Original Pac-Man Concept Designs Revealed
One of the most iconic games of all time is most certainly the beloved classic arcade game Pac-Man. Originally released in 1980, players were tasked with moving the titular character around a maze collecting white balls called “Pac-Dots” while avoiding four multi-colored ghosts that would attempt to trap and “kill” the him. While the original game and its impressive design have become legendary, it seems the title could have arrived without some features fans have come to know and love.
A recent post on Reddit shows an image of game designer Toru Iwatani holding up some original designs for Pac-Man. While the designs will look incredibly familiar to most, there’s one particular change in the original concept that could have made the game more difficult to maneuver.
Toru Iwatani shows his original drafts for Pac-Man.
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Enemies in the game seemed to move in a random pattern, but they in fact were set to follow certain criteria. During the Game Developers Conference in 2011, Iwatani explained that the Ghosts had their own personality traits that they were forced to follow such as the Red Ghost always chasing the player. The Pink Ghost would try to find a position in front of Pac-Man’s mouth, while the Blue Ghost would sometimes run away from the player.
The Orange Ghost was the only one whose pattern was completely random. With player’s discovering and understanding these traits they were able to use them to their advantage, something that could have been potentially more challenging with a completely closed off stage as seen in the above design.
Pac-Man holds a special place in the hearts of many gamers, however it’s interesting to see just how much the title could have been different. Do you have any fond memories of this iconic arcade game? Let us know your thoughts on the recently surfaced Pac-Man designs and more in the comments section below. As always, don’t forget to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter for 24/7 coverage of all things gaming and entertainment.
Chris Calles1560 Posts
Known as "Stash" or Yippee Calles. He's a student of everything, avid adrenaline junkie, and creator of random things. When he's not delving into a game, book, or movie - He's out teaching himself new things or taking part in some pretty epic adventures. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr.
