by Frances Simon

Created on: August 09, 2008

A look at why Pac Man is the most popular video game of all times

When 30 some years ago video games first arrived on the scene, their very novelty made the games instant classics. One of the earliest games was Pong, basically a much simpler version of Tetris but using only horizontal bricks, and having a ball that ricocheted off the top and the sides. When Pac Man arrived on the scene it was a marvel of sophistication and became an instant hit.

There are many aspects to Pac Man that made it an instant hit with consumers. Prior to the introduction of the first arcade video games, the primary games available were pinball machines. Though entertaining and popular these had a large component of success to them. While strategies could be developed, these did not have the guaranteed success that could be found in video games.

Giving the player virtually complete control of the character and success of the individual games gave players the satisfaction of knowing that they could control the games outcome. Being able to build on what they had learned from previous games was a novelty at this time, and cumulative success was emotionally rewarding.

There are several other components that have continued to keep Pac Man an enduring classic. There is something about feeding a character and watching them eat that fulfills some human intrinsic need. Just as a mother is pleased by her little ones good appetite, the Pac Man player feels a sense of success from meeting the character's limitless appetite.

Music is also an important component of the game. As any video maker can tell you, music can either serve to accentuate the mood, or detract from it. The simple but classic tune that accompanies Pac Man play enhances the mood as well as emotionally reinforcing the player's success.

For all these reasons Pac Man quickly zoomed to popularity in the early days of video games, but what has made it such an enduring classic?

Perhaps we can find part of the answer by looking at classics in other areas. Why have scenes from the movie "Psycho" remained an important part of the American psyche? Why has "Rocky Horror Picture Show" grown from its original roots to a cult classic with increasingly complex activities revolving around its showings? Why has the music of the Beatles been so enduring, with its continuing appeal to generations far younger than the Baby Boomers?

For something to become a classic it has to have an appeal that transcends the culture in which it is created. It must have

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