Very first impression of Pac Man

[Mind Master]

I remember back in the day, when Pac Man was added to the games in the local ice cream parlor (they had about 5 machines), my buddies and I at first thought it was either a "girl" game or a kiddie game. Back then there were no "cute" games - everything was space shoot-em-ups aimed at the young male audience. We also thought it was strange - sort of Japanese or something - what did "Pac Man" mean, anyway? At first we only played Pac Man when there was a wait for Defender, Tron, Phoenix, or Berzerk.

 

Little did we know that the little "loser" game in the corner of the store would eventually get us all addicted and become the mother of all arcade games...

[t.skid]

Good topic

I really don't recall my 'first encounter' with Pac-Man, maybe it was during my summer holiday, but I'm not sure. I only know that I was 'addicted' to Pac Man, talking with friends about how many 'keys' everyone reached.

[Witchfynde]

Heh, well, unlike t. skid, I remember MY first encounter...

 

It was in a big arcade, and I recall seeing some yellow thing on the screen getting chased by four blobs with their eyes all pointed in his direction. Weird.

 

I thought to myself, must've been some weird game that bombed.

 

Nice to be wrong occasionally

[+Cafeman]

I also shunned the game a bit, at first. My cousins and I started thinking it's name to be 'Paceman' because 'pack man' sounded stupid.

 

After it started to get really popular, I saved a few quarters for Pac-man and soon was hooked.

[joeybastard]

I first saw it in the local 7-11 when I was 9. I wasn't impressed. In fact I didn't really like the original Pac-Man much until I was older. I liked other Maze games especially Ms.Pacman but Pac-Man seemed kind of dull with only one maze. Now I've grown to appreciate the simplicity.

[NE146]

I remember it well. It was at an arcade at Gibsons mall that had nothing but cocktail machines. I'd always play the "Naughty Boy" machine and Puck Man was right next to it (we never had "pac-man"). It didn't seem all that popular at first, but gradually people started playing it more and more. I tried it and it was too hard for me . But of course later as time went on we all got better (and the local "patterns" helped out as well)

[+Cafeman]

I remember it well. P

 

===> especially the sound of the dot eating.

[NE146]

I remember it well. P

 

===> especially the sound of the dot eating.

 

wocka wocka wocka

[Christophero Sly]

My family was staying at a Travel Lodge motel. The motel must have had a game room off the lobby, or they had some games near the ice and soda machines, I don't exactly recall, but one of the games they had was Pac-Man. Because I'd never seen it before, I put in a quarter and went to work...got my ass kicked. I didn't know what you were supposed to do. The game was not intuitive for a first time player used to space-shooters and pong. I didn't know what to make of the game. It seemed very bizzare. There were a couple of other kids there (without quarters) who were very excited by the game and new enough about it to ridicule my play. That episode put me off playing Pac-Man throughout its heday. Only later did I return to the console and become addicted.

[Sharky]

It was so long ago now i cant remember when I first saw Pac-man.

 

But you think, almost every computer/console has a version on Pac-man somewhere even the small handheld electronic games.

 

Funny ive never really seen the appeal of Pac-man because a head with eye and mouth eating dots in a 2D Maze didnt live up to my realism.

[treetsux]

My dad had a 2600 that had pacman, and i grew up on the 2600. ive always played my 2600, even when nintendo and everything that followed came out, i still only had my 2600, so i kept playing it. in fact, after 23 years im still playing it. but my 1st pacman experience i dont remember because ive been playing it longer than my memory holds.

[Nukey Shay]

I remember that day...my mother picked it up from the store and my kid sister already had it plugged in. I thought it was the wrong game at first.

 

Regarding the arcade machine, my cousin was trying to describe the game and I had no idea what he was talking about. First game and I was hooked.

[Dr Galaga]

I used to go on vactation with my grandparents. I would spend alot of money in the game rooms of the hotels (mainly on pinball). It would have been the summer before 6th grade I was playing pinball, as usual, and I noticed everyone around this yellow machine. I came back later and no one is playing any games again - except the yellow one. I talked to my dad later on the phone and he asked me if I played Pac Man yet, it's suppose to be a hugh hit. Later on I finally was able to play this yellow machine, and it took me a little while to figure out the game. I didn't play Pac Man too much, but Ms. Pac Man is a different story ...

[Foxy Cleopatra]

I was so lucky to have grown up in a town on the border between PA and OH, right next to the major highway going from somewhere out west all the way to New York City. We have a truck stop called Truck World Mall that has had an arcade room as long as there have been arcade games...

so that was my first experience with nearly every arcade game I have ever played, including Pac Man..

Of course I pretty much sucked at every game I played

[Nall3k]

Was in, I think not until 1997! I saw the 70s Pac-Man in a arcade, and before they sold it off, I was able to play it, I thought simple, but fun.

[AtariDude]

I don't remember my first experience with PacMan but it is still one of my favorite games today. I even have the CD from Buckner and Garcia (I have PacMan fever ).

 

Some of the more modern PacMan games have also been fun and while strickly not PacMan, they do add a nice element to a classic play style.