That PAC is back, with the legendary PAC-MAN franchise celebrating its 45th Anniversary. While the release of Pac-Man World 2 RePac and Shadow Labyrinth offered fans meals to enjoy, it’s time for a snack break to wrap up the celebration.
Taking place at the Parely Center for Media in NYC, Lords of Gaming rolled to the scene to see everything the venue has to offer!
Chomping Through Quarters – PAC-MAN Games Playable
Ranging from the recent Pac-Man World 2 RePac on Nintendo Switch to arcade cabinets with the original Pac-Man playable, there was something for everyone to enjoy. There was also a playable Pac-Man 256 on a PS5 connected to a projector in a separate nearby theater. Playing this with attendies in co-op sessions was a blast, learning how to play the game in real-time.
Alongside the above-mentioned games, larger arcade machines one would see in a Dave & Buster’s were also playable. Playing a game of PAC-MAN on a huge display was awesome, reminding me of the Space Invaders large-arcade set-up I’ve experienced in arcades.
Chomping Through History – Pac-Man History Exhibit
The Exhibit featured several pieces of important history about the franchise.
Highlights include a model statue, plaques explaining the franchise history, and even nostalgic memorabilia. Seeing things like the Pac-Man Fever CD, toys, and a stack of games across multiple platforms in a case made me smile.
You can enjoy images I took of the event, or see it for yourself! This exhibit runs until June 7, 2026.
Meeting the Fruit Muncher – Meet & Greet
Another highlight of the celebration was taking a picture with man himself! Waiting in a short line, I proudly took a picture with the Bandai-Namco icon.
A New Generation of Fruit Connoisseurs – Activities for the Kids
But the fun wasn’t only for older games, as children had some activities in mind for them. In the Library area at the Paley Center, kiddos can enjoy coloring pictures and crafts based on Pac-Man and Team Ghost.
As someone who works with kids, allowing them a chance to express themselves through coloring activities was earnestly sweet. The entire event was open for the youth, with various games playable and competing for the Chompinionship.
Waka-Waka – Chompinionship 2026 Tournament
Speaking of competing, the Chompinionship 2026 Tournament was well underway. Running for the event’s entire runtime, players played 10 minutes on a platform of their choosing. The run with the highest score was used to determine the winner, offering several exciting prizes.
But for me, the prize never mattered. I was playing the game with my fellow gamers and enjoying interactions with everyone around me. From talking about how great the Switch 2 Pro Controller was with the player next to me, to helping a father get their kiddo to correctly use the Oculus Controller that was on display in the nearby VR room, these interactions made getting my 8,000-point run of the OG classic rewarding.
Time for Adventure – Sneak Peek at ‘PAC-MAN: Snack Breaks’ Animated Series
Closing out the event was an early showing of Pac-Man: Snack Breaks, an online animated series. The animated series, releasing on YouTube, follows his adventures in New Pac-City. Enjoying the sights and sounds, making new friends along the way, and avoiding trouble with Team Ghost.
The animation by Cartuna is bright and expressive, featuring a stylized look based on elements from the Pac-Man World series, utilizing aspects throughout the entire series. In many ways, it’s a love letter from fans to the fans.
I also really enjoyed the voice acting, with the VA’s for both Pac-Man (Mike Cefalo) and Clyde (Lukas Arnold) being a particular standout. Mike captures the ‘we can do this!’ energy that Martin T. Sherman provided the iconic character in World 2 Re-Pac and World 3. Meanwhile, Lukas gives Clyde the perfect mixture of positive and ‘man, things are depressing’ vibes.
Talking with Plus Wave Audio (Composers/Sound Team)
After the early screening concluded, I was able to talk with two members from Plus Wave Audio, the team behind the Snack Breaks soundtrack.
Talking with both FLOOR BABA (Jesse Martin) and Maxo (Max Cobern) was fantastic, offering amazing insight on producing a soundtrack for an animated series. They shared some awesome behind-the-scenes details about the show’s production, with some standouts including the following points.
- Production Cycle: The music is one of the final steps in the production pipeline, so instead of people assigned to specific episodes, everyone works on one episode together, then moves on to the next one.
- Wide Library to Work With: Episodes will feature various themes and remixes from past adventures.
- By the Fans, For the Fans: Both composers are familiar with the deeper Pac-Man franchise.
Closing Thoughts on the Pac-Man Chompionship NYC Event
Gaming events in NYC are important to cover as a native New Yorker. Seeing my backyard offering such a fun Pac-Man experience, I had a blast and enjoyed covering it. More so, as a fan of the Pac-Man series.
So while the tournament aspect of this event concludes, I highly recommend everyone who lives in NYC visit the Pearl Museum to enjoy the Pac-Man History Exhibit!
