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Cover art of Pac-Man

4.5 / 5

4 votes

Platform
Game Boy
Genres
Puzzle · Strategy
Player Perspective
Top-down
Developers
Namco
Publishers
Namco · Namco Bandai Games · Namcot
Release date
November 16, 1990

Summary

The Game Boy version of Pac‑Man brings the iconic maze chase to a handheld screen, preserving the original’s frantic dot‑eating and ghost‑dodging core. What sets this port apart is its two‑player co‑op mode, which lets friends link their Game Boys and share the maze via the Link Cable – a rare collaborative twist for a game usually played solo. In 1999, to mark the title’s 20th birthday, Namco repackaged the cartridge as Pac‑Man: Special Color Edition for the Game Boy Color, bundling it with Pac‑Attack and adding a splash of color to the classic yellow hero. The version later resurfaced on the 3DS Virtual Console in 2011 and appeared in the 2001 Pac‑Man Collection for the Game Boy Advance, where it earned an 80% score from Mean Machines. Even a 2004 GBA re‑release found a modest audience in Japan, proving the portable classic still charms new generations.

Storyline

In Pac‑Man for Game Boy you guide the iconic yellow circle through a closed maze, gobbling every dot while staying clear of four colored ghosts—Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde. Each ghost follows its own AI: Blinky (Shadow) gives a direct chase, Pinky (Speedy) tries to cut you off, Inky (Bashful) uses a more complex pattern, and Clyde (Pokey) alternates between pursuit and retreat depending on distance. Between stages the game shows brief, humorous cutscenes starring Pac‑Man and Blinky. The ghosts were designed with bright pastel colors and expressive eyes, inspired by Casper the Friendly Ghost and the manga Obake no Q‑Taro. Their Japanese names translate to chase, ambush, fickle, and playing dumb, reinforcing their distinct personalities.

Edited by Maya Carter

Game Screenshots

  • Screenshot 1 of Pac-Man
  • Screenshot 2 of Pac-Man
  • Screenshot 3 of Pac-Man
  • Screenshot 4 of Pac-Man
  • Screenshot 5 of Pac-Man
  • Screenshot 6 of Pac-Man
  • Screenshot 7 of Pac-Man
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  • Screenshot 9 of Pac-Man
  • Screenshot 10 of Pac-Man

Game Artworks

  • Artwork 1 of Pac-Man

Alternative Titles

  • Puck-Man Old
  • PAC-MAN Stylized
  • Pac Man Stylized