LEGO has teamed up with Bandai Namco to create a block-based tribute to the classic 1980 Pac-Man arcade cabinet.
The 2,651 piece set was created to celebrate the 43rd anniversary of the Pac-Man arcade’s 1980 Japanese release and will be available to purchase on June 4 for $269.99 (£229.99).
Quite understandably, the arcade cabinet won’t actually let you play the classic Pac-Man game. Instead, the designers have built a mechanism into the set that allows players to simulate the arcade experience by cranking the lever mounted on the side of the cabinet.
Chomp your way back to the 80’s with the new LEGO Icons PAC-MAN Arcade! Ready! Build! Play! pic.twitter.com/ZlvhV5KLVc
— LEGO (@LEGO_Group) May 22, 2023
The set comes complete with a battery powered light up coin slot and a flippable scene on the top of the cabinet showing Pac-Man chasing and then being pursued by the ghosts Blinky and Clyde. It also features a removable back panel which can be taken away to reveal the inner workings of the machine, along with a scaled down scene depicting a LEGO woman playing a miniaturised version of the arcade classic.
“Our team of talented designers worked tirelessly to capture the essence of the beloved Pac-Man arcade machine in brick form, from Pac-Man himself to the colourful, maze-like environment he inhabits,” said LEGO designer Sven Franic.
“Every detail was carefully considered and crafted, resulting in a one-of-a-kind LEGO creation that captures the magic of the original game while adding a playful new twist and a couple of Easter eggs, in true video game style.”
For more block-based content why not check out our review of the LEGO 2K Drive cart racer while you wait for LEGO’s Pac-Man Arcade to release, or browse IGN’s list of the top ten LEGO games ever created.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
Image Credit: LEGO
