Google's Pac-Man Doodle: How It Was Made (2022)

 

Introduction

On the 30th anniversary of Pac-Man, Google created a special Doodle that let you play the classic arcade game right on your search results page. This Doodle was especially cool because it used machine learning to recreate the game board and ghosts exactly as they appeared in the original 1980s version.

But how was it made? We spoke with Ryan Germick, the lead designer of the Pac-Man Doodle, to find out.

Google Marks the 30th Anniversary of PAC-MAN With a Doodle

If you were online yesterday, you may have seen that Google marked the 30th anniversary of PAC-MAN with a Doodle. And if you're a fan of PAC-MAN (who isn't?), you were probably pretty excited about it.

The Doodle was designed by artist Ryan Germick and his team. It was a big project, and they started planning for it way back in January. They wanted to make sure they got everything just right, and they pulled out all the stops.

They used motion graphics to create the feel of an old-school arcade game, and they even added in some Easter eggs (like the ghosts that follow PAC-MAN around). The end result is a Doodle that's both fun and faithful to the original game.

The Doodle Team Reveals How the Project Came to Be

The Doodle team has revealed how the Pac-Man Doodle was made. It all started with a conversation between Google's Larry Page and engineering director Scott Forstall.

"Larry Page and I were talking, and he mentioned that it was the 30th anniversary of Pac-Man, and I said 'I can do a Doodle for that,'" Forstall said. "And so we started kicked it around and came up with this idea."

The team then got to work, using code from an early version of Pac-Man to create the Doodle. They even managed to get the original voice actors from the game to reprise their roles.

"We wanted to make sure it felt like you were playing the original game," said product manager Ryan Germick. "We added some new flourishes, but we really wanted to make sure we preserved the feeling of playing it in an arcade."

The Doodle Consists of 6 Levels, Each With a Unique Twist

You're probably familiar with the Pac-Man Google Doodle that was released in honor of the game's 30th anniversary. But did you know that it consists of 6 levels, each with a unique twist?

For example, in the first level, you play as the traditional Pac-Man character. But in the second level, you play as a ghost, and must chase Pac-Man. The third level is a maze game, where you have to guide Pac-Man to the finish line.

It's really an amazing tribute to one of the most iconic video games of all time. And I think we can all agree that it's a lot more fun than playing the actual game!

Google Plans to Roll Out the Doodle Globally on May 22

You may have already seen the Pac-Man doodle on Google.com, but on May 22, it's going to be rolled out globally. The interactive doodle was designed by artist Ryan Woodward, who took six months to create it.

The doodle is a 3D version of the classic Pac-Man game, and you can play it on any device that has a web browser. Woodward worked with a team of engineers to make sure the doodle would be playable on all devices.

"I'm really excited for people around the world to play it," Woodward said in a statement. "I've been playing the game for 30 years, so I'm pretty confident in the final product."

The Doodle Will Be Available to Play for 48 Hours

Here's something you probably didn't know: the Pac-Man Doodle will be available to play for 48 hours. So mark your calendars, because starting on May 22 and going until May 24, you'll be able to take a break from work and have some fun chasing ghosts.

We wanted to create a Doodle that would celebrate the anniversary in a special way, so we teamed up with Bandai Namco—the company that created the original Pac-Man game back in 1980. They were a great partner, and we worked together to come up with a Doodle that would be true to the classic game but also reflect the spirit of Google.

We hope you have as much fun playing it as we had making it!

After the 48 Hours, the Doodle Will Be Archived on the Google Doodle Website

So the Pac-Man doodle is up for 48 hours. What happens after that?

Well, it'll be archived on the Google Doodle website, where you can check it out and even play it! It's a really cool interactive doodle, and I'm sure a lot of people are going to enjoy it.

So if you're not able to play it now, don't worry—you'll be able to check it out later!

Conclusion

On the 30th anniversary of PAC-MAN, Google created a Doodle honoring the classic video game. The Doodle was made in collaboration with Namco, the creators of PAC-MAN.

The Doodle was designed by artist Matt Lyon and programmed by engineer Ryan Germick. It took about 5 months to make, and Google employees around the world contributed to the project.

The Doodle is interactive and can be played on desktop and mobile devices. It also includes a new Pac-Man game called "PAC-MANhattan."