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a universal appeal, that fulfills some need of the human psyche. Cult classics such as "Rocky Horror Music Show" create a sense of community among those who feel themselves outside of society's norms. The drug enhanced creation of much of the Beatle's music appeals to the human need to transcend the norms of society that have no reasonable basis.
While it is hard to argue that Pac Man fulfills any strong cultural needs of its players, it is not hard to argue that it taps into fundamental needs of the psyche. A cute abstract character over which the player has complete control, taking something seemingly weak and making it stronger, as well as the simple maze that the Pac Man character moves through all contribute to the games continuing appeal.

The initial video market was almost entirely male. Why men were able to dominate early games with unisex appeal is not entirely clear. Perhaps it was related to the fact that the games first became available in dark, smoky settings where women in the 70's were unlikely to hang out. Or perhaps it was just another instance of male dominance so prevalent in those times.

Pac Man also made an early entrance into the handheld game market. The lack of early competition ensured that the game was owned by almost every early user of the Game Boy, as well as other handhelds as they appeared on the scene.

To broaden the market to appeal to females. Ms. Pac Man was created. While the original Pac Man was generally unisex in appearance, a direct appeal to women and girls was the brain child of the manufacturer. By all measures it seems to have been a successful strategy, and one that has inspired the creation of games that appeal to women as well as men.

Pac Man also provides an easy but rewarding entry into video games for young children. The goals are clear, there is positive feedback from the beginning, and the music makes it an altogether pleasant experience. No matter how sophisticated games become, this simple program provides a nonviolent and positive experience as an entry into the video game playing market.

Great music, ease of control, immediate rewards, simplicity of play and adaptability all combine to make this one of the great video game classics of all time. Add to this the appeal of the cute little figure and the feel of feeding a wide mouthed baby bird, and it is no wonder that this game has had such enduring value.

Learn more about this author, Frances Simon.
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