Top 50 Video Games: Number 26

#26: Ms Pac Man
System: Arcade
Publisher: Midway
Released: 1981
Players: 1


Ms Pac Man has a lot of work ahead of her.


Ms Pac Man is the 2nd Midway arcade game from 1981 to appear on my list. When Pac Man came along a few years earlier, people loved it. Pac Man was the first recognizable mascot for the gaming world. The gameplay was simple and challenging. When Ms Pac Man was released, it was hugely successful. The basic gameplay (eat all the dots, avoid the ghosts) remained unchanged from the original game. Ms Pac Man features four levels as opposed to one in the previous game. The game was a huge draw for women as well. It's gameplay is fun and nonviolent, and it's protagonist is female and was arguably making a statement for women's lib - Miss? Mrs? None of your goddamn business - that's Ms. Pac Man.

Ms Pac Man was the only arcade game we ever owned. My father loved pinball machines and we owned about 30 or so, but the only video game he ever cared for was Ms Pac Man. It was quite something to see him "in the zone" when he was playing - standing at the machine totally focused, pouring sweat. He'd reach up and pat the Ms Pac Man sign between levels and curse the ghost that killed him when he lost a life (it was usually Inky, or 'that red bastard' as my father called him.) My father, my sister and I all used to play. Apart from being a great game it was a point of bonding for my dad and I. Just last month I was at my uncle's place where the Ms Pac Man game currently resides. I played and I kicked ass - it's like riding a bike.


Running from That Red Bastard.


The idea for the orignal Pac Man came to the designer when he looked at a pizza with a slice taken out of it. It was originally going to be called Puck-Man. They then realized that an arcade game called Puck-Man would be an easy target for, uh, vandalism. Pac Man has appeared in many games including Super Pac Man, and many adventure games across a number of platforms. The series reached its zenith with Ms Pac Man though, which is one of the most popular and recognizable arcade games of all time.