What is the most popular 2D video game in Arizona? This is what a recent study found

Kye Graves, Arizona Republic
·3 min read
1

A recent study found that Pac-Man is the most popular 2-dimensional video game in Arizona, garnering over 17,900 Google searches every month.

The research, done by Australian-based gaming company Indivisible Gaming, discovered that Americans still can't get enough of the classics, booting up modern tech in hopes of unearthing their favorite gems from the past.

By analyzing Google search data, Indivisible Gaming was able to compile a list of the top side-scrollers in America while breaking down each state's preference.

According to the data, Sonic the Hedgehog held as the country's favorite, totaling more than 767,000 Google searches per month over the past year. Just behind on the list was Pac-Man, receiving an average of 710,175 Google searches per month nationally.

Rounding out the top five, Tetris ranked in third place (364,346) with Geometry Dash and Super Mario Bros. well behind with 139,195 and 134,254 average monthly searches respectively.

How popular is Pac-Man around the U.S.?

This Pac Man costume was incredible during Crescent Ballroom's Halloween Costume Ball on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.
This Pac Man costume was incredible during Crescent Ballroom's Halloween Costume Ball on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

While Pac-Man gobbled up Arizona's vote, with 17,983 average monthly Google searches, it also took the cake for six different states as well:

  • Florida: 51,249

  • Virginia: 22,519

  • Arizona: 17,983

  • Oregon: 10,082

  • Oklahoma: 6,303

  • West Virginia: 2,902

Where can I play Pac-Man in Arizona?

Those looking to satisfy their hunger for some pellets and ghosts have a couple arcades throughout the Valley (and the state) to choose from, equipped with cabinets ready to help quell their cravings:

For the diehards with some money to spare, however, Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man arcade cabinets can be purchased from multiple outlets, such as Best Buy, Walmart or E-Bay to name a few.

Anyone in need of an immediate fix can play the Pac-Man Doodle game via the Google browser.

When was Pac-Man released?

Pac-Man, originally Puck Man in Japan, hit the scene in July 1980 following a successful focus test in May. It was released by Japanese arcade game publisher Namco Limited, now Bandai-Namco as of 2006.

One year later, the follow-up (and overall superior) Ms. Pac-Man was released in the United States, adding new features and levels to the critically acclaimed maze game.

Over the last 43 years, the I.P. has continued to evolve, seeing new iterations be released across different arcade formats and home consoles.

Who created Pac-Man?

While released by Namco Limited, Pac-Man's creation is attributed to Toru Iwatani, 68, who spent 30 years of his career with the company, beginning in 1977 and ending in 2007.

According to CNN, Iwatani had the vision for Pac-Man to be an alternative to the "violent games all about killing aliens," at the time.

Pac-Man's success has led Iwatani to be recognized as one of gaming's greatest creators, even receiving a certificate from the Guinness World Records in 2010 on behalf of the game for the most "coin-operated arcade machines" installed worldwide.

Another notable award came in 2016, when Iwatani's character received the Guinness World Record for "longest-running dedicated video game character" having been around for 36 years and 116 days to that point.

Iwatani even had a cameo spot in the 2015 Adam Sandler flick Pixels as an arcade machine repairman, while his actual character in the film was portrayed by actor Denis Akiyama.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Where to play Pac-Man in Arizona