June 16, 2005
Kathleen Flanagan is looking to buy herself a birthday present. On her list is Pac-man.
"It's just a challenge. It's non-violent. It's just good clean fun," said Flanagan.
The famous yellow circle turns 25 years old this month and it's still popular, with revamps like Pac-Man Pics and Pac-man Fever.
"It's the only game that's been around for 25 years and constantly has new incarnations of it and is just constantly evolving," said EB Games sales associate, Spencer Painter.
With about 15 to 20 versions for different systems over the decades, the game stands out from any other developed in the eighties. Somewhat surprising, since Pac-man started out with a pretty simple concept: eat the dots and avoid the ghosts, but it's that simplicity that has many running back to it, even in a world now filled with fancy high-tech moves and graphics.
"Once you've played Pac-man, you know what you're doing, you can play it again, you can pick it up. You can play whenever you want. It's a game that's a classic," said Pac-man fan, Chris Meslar.
Without a doubt however, video gaming has changed. Some say they'll take the new stuff over the old stuff any day.
"Pac-man's turned 25. I'm kind of like, who cares?" said gamer, Randolph Conley. "Technology is a big thing with me and Pac-man is just too old."
But still, others are not willing to trade in their Pac-man.
"You can sit down and play it and just enjoy it and lose yourself for the time that you're playing the game," said Flanagan.
Pac-man has made more than $100 million, one quarter at a time.
