Engineering on Friday ‘toon: Mid-Maze Crisis

Today is Pac-Man’s birthday – he’s turning 46. Pac and his ghost friends debuted in Japanese arcades on May 22nd, 1980. They took the world by storm and are still relevant today. Besides being a unique idea, the game also introduced some of the first artificial intelligence in games.

Check out my big article and comical video from when Pac turned 45, last year. I go over all the standout technical innovations the game brought.

For this cartoon, I wondered what Pac-Man would be doing when he turned 46. Probably get a motorcycle. Maybe a tattoo.

I particularly like drawing cartoons with the ghosts doing stuff. Truth be told, it’s because my son took a liking to the game. I draw a “morning cartoon” for my son before he goes off to school most morning. I’ve drawn him little Pac/Ghost cartoons countless times.

Here is one I drew for his first day in kindergarten. They’re supposed to be holding hands. 😊

You know, I think it was the first arcade game he ever played. We had just watched a movie in the theatre for the first time. We went to the arcade game area after the movie. They had “Giant Pac-Man” and a 4-player “Pac-Man Battle Royale.” I liked the Battle Royale one quite a bit. You can eat your fellow Pac players!

But, of course, we played it at home after that. Pac-Man Championship Edition was my son’s favorite, and Pac-Man 256.

If you haven’t guessed, it’s why I have so many Pac-Man-related items I show off in my video from last year. They’re all presents we got him over the many holidays.

If you’re in a dot-chomping mood, check out “Pac-Man Museum+.” It has so many innovative games, some of which I’ve never played. It’s on my Steam Wishlist; maybe someday I’ll get it, probably when I go through a Mid-Maze Crisis.

See rest of my cartoons in the Engineering on Friday comic gallery.

I need your input about my weekly 'toon. So, please chime in on the poll below. Thanks.