn, players explore this vast world to discover powerful weapons and overcome formidable foes, along the way uncovering terrifying secrets about the planet and its inhabitants. Throughout the game, SHADOW LABYRINTH weaves iconic PAC-MAN game play into the experience, with twisting corridors, pursuit-style mechanics, nostalgic sights and sounds, and one massive, memorable, and very familiar boss known as the G-HOST Bug. Like the original PAC-MAN, surviving the horrors of this labyrinthine world by consuming everything that stands in their way is the beating heart that will keep players alive.

SHADOW LABYRINTH features a rich universe and narrative that draws wider inspiration than just PAC-MAN, tapping into Bandai Namco’s broader library of beloved games from the arcade era. Between now and launch, Banda Namco is planning surprise reveals of the many inspirations behind this game, unveiling nods that are sure to evoke nostalgia in longtime gamers and open up the worlds and characters of legendary arcade IP to a new generation of players.

In celebration of PAC-MAN’s 45th Anniversary, a variety of exciting collaborations and experiences have been launched, bringing together iconic brands from around the world.

Bandai Namco Entertainment has teamed up with the OXO Video Game Museum to create a one-of-a-kind experience for PAC-MAN fans. This collaboration will feature a series of events and exhibitions in Madrid and Malaga, Spain, paying tribute to the ground-breaking game that changed the gaming industry and pop culture forever.

For those who love premium collectibles, Montegrappa offers a new high-quality pen inspired by the 80s PAC-MAN video game, bringing the playful spirit of the game into everyday life with a sleek and functional design.

Next up, Quoridor, the award-winning strategy game, introduces a new variant that beautifully blends the classic PAC-MAN video game elements with engaging board game mechanics. This version has already become a global hit, captivating fans of both PAC-MAN and strategy games alike.

Brio presents a brand-new version of its popular, classic LABYRINTH game, maintaining its traditional appeal while offering a fresh twist with a PAC-MAN Maze design. This updated version appeals to fans of all generations, blending the beloved game’s timeless charm with the exciting world of PAC-MAN.

Australian accessory label Glomesh has teamed up with the 80s arcade game icon to release a limited-edition collection. Featuring characters from the game recreated in classic 8-bit graphics, the designs are seamlessly integrated into Glomesh’s pixel-like mesh, with intricate hand-crafted details that add to the collection’s charm.

Adding some sweet flair to the celebrations, Krispy Kreme is offering limited-edition PAC-MAN-themed donuts, available until June 1, 2025, giving fans a delicious way to enjoy the anniversary festivities.

Also celebrating the 45th Anniversary, Candy Can will soon release a colorful, pop-inspired drink collection featuring the iconic yellow character alongside other beloved figures. Stay tuned for the exciting design reveal!

Later this year, Leblon Delienne, a French sculpture workshop, will unveil a series of artistic statues featuring beloved characters, blending meticulous craftsmanship with pop culture to create unique pieces for collectors and fans.

For a fun and colorful twist, Knobby, Australia’s underwear brand, celebrates the 45th anniversary of the game with an exclusive, vibrant collection. It’s perfect for those looking to show their love for PAC-MAN in style).

To wrap up our exciting collaborations, Little Lion Entertainment’s “PAC-MAN LIVE EXPERIENCE” – a life-sized, glowing maze that brings the virtual arcade world to life – recently won a Licensing International Excellence Award. This immersive attraction has already been a major success in Manchester and has now opened in Dubai this month, offering fans a completely new way to experience PAC-MAN.

These collaborations and experiences showcase how PAC-MAN continues to inspire creativity and connect with fans across generations, celebrating its iconic legacy in the world of pop culture.

The title is slated for release on July 18, 2025, and is available now for pre-orders on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam in Digital Standard and Digital Deluxe Editions. It is also launching on Nintendo Switch 2, with digital pre-orders opening soon.

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It’s Pac-Man’s birthday, the family are gathered together with a party planned, but the Ghosts have a party of their own in mind.

Pac-Man World RePac is a remaster of a classic 1999 PSOne game that takes Pac-Man out of his 2D maze world and puts him in to his very own 3D adventure game.

The Ghosts kidnap his entire family, mistaking them for him, and yep as you guessed it, Pac-Man must save the entire crew.

Linear platforming adventure with an abundance of collectibles and puzzles to be had in a family friendly play. There are some moments where the classic Pac-Man is revisited, sort of, and you’ll find yourself super-sized and gobbling up ghosts.

Pac-Man has a few new tricks up his sleeve, he can throw Pac dots, butt pound, dash and if you find the triggers, become a solid metal Pac-Man.

Enemies vary depending on the Level or environment you’re in and each one is a satisfying retro play, if not short.

Levels are unlocked as you progress and are accessed through a small island with unlockable doors.
At the end of each Level you are scored on how well you did, the amount of fruit and other goodies you picked up and all is tallied together in a roulette mini-game.

Back in the days of the original PlayStation, Pac-Man World was one of my favs.

An icon in a iconic game that has now been beautifully restored for our current gen.

Pac-Man World RePac is an excellent title for kids or those of us that were kids in the 90s and want to replay our youth.

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Bandai Namco has recently announced PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC, a remastered and enhanced version of one of the most popular PAC-MAN games of all time, is coming to consoles and PC on August 26, 2022.

The original PAC-MAN WORLD saw PAC-MAN’s exciting debut to the 3D platforming genre. PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC brings back the classic with HD visual enhancement, gameplay improvements, and new features.

“PAC-MAN WORLD represented a big step in the PAC-MAN franchise, taking the beloved character and fun gameplay to another level evolving this into a 3D platforming game. With PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC we are reintroducing an enhanced version for a new generation of fans,” said Herve Hoerdt, Senior Vice President Marketing, Digital and Content at Bandai Namco Europe S.A.S. “We are excited to see people chomp their way through the colourful Ghost Island to rescue PAC-MAN’s family and friends.”

PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC takes advantage of current gaming hardware to deliver a HD enhanced full screen version of the original game as well as improvements for more intuitive game play.

The game has multiple modes with Quest Mode, a Maze Mode that brings classic PAC-MAN game play to 3D mazes, and a complete version of the original game in Original Mode that players can unlock by completing the main game. In the main Quest Mode experience, players use a variety of attacks and abilities, including powerups, as they run, jump, solve puzzles, and of-course chomp their way through six exciting worlds of Ghost Island. PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC brings back a wonderfully original world of adventure for PAC-MAN, where our hero is now chasing the Ghosts to rescue PAC-MOM, PAC-BOY, PAC-SIS, Professor PAC, PAC-BUDDY, and Pooka from their clutches only to discover a new nemesis in the dreaded TOC-MAN.

The title is slated for release on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, STEAM, and Nintendo Switch.

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Pac-Man debuted in Tokyo 40 years ago, but no one in 1980 could have predicted just how successful this game would become.

Leaving one of the biggest marks on the gaming industry to date, Pac-Man broke through the barriers of what defined a game as ‘popular’ (which at the time was simply about shooting things). To celebrate the anniversary of Pac-Man, why not explore the possibilities through Nanoleaf Canvas? With their square shape, Canvas introduces an opportunity to immortalise your favourite characters in their pixelated form.

The interactive nature of Nanoleaf Canvas also features Touch Games, allowing you to play games like Whack A Mole, Simon, and Memory on the Nanoleaf Canvas.

Through Nanoleaf, users can create a theatre-like environment from the comfort of their own home, taking entertainment beyond the screen for a complete multi-sensory experience.

Benefiting films, gaming is also transformed with Screen Mirror, taking battles and scrimmages to a 4D experience that envelopes the entire room. Take your entertainment from a mere screen setup to complete surround vision that captivates all of your senses at once.

Screen Mirror is controllable using the new Nanoleaf Desktop App (beta). With the Nanoleaf Desktop App, you can control your Light Panels or Canvas right from your computer (Mac and Windows). Simply download the Nanoleaf Desktop App to get started.

The Desktop App was designed to offer more convenient controls, simplifying the management of larger
installations and to streamline control of many different layouts at once. It also has an offline mode for control, so your Nanoleaf lights will always be accessible (even if the Internet isn’t).

From console to tabletop, Nanoleaf adds some more substance to your overall gaming experience. Whether you’re crushing your enemies in Dungeons and Dragons, securing a victory royale in Fortnite, or just generally slaying in Doom, Nanoleaf gives the illusion that you are stepping right into the game.

Through the app, be the master of your own devices and colourise depending on what you are playing.

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Bandai Namco is celebrating PAC-MAN’s 40th birthday with upcoming activities and partnerships to commemorate this milestone with fans around the world.

The video game and pop culture icon steps into his 40s more relevant than ever as he stars in a bevy of new video game offerings, product partnerships, and brand collaborations.

Born on May 22, 1980, PAC-MAN immediately rose to stardom, first in video game arcades, then on the pop culture stage with hit song “PAC-MAN Fever” and through an array of branding and entertainment appearances throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s. With a brand recognition rate of 90% around the world, PAC-MAN’s image and brand continues to be one of the most recognized on the planet.

While PAC-MAN has transcended into the world of entertainment, his heart still resides in video games. As part of his 40th birthday celebrations, there will be new PAC-MAN video game offerings from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment starting with PAC-MAN LIVE STUDIO coming to the Twitch game platform in partnership with Amazon Games which will enable four players to compete in one maze in an all-out chomp-fest to see who will eat the most pellets and survive the stage. Players will also be able to create their own PAC-MAN mazes and share them with friends online or play the classic PAC-MAN game is they so choose.

For classic arcade experience connoisseurs, a special Tastemakers 40th Anniversary Arcade 1UP machine will also make its debut in 2020, followed by 40th Anniversary Counter-cade, Party Cade, and Head-to-Head.

Lastly, more additional new PAC-MAN games are on the way for the latter part of 2020.

On the product partnership, brand collaboration, and technology fronts, PAC-MAN is not slowing down one bit as he started the year by being featured on BANDAI newest Tamagotchi toy.

PAC-MAN also returns in PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Snack Attack, the next chapter of his PAC-MAN™ Stories series on Amazon’s Alexa platform. The game tells an interactive story where kids and their parents make their own choices in order to progress into the adventure which will be available this summer on Amazon Alexa in English in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia and India.

Never one to shy away from the camera, a 40th Anniversary Book, edited by Cook & Becker, which will take a retrospective look at PAC-MAN’s creation and life leading up to his 40th birthday.

BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment is also teaming up with Numskull designs to introduce a line of PAC-MAN exclusives to celebrate the gaming legend’s 40th anniversary. First up, a very limited-edition PAC-MAN 40th anniversary Quarter Arcades cabinet, signed by the original creator of PAC-MAN, Toru Iwatani, will be available with only 256 units. In addition to this, a Standard Edition of the PAC-MAN 40th Anniversary Quarter Arcade will be available, as well as various items that will part of a line-up available for sale starting in July 2020.

PAC-MAN is also the subject of advanced AI research being conducted by NVIDIA. Trained on 50,000 episodes of the game, a powerful new AI model created by NVIDIA Research, called NVIDIA GameGAN, can generate a fully functional version of PAC-MAN — without an underlying game engine. That means that even without understanding a game’s fundamental rules, AI can recreate the game with convincing results.

Music has always been a part of the PAC-MAN brand and after composing the new PAC-MAN 40th Anniversary theme song “JOIN THE PAC”, world-renowned Japanese Techno artist Ken Ishii is back with new tracks in PAC-MAN 40th ANNIVERSARY COLLABORATION vol.1, PAC-MAN 40th ANNIVERSARY COLLABORATION vol.2, PAC-MAN 40th ANNIVERSARY COLLABORATION vol.3.

The PAC-MAN beats will start flowing via Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Qobuz, and Deezer with new tracks being launched every month between May 22, 2020 through July 24, 2020. Once all the tracks are released, a special CD compilation album will be issued with album art designed by The Designers Republic, known for their designs for Warp Records and Aphex Twin. Fans looking to access game soundtracks will be pleased to learn that the soundtracks from PAC-MAN & GALAGA DIMENSIONS, PAC-MANIA, and PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX will also be available on the music streaming services listed above starting today.

Lastly, PAC-MAN recently participated in Google’s Stay Home and Play initiative through the inclusion of PAC-MAN’s highly popular 30th Anniversary Google Doodle that featured a fully playable PAC-MAN maze integrated within the Google logo. In 2010, this Google Doodle famously resulted in approximately 4.8 million hours of play around the globe.

“PAC-MAN was truly the first breakout superstar of our industry and his staying power says a lot about the experiences he’s given to fans and the love they’ve given him in return.” said Hervé Hoerdt, Senior Vice President of Digital, Marketing and Content at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe. “While 2020 has been a trying year for everyone, we hope our fans can embody PAC-MAN’s drive to always move forward, never back down from adversity, and come out of any challenge on top!”

PAC-MAN video games are available now across all popular gaming platforms including the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PCs via STEAM, Nintendo Switch, as well as iOS devices via the App Store and Android devices via Google Play. Official PAC-MAN apparel and special collectibles are also available on the BANDAI NAMCO store.

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After a successful launch in America and Europe, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe is proud to announce that the new PAC-MAN STORIES skill is today available in Australia and New Zealand.

This project is designed to provide a fun, engaging, interactive and educational experience via Amazon’s Alexa voice service on all Alexa-enabled devices.

PAC-MAN STORIES is the very first announced project of the new BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe Innovation Department, which aims to find and develop new areas and heights in entertainment. “Voice-controlled services are an exciting technology with this great vision of being in everyone’s home and used by any family member. It just seemed natural to us to use our iconic character PAC-MAN to create fun interactive stories for all ages together with our company vision to provide dreams, fun and inspiration to people around the world,” Naoki Katashima, President and COO, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe. 

PAC-MAN STORIES is available on all Alexa-enabled devices, including Amazon Echo and Echo Dot, and features several fully interactive stories for the whole family. These stories can be enjoyed by anyone of any age and allows them to engage with PAC-MAN and make moral decisions that affect the ending.

The first story to launch with the skill for Amazon Alexa is PAC-MAN and the Ghastly Garbage, which delivers a fun engaging adventure allowing users to help save PAC-MAN planet from Garbage and a threat that affects everyone you meet! Along the way, you will make decisions, choose paths and win Power Pellets based on the decisions you make. The skill features PAC-MAN and a range of new characters as well as well-known favorites, including Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde. 

“PAC-MAN is an iconic character and storytelling and interactive adventures allow us to work with some unique talents, writers, developers and actors to provide an innovative experience. We are incredibly excited to collaborate with Amazon Alexa and work together on this first skill and we look forward to creating many unique stories in the future” Lee Kirton, PAC-MAN Officer for Europe, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment.

PAC-MAN STORIES & PAC-MAN and the Ghastly Garbage is available in English only on all Alexa-enabled devices in the USA, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand with additional stories added throughout the year.

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If you’re anything like me, when you see the title Pacman Championship Edition 2, your first thought is, they are still making Pacman games?

If so then the short answer is yes, and they have come a lot further than you might expect.

Pacman Championship Edition 2, for someone who hasn’t touched the series since the many originals, is an absolute fast paced, dot chomping energy fest. The sounds, the lights, and the pace does get the heart pumping, and it’s so much better than I could have expected.

The general gist of Pacman is the same, you need to move around the map, eat the dots, don’t get caught by the ghosts. But it’s everything else they do that not only uses elements of the old games but reuses them in a way that makes things different.

For instance, the fruit used to pop onto the maze for no reason but to give you extra points, now they are a portal. Once you complete an objective, the fruit pops up and eating it moves you to the next stage. The maze is littered with stationary ghosts you need to avoid, which add to a ghost’s tail.

This creates a weird Pacman fused with Snake vibe. As the ghost gets longer and takes up more space, you can find yourself getting stuck in corners as the tail is covering your exit. The game gives a little room to breathe in these situations as not every hit is instant death, which is a strange departure from Pacman, but makes these scenarios easier.

The other real notable addition is the use of jump mechanic. You get limited jumps, but in single player it returns you to your starting point, which is a lifesaver if you are trapped, or running out of time. But in Co-op it lets you jump to your partner, to free them when they are being captured by a ghost.

Boss fights vary between two options. The first is more maze running action, with a boss under the ground causing chaos, but the second is where it is at its best. The game pits you against a giant ghost, and you need to crawl across the walls, colleting dots, then eventually power-up so you can jump at the ghost doing damage. It’s a weird mode that fuses Pacman, with a quirky indie platformer.

This is the general feel of the whole game, like an indie team that was in love with Pacman decided to make a quirky reimagining, which at times is a bit average, but overall, is surprisingly fun. You start off moving super slow, but as the Levels ramp up, so does the pace, and so will your heart rate.

The music is like 80’s arcade sounds after taking a bunch of caffeine pills. This adds to the vibe that the game presents, with an 80s feel, intensified by bright neon colours. It feels like a game the 80’s wishes it could have made. Then it sprinkles others like 3D Pacman, to throw you off.

Co-op has you and a team mate working together, though one player won’t be able to carry the whole team. Once all the dots have been collected, you then must meet each other to move to the next Level. So, if one player is out of sync, then the whole thing becomes harder. It also introduces being trapped by ghosts. Rather than having a ghost knock one of you out, you get trapped, with a timer bar dropping down. The other player needs to get to you and hit the ghost a few times to release them, using a bomb instantly, but those are limited.

The multiplayer on the Switch is a real winner, being able to take advantage of the consoles push for local co-op. I can almost recommend the game on the back of that, but the single player is still easily worth your time. With a style and energy that makes it a lot of fun to test your hearts ability to deal with stress, and being the perfect size to pick up and put down, it is an excellent addition to the Switch.

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Retro gaming brand, My Arcade has acquired license from legendary video game developer, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, to release a new range of collectible table-top arcade machines and portable handhelds.

The initial lineup will feature gaming’s first icon, PAC-MAN, and other classics such as Galaga and Dig Dug. The Micro Player arcades will feature artwork inspired by the original cabinets, large full-colored screens, backlit coin traps, plus a removable joystick for those who prefer to use a directional pad to play. Additional titles from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment’s beloved library and more information on upcoming portable handhelds will be released at a later date.

 

Gamer Evo – Pac-Man

“We are honored to work with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment to bring such iconic titles to a new generation of gamers,” remarked Crystal Dugan, My Arcade’s Marketing Manager. “PAC-MAN, Dig Dug, and Galaga are nostalgic titles for myself and everyone who grew up playing them at their local arcade. They are such an important part of gaming history and we are thrilled to bring these back in a unique way to a whole new audience.”

Micro Player Retro Arcade – Dig Dug

The licensed Micro Player Arcades and other handhelds are set to arrive on store shelves in late Spring 2018.

 

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The yellow 80’s icon with a voracious appetite celebrates his 36th anniversary with the announcement of the highly acclaimed PAC-MAN 256 mobile game now coming to home console & PC systems. Developed by Hipster Whale and 3 Sprockets, PAC-MAN 256 will be digitally available on June 21st, 2016 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC through Steam.

PAC-MAN 256 allows fans to play the award winning mobile game on console with new features exclusive to the console versions. In addition to the social sharing option and 10 themes unlocked, they will be able to play with up to 4 friends via the local co-op multiplayer mode. Players will have to work together to eat all Pac-Dots & Power Pellets, and overcome the notorious ghost ensemble: Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde. And of course the infamous “256 Glitch” from the mobile version is back alongside the crazy power-ups!

“We have really enjoyed working with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment and Hipster Whale on PAC-MAN 256 for mobile, and having the opportunity to ship it on the latest generation of consoles and PC is the icing on the cake for us! We can’t wait to see how much fun players have with it” says Seon Rozenblum, Director at 3 Sprockets.

Benjamin Prénom, Project Owner at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe S.A.S declares “We wanted everyone to enjoy PAC-MAN 256, so it was a logical decision to make it available on PS4, Xbox One and PC. The brand new local multiplayer mode, exclusive to the console and pc version, makes it even more accessible: get ready for maximum fun playing up to 4 players at the same time!”

With the anniversary of gaming’s first international superstar comes an amazing discount on the PAC-MAN 256 mobile game. “Coin Doubler” will be available from May 19th to 27th of May 2016. Other festive activities are also organized on the PAC-MAN Facebook community page.

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Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe has released PAC-MAN Bounce, a new puzzle adventure game for smartphone and tablet devices.

Developed by Bandai Namco Studios Vancouver Inc. and Victory Square Games Inc., this free-to-play game is currently available in Canada and Australia on the App Store. PAC-MAN Bounce will soon be coming to Google Play followed by a worldwide release later this year.

PAC-MAN Bounce is a collection of brain-busting puzzles strung together by a light-hearted story about helping PAC-MAN chomp through Snack Land and bounce his way back home!

Bounce across more than 100 unique Levels while chomping your way through 10 flavorful worlds made of tasty snacks.

Dodge dangerous obstacles and enemies including the infamous ghost gang: Blinky, Inky, Pinky, and Clyde, and you can even compete against your Facebook friends.

PAC-MAN Bounce is available for Apple devices from the App Store now.

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