Pac-Man: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Character General
{{Infobox Character General
|name        = Pac-Man
|name        = Pac-Man
|image        = {{tabber|title1=Anthropomorphic|tab1=[[File:Pac-Man (PMVS).png|250px]]|title2=Original|tab2=[[File:pacmanvintage.png|x250px]]}}
|image        = {{tabber|title1=Anthropomorphic|content1=[[File:Pac-Man.png|250px]]|title2=Original|content2=[[File:pacmanvintage.png|x250px]]}}
|caption      = [[File:PacManSymbol.svg|50px|class=invert]]
|caption      = [[File:PacManSymbol.svg|50px|class=invert-dark]]
Official artwork of Pac-Man's two main forms.
Official artwork of Pac-Man's two main forms.
|universe      = {{uv|Pac-Man}}
|universe      = {{uv|Pac-Man}}
|firstgame    = ''{{b|Pac-Man|game}}'' (1980)
|firstgame    = ''{{b|Pac-Man|game}}'' (1980)
|lastappearance= ''{{s|wikipedia|Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout}}'' (via update) (2023)
|lastappearance= ''{{s|wikipedia|Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs}}'' (2024)
|games        = ''[[SSB4]]''<br>''[[Ultimate]]''
|games        = ''[[SSB4]]''<br>''[[Ultimate]]''
|console      = Arcade
|console      = Arcade
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Pac-Man debuted as the main playable character in the arcade game, ''Pac-Man'', in 1980. His minimalist yet iconic design was inspired by multiple sources: a rounded simplification of the Japanese character 口 (''kuchi''), meaning "mouth"; a 1970s toyline by Tomy; and a pizza missing a single slice. His name is derived from the Japanese onomatopoeia ぱくぱく (''paku paku''), meaning to rapidly open and close one's mouth. Japanese promotional art for the arcade game depicted Pac-Man with a slightly more humanoid design, featuring limbs with orange gloves and red boots, as well as a long nose; this design would be refined over time and subsequently featured in the games beginning with the 1984 arcade title ''Pac-Land''.
Pac-Man debuted as the main playable character in the arcade game, ''Pac-Man'', in 1980. His minimalist yet iconic design was inspired by multiple sources: a rounded simplification of the Japanese character 口 (''kuchi''), meaning "mouth"; a 1970s toyline by Tomy; and a pizza missing a single slice. His name is derived from the Japanese onomatopoeia ぱくぱく (''paku paku''), meaning to rapidly open and close one's mouth. Japanese promotional art for the arcade game depicted Pac-Man with a slightly more humanoid design, featuring limbs with orange gloves and red boots, as well as a long nose; this design would be refined over time and subsequently featured in the games beginning with the 1984 arcade title ''Pac-Land''.


As a character, Pac-Man initially began with very few personality traits, reflecting his simplistic appearance in the games. Later installments in the franchise, such as the ''Pac-Man World'' series, expand on the character and his backstory. In these games, he is a father with a large family that he deeply cares about, and he is characterized as a relatively laid-back hero who is willing to help wherever he is needed - both of these traits were first established in Hanna-Barbera's ''Pac-Man'' cartoon series, which - unlike American multimedia adaptations of franchises such as {{uv|Mario}} and {{uv|Sonic}} - was greatly influential to the ''Pac-Man'' universe and set the groundwork for most media that followed, thanks in part to a large portion of ''Pac-Man'' titles having been developed outside of the character's home country in Japan. His relationship with the [[ghosts]] — Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde — has also changed over the years: they have been depicted as archenemies, allies of circumstance, or even friendly rivals.
As a character, Pac-Man initially began with very few personality traits, reflecting his simplistic appearance in the games. Later installments in the franchise, such as the ''Pac-Man World'' series, expand on the character and his backstory. In these games, he is a father with a large family that he deeply cares about, and he is characterized as a relatively laid-back hero who is willing to help wherever he is needed. Both of these traits were first established in Hanna-Barbera's ''Pac-Man'' cartoon series, which unlike American multimedia adaptations of franchises such as {{uv|Mario}} and {{uv|Sonic}} was greatly influential to the ''Pac-Man'' universe and set the groundwork for most media that followed, thanks in part to a large portion of ''Pac-Man'' titles having been developed outside of the character's home country in Japan. His relationship with the [[ghosts]] — Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde — has also changed over the years: they have been depicted as archenemies, allies of circumstance, or even friendly rivals.


Due to his simplistic character, Pac-Man's personality can also vary between depictions - for instance, ''Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures'' portrays the character as an archetypal golden-age cartoon anti-hero who is overly emotional and often selfish, needing the player's intervention to succeed in his goals, ''Pac-Man World 3'' portrays Pac-Man as a flippant, sarcastic hero who is prone to cracking somewhat edgy ''Shrek''-esque jokes and does not take the conflicts he faces seriously, the ''Pac-Man & the Ghostly Adventures'' franchise reinterprets the character as a naïve high school student with a mysterious, tragic backstory, and more modern promotional materials have shown an athletic and supportive side to the character. Regardless of appearance, he is typically shown to have a ravenous appetite, owing to the original game's focus on eating dots and [[Bonus Fruit]].
Due to his simplistic character, Pac-Man's personality can also vary between depictions for instance, ''Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures'' portrays the character as an archetypal golden-age cartoon anti-hero who is overly emotional and often selfish, needing the player's intervention to succeed in his goals. ''Pac-Man World 3'' portrays Pac-Man as a flippant, sarcastic hero who is prone to cracking somewhat edgy jokes and does not take the conflicts he faces seriously. The ''Pac-Man & the Ghostly Adventures'' franchise reinterprets the character as a naïve high school student with a mysterious, tragic backstory. More modern promotional materials have shown an athletic and supportive side to the character. Regardless of appearance, he is typically shown to have a ravenous appetite, owing to the original game's focus on eating dots and [[Bonus Fruit]].


==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==
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*Pac-Man and [[Kazuya]] are the only characters to have a [[taunt]] with an official name, with Pac-Man's being [[Namco Roulette]]. Incidentally, they are both owned by [[Bandai Namco]].
*Pac-Man and [[Kazuya]] are the only characters to have a [[taunt]] with an official name, with Pac-Man's being [[Namco Roulette]]. Incidentally, they are both owned by [[Bandai Namco]].
*Pac-Man is the first third-party character to debut in the arcades.
*Pac-Man is the first third-party character to debut in the arcades.
*As the first appearance of a yellow, hungry character named Pac-Man was a Tomy bank toy in the 1970s, he is technically the only playable ''Smash'' character to not be created specifically with gaming in mind, and the second to debut in a medium outside of gaming or direct promotional materials for games after [[Lucario]], though whether the game was based on the toy or simply a coincidence is often disputed by ''Pac-Man'' historians.


==References==
==References==