- For fighter info, see Pac-Man (SSB4) and Pac-Man (SSBU).
| Pac-Man | |
|---|---|
File:Pac-Man (PMVS).png
Official artwork of Pac-Man from Pac-Man Vs. (Nintendo Switch). | |
| Universe | Pac-Man |
| Debut | Pac-Man (1980) |
| Smash Bros. appearances | SSB4 Ultimate |
| Most recent non-Smash appearance | Pac-Man 99 (2021) |
| Console/platform of origin | Arcade |
| Species | Pac-Person |
| Gender | Male |
| Place of origin | Pac-Land |
| Created by | Tōru Iwatani |
| Designed by | Tōru Iwatani |
| Article on Wikipedia | Pac-Man (character) |
Pac-Man, also stylized as PAC-MAN (パックマン, Pacman, originally written Puckman), is the main character in the eponymous Pac-Man series. He is Bandai Namco's mascot and one of the most widely recognized video game characters in the world.[1]
Origin
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 Pac-Land and 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. 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 example, Pac-Man World 3 shows him as somewhat flippant and sarcastic, while in Pac-Man & the Ghostly Adventures, he uses a different design, becoming a naïve high school student. 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
No Pac-Man or other Bandai Namco content appears in Brawl. While Shigeru Miyamoto suggested Pac-Man as a third-party character for the game, director Masahiro Sakurai, thinking of Pac-Man's classic "wedge" shape, thought it was far-fetched at the time.[2]
In Super Smash Bros. 4
As a playable character
Pac-Man is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4, revealed behind closed doors at the E3 Smash Bros Q&A and made known to the general public via Nintendo of America's official Twitter account before being covered on 'Pic of the Day' the following morning.
Pac-Man ranks at 46th place on the Smash 4 tier list in the F tier. His Bonus Fruit special move acts as an effective projectile with differing attacks depending on its state upon being thrown. He also has a strong combo game at his disposal, able to perform combos both on the ground and in the air. However, his Bonus Fruit, Power Pellet, and Fire Hydrant specials can all be turned against him easily, creating some risks for himself in battle. He also suffers from an unreliable grab due to its high lag, and has trouble scoring KOs. Nevertheless, Pac-Man can excel by using his combo ability and the versatility in his specials. Currently, Pac-Man has a few dedicated players, but low tournament results.
Trophies
- PAC-MAN
The yellow, circular hero of the game PAC-MAN, which is recognized as the "Most Successful Coin-Operated Arcade Game" by Guinness World Records. In Smash Bros., he uses several moves inspired by the original PAC-MAN. Wakawaka your foes by charging up the Power Pellet move and aiming at them.
The yellow, circular hero of the game PAC-MAN, which is recognised as the "Most Successful Coin-Operated Arcade Game" by Guinness World Records. In this game, some of his attacks are based on the original PAC-MAN. Charge up his Power Pellet move, then aim it right at an opponent to wakawaka them extra hard.
- PAC-MAN (Alt.)
- PAC-MAN's Fire Hydrant down special pushes opponents away with blasts of water. You can drop the hydrant on top of your opponents to damage them, but they can also attack it to damage you if you're standing on it! His Pac-Jump up special spawns a trampoline he can jump on three times—the third jump is especially high!
- PAC-MAN's Fire Hydrant down special pushes opponents away with blasts of water. You can drop the hydrant on top of your opponents to damage them, but they can also attack it and hit you with it to cause damage! His Pac-Jump up special spawns a trampoline he can jump on three times, and the third jump is especially high!
Classic (3DS)
Classic (Wii U)
Alt. (3DS)
Alt. (Wii U)
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
As a playable character
Pac-Man returns as a playable character alongside the series' entire playable cast in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, this time as an unlockable character.
Spirit
946. PAC-MAN
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Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 Japanese |
パックマン, PAC-MAN | — |
 English |
PAC-MAN | — |
 French |
PAC-MAN | — |
 German |
PAC-MAN | — |
 Spanish |
PAC-MAN | — |
 Italian |
PAC-MAN | — |
 Chinese |
吃豆人, PAC-MAN | Bean eater |
 Korean |
팩맨, PAC-MAN | — |
 Dutch |
PAC-MAN | — |
 Russian |
ПЭКМЕН | — |
Trivia
- With his debut in May 1980, Pac-Man is one of the earliest-created characters introduced in the Super Smash Bros. series, alongside Mr. Game & Watch. He is the oldest third-party character, and the oldest character introduced in Smash 4.
- Pac-Man appeared as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4 34 years after his debut, therefore having the largest gap of any playable character in the Smash series between their first appearance and Smash debut.
- Super Smash Bros. 4 is not Pac-Man's first appearance in a crossover fighting game; he had previously appeared in Street Fighter x Tekken in a Mokujin mech, as an exclusive guest fighter on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita versions. This game also features Ryu and Ken, as well as "Bad Box Art Mega Man", who is based on the Mega Man featured on the North American box art of the original Mega Man game for the NES.
- Pac-Man has had several prior crossovers with Nintendo franchises (mainly Mario) before Super Smash Bros. He previously appeared in all three Mario Kart Arcade GP titles as a playable racer. In addition, Mario appeared as the announcer in the Nintendo-developed installment of his series, Pac-Man Vs.
- Masahiro Sakurai stated in an interview that he would have considered dropping Pac-Man from Smash 4 entirely if Namco didn't allow them to use his classic design over his more modern Pac-Man & the Ghostly Adventures design.[3]
- Pac-Man is one of the three playable third-party characters with no voice clips. The other ones are Mega Man and Steve.
- Pac-Man is the only character in the entire series to have a taunt with an official name, with the Namco Roulette.
- Pac-Man is the first of four third-party characters to debut in the arcades, the others being Ryu, Ken and Terry.
- If Sonic’s cameo as an air freshener in Rad Mobile prior to his official debut in Sonic the Hedgehog is counted, Pac-Man instead becomes the second character with this trait.
References
External links
- Article on PAC-MAN Wiki
 Pac-Man universe
| |
|---|---|
| Fighter | Pac-Man (SSB4 · SSBU) |
| Assist Trophy | Ghosts |
| Stages | Pac-Maze · Pac-Land |
| Trophies and Spirits | Trophies · Spirits |
| Music | SSB4 · Ultimate |
| Masterpiece | Pac-Man |