Mazes, monsters and multicursality. Mastering Pac-Man 1980–2016

Abstract

This paper explores the creation and codification of techniques for playing, beating and breaking Namco’s Pac-Man (1980). The findings are based on original archival research that draws on a range of early video game strategy publications in addition to more recent technical investigations of the game’s code. With titles such as “How to Beat the Video Games”, these mass-produced pulpy, paperbacks were concerned with revealing successful gameplay strategies for popular arcade games of the period. Providing a close reading of “Mastering Pac-Man” guide, this article explores the book’s distinctive construction of the game comparing it with more recent investigations of Pac-Man’s code. The article analyses the influence of the arcade context in which Pac-Man was accessed and performed and considers how an (imperfect) knowledge of the game’s structure and systemic operation gave rise to a particular understanding of its ludic potential.

Keywords

• pac-man
• video game
• strategy guide
• walkthrough
• arcade
• coin-op
• gameplay