"Waka-waka-waka-waka..." Ah, the indisputable sound of Pac-Man, the round, yellow hero of what is still perhaps Namco's most famous game. This classic - which amounted a legacy unlike any other in arcades all around the world - had players navigating a maze, eating balls, collecting fruit and evading ghosts. If that sounds like the sum of a bad drug trip, it also made for endlessly addictive and compulsive gameplay. Pac-Man wasn't easy, but that was the point: its simple formula has rendered it timeless. Some people say that Mrs. Pac-Man is actually the better game, but for its pure accessibility, Pac-Man stands tall. If you haven't played it, not only have you missed out on one the best games ever, but you've somehow avoided one of the most notable pillars in pop cultural references.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
