1980s
Pac-Land
1984 · Platform · Arcade
Overview
Pac-Land is a classic 1980s platform game developed by Namco for Arcade.
Deep Dive
Pac-Land is a classic 1980s platform game developed by Namco for Arcade.
Developer Story
Pac-Land was developed by Namco in 1984. It reinvented Pac-Man as a side-scrolling platformer — the first time the character had left his original maze format. The game's animation was fluid and colourful, featuring Pac-Man returning a fairy to Fairyland and then making his way home. It was notable for being one of the first games with multiple looping background layers creating parallax depth.
Did You Know?
- Pac-Land was the first game to show Pac-Man from the side, revealing he had legs — a revelation for players who only knew him as a circular sprite.
- The game featured multiple parallax scrolling layers, creating a sense of depth that influenced platformers throughout the late 1980s.
- Pac-Man's wife and daughter appeared in the game, giving the character a domestic life players had never considered.
- Pac-Land directly inspired the creators of Super Mario Bros., who cited its smooth side-scrolling as a technical benchmark.
