5 must-play Pac-Man games!

I might be making assumptions, but chances are you've underestimated Pac-Man's success and influence in the video game industry. At the time Pac-Man released, the most popular games were Space Invaders and Pong. Pac-Man was an instant smash-hit in North America and inspired and entire new genre of strategy-maze video games. He was also the first video game superstar!

By the end of the 20th century Pac-Man had mad over 2.5 BILLION DOLLARS in QUARTERS. That is some serious bank. It is still, to this day, considered to be one of the most successful games of all time.

If you have yet to experience Pac-Man in all his glory, Prima Games a compiled a list of must-play Pac-Man games:

Pac-Man

Might as well start here, with the 1980 arcade classic that captivated millions around the world. Take control of the hungry dot chomper and avoid his arch enemies, the pesky ghosts (Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde). Yes it's old and primitive by today's standards, but still as addictive as ever. To play Pac-Man is to love Pac-Man. Can you master its tricky mazes?


Ms. Pac-Man

How do you follow up one of the finest arcade games of all time? Take Pac-Man, slap on a bow and some lipstick, then create a brand-new set of challenging mazes patrolled by those pesky ghosts. Devour power pellets, snack on some fruit and turn the tables on the ghosts and snack on them for a bit. On a side note, Ms. Pac-Man is one of the first video games to feature cut scenes, however brief. She's also the first female video game protagonist.


Pac-Man Championship Edition

Broncos quarterback John Elway went out on top, and the same goes for Pac-Man creator Toru Iwatani, who left us Pac-Man Championship Edition as his swan song. While the basic premise remains the same, in that Pac-Man eats power-pellets and fruit, the inclusion of timed challenges significantly boosts the overall intensity, forcing you to make even quicker decisions while moving from one side of the board to the other chasing fruit and avoiding enemies. Throw in six modes, neon-colored boards and thumping beats, and you'll fall in love with Pac-Man all over again.

To discover more Pac-Man titles and to access the links to download these games, click here.