ChronoFive
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Setting the scene
Namco designer Toru Iwatani wanted a game appealing to women and couples, not just space-shooter fans; he imagined a pizza with a slice missing munching dots in a maze, naming the character Puck-Man before U.S. marketers renamed it Pac-Man.
What happened
Pac-Man was released in Japan in May 1980, then swept North American arcades where Midway distributed cabinets with four ghost personalities and power pellets turning the chase.
Why it still matters
It became one of the highest-grossing arcade games ever, spawning Ms. Pac-Man, breakfast cereals, and a hit single; Pac-Man's yellow circle entered pop art alongside Mickey Mouse as gaming's first character superstar.
Background
It became one of the highest-grossing arcade games ever.