Bandai Namco’s been a bit busy with trademarks as of late, putting in applications for Code Vein, Storm Wings, and the one that now has the internet all excited: Pac-Man Maker. The idea, simply based on the title, is that Bandai Namco is working on their own take on Super Mario Maker, which has been a massive success for Nintendo on Wii U and 3DS.
That game allows players to craft their own 2D stages, which other players can then download and play on their device. Theoretically this would work well with the Pac-Man brand, with players making their own mazes that other players could take on. How big those levels could be, and what mechanics they would incorporate are just down to speculation at this point, but with this trademark set up it does seem like Bandai Namco is thinking through it now, if not already in full development.
The Pac-Man series was a massive juggernaut back in the arcade era, becoming one of the most successful games of its time. Once the series moved out of the arcade and onto home consoles though there were some stumbles, including forays into standard 2D and 3D platforming. Recent years have seen a resurgence in popularity and quality though, with games like Pac-Man Championship Edition garnering massive praise from fans and critics alike.
We’ve also seen a lot of excitement around various Pac-Man events. These include when Google made their logo into a Pac-Man stage, and the recent April Fool’s Day joke that allowed users to play the game on Google Maps.
Pac-Man Maker, if it turns out to be real, could really solidify the fanbase around a single game. Putting everything from classic games and the more modern takes together into one package would be great, and with players making their own levels, the content would be never ending.
