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Pac-Man 30th Anniversary

Coming right on the heels of the Google I/O conference ending is the 30th Anniversary of Pac-man and to celebrate it Google, in their usual fashion, changed the graphic on their search page to show the game with the word Google built into the stage. If you haven’t heard or seen this yet, go check it out since you can actually play the game as well.

Productivity around the word must have dropped by at least 50% yesterday when Google released this little celebratory feature onto Google.com. Press the insert coin once to play, twice to play a two player game which includes Ms. Pac-man. This little game comes with all the cut-scene animations from the Pac-man game as well. When you die and your game ends it’ll automatically redirect you to Google’s search result page with results from search “Pac-man 30th Anniversary”.

How did Google achieve this little game on their site? I believe, and correct me if I am wrong please, that they used a combination of Javascript and HTML5 (from what I’ve seen in the code). As was mentioned in Google I/O, Android will be gaining full HTML5 support in the upcoming Gingerbread built and Froyo which is already starting to roll out on Nexus Ones (US only, Elsewhere within two weeks) had it’s browser enhanced to 2x-3x the speed of Eclair thanks to massive Javascript improvements.

So what are you waiting for? Go waste some time and play some good old school Pac-man if you haven’t already while it’s still available. We got a bunch of tips about it sent to us and although we knew about it right away yesterday we had no time to post about it so thanks to everyone who sent tips to us! Keep them coming in about anything Android and gaming related!

Here’s the interview from The AWL with Pac-man himself. Warning – Adult Language:

BALK: Hey, buddy, happy birthday.
dotmuncher80: Dude, don’t even. I’ve spent all morning trying to forget about it.
BALK: Hahaha, I hear ya. Turning 30 can be rough.
dotmuncher80: Dude, the only thing worse than actually turning 30 would be to hear one of your long-ass speeches about how hard it was for you when you turned 30 A MILLION YEARS AGO. We get it: You’re old and depressed and you love talking about yourself. You know what? The rest of us have feelings too. We just don’t go around making sad little blog posts about it.
BALK: Uh, okay.
dotmuncher80: I’m sorry. I am. That was harsh. You’re right, I’m having a hard time with it.
BALK: You want to talk about it? Sometimes it helps to share.
dotmuncher80: Yeah, lick my left one, Dr. Freud. I don’t need your
dotmuncher80: Wow. Sorry. Sorry sorry sorry. DUDE. I am SO MESSED UP BY THIS.
BALK: Talk to me.
dotmuncher80: Well, first off, I don’t even HAVE a left one. I am just a tiny yellow circle with a pie-hole. Not exactly something that you’re thrilled to see staring back at you in the mirror every morning.
BALK: You’re one of the most recognizable figures in the world!
dotmuncher80: Have you seen me LATELY? The thing you never think about with aging until it’s too late is how all that muscle turns to flab. I’m a fucking OVAL these days.
BALK: But you get plenty of exercise.
dotmuncher80: I’ll let you in on a little secret: None of us move as quick as we used to. The other day Blinky had me stopped in an alley in the upper left and I was like, “Fuck, this is it,” and I hear the dude WHEEZING. I was like, “You wanna sit this one out?” and he goes, “Dude, you don’t even know.” We are all running out of energy.
BALK: The power pellets don’t help?
dotmuncher80: You mean the speed?
BALK: I thought they were just “power pellets.”
dotmuncher80: Dude, they’re speed. I am a 30-year-old SPEED ADDICT. Real accomplishment there. What a wonderful life I’ve made for myself.
BALK: You’re scaring me. You’re not usually this bitter.
dotmuncher80: Well, you know, what the fuck is there to be chipper about? I mean, sure, when you’re a kid, you’re running around with the wind at your back knowing nothing is ever going to catch up to you. You’ve got dreams, you’re full of potential, the whole world is there for the taking. And then one day you realize you’re trapped in a fucking maze and it’s eat or be eaten until you die. I should throw a fucking parade about that?
BALK: Surely your girlfriend makes you feel better.
dotmuncher80: Oh, MS. Pac-Man? Lemme tell you something, dude, she may act like she’s all about that feminism trip, but when it comes down to it she just wants to get married and have babies like anybody else. And she’s not even being subtle about it anymore. “You’d better be looking for a ring,” she told me the other day. Fuck knows where’s she’s gonna put it. Maybe on that goddamn bow of hers.
BALK: I thought you two were doing so well!
dotmuncher80: Oh, I dunno, it’s FINE, I guess. It’s comfortable, I mean. We’ve been together for so long at this point I can’t see us splitting up or anything. I mean, I’m THIRTY. Who’s gonna want an old Pac-Man?
BALK: 30 is the new 20.
dotmuncher80: Shut up is the new don’t try to calm me down with the world’s most boring cliché.
BALK: Okay.
dotmuncher80: Sigh. See, I hurt your feelings. That’s what I do. I run, I eat, I hurt the people who care about me. I’m no fuckin’ good.
BALK: Come on. I know it seems a little bleak, but that’s to be expected.
dotmuncher80: Some days I hide out in this little corner in the lower right and just cry. I mean, thick, terrible sobs. The guys don’t even bother coming around because they’re too embarrassed, I guess. You know what my biggest joy is?
BALK: When the pretzel pops up in the center?
dotmuncher80: You’re a laugh riot, asshole. Dude, I’m speaking from the HEART here. Or whatever, the center yellow core. Mostly I just close my eyes and imagine how peaceful things will be when the game is finally over.
BALK: I think maybe you should get some professional help.
dotmuncher80: Fuck that shit. What are they gonna tell me that I don’t already know? Life’s an endless series of painful events and then the quarters run out. Until then you just roll along and deal with it the best you can. THIRTY, man! Jesus Christ, who would have thought?
BALK: Are you, uh, doing anything to mark the occasion?
dotmuncher80: Q*bert is taking me out for drinks.
BALK: Is that the best choice? Q*bert’s ALWAYS depressed.
dotmuncher80: I know. Somehow it makes me feel better about myself. Also, you know, there’s alcohol, so that’ll keep me from wanting to pull my plug for a few more hours at least. Drinking is maybe the only thing that makes me feel like “insert coin” might not be the most horrible phrase ever.
BALK: I wish I could say something to cheer you up.
dotmuncher80: How old are you?
BALK: 37.
dotmuncher80: And what do you do for a living?
BALK: I’m co-editor of the Awl.
dotmuncher80: Hahahahah.
dotmuncher80: Hahahahahaha.
dotmuncher80: HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA.
dotmuncher80: I’m sorry, that’s terrible.
dotmuncher80: But I totally DO feel better right now.
dotmuncher80: Okay, later dude, I gotta go chase down some ghosts, or whatever the fuck it is this time. I’ll catch you around. Thanks for the chat, it really helped!
BALK: Happy birthday.
dotmuncher 80 has signed off
BALK: [Sobs.]

Site: Google

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