On May 21st, the folks at Google decided to celebrate the little yellow dude’s anniversary in a very big way: by embedding a playable Google Doodle. The Doodle allowed you to play Pac-Man to your heart’s content throughout the day. It was such a hit that the game remains playable on Google.

One woman wasn’t quite as amused by the tribute as we were. Apparently, she had trouble studying because the game kept playing itself in the background. The sounds were distracting her to the point that she called tech support – either from her ISP or computer manufacturer.

It’s a good thing the tech person on the phone was well aware of the Google celebration. I cannot imagine the hilarity that would have ensued if he didn’t know anything about it. When you hear the silences on his end, you can’t help but wonder if he was busy gobbling up monsters himself.

Pac-Man Tech Support

Everyone seems to have a favorite game, as well as a favorite game character. You already know that I am obsessed with Tetris. It’s my favorite game by far. It gets trickier to choose a favorite game character. Think back to the games you played as a kid. Mario was pretty awesome, eh? Some of the others I used to love were Donkey Kong, Sonic and Pac-Man. I know I’m leaving out a whole host of characters, though.

Empire magazine has compiled a list of the fifty best video game characters of all time. I’m glad I’m not the person who had to pick and choose, let me tell you. It would have been nearly impossible to do. Surprisingly enough, Mario is not number one. Valve’s Gordon Freeman, the entirely silent hero of the sublime Half-Life series, is Empire’s ultimate video game character.

My favorite? Tetris.

Which character is your all-time favorite? Are you shocked by Empire’s list? Do you feel they forgot anyone?

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Choosing software and applications for your systems isn’t difficult. We’ve pulled them all together for you in one easy-to-use software center.

What is Your Favorite Video Game?

Can you believe that Pac-Man is turning thirty years old tomorrow? The little yellow dude doesn’t look a day over 25, I swear it. He has carried his age well all these years. If you’re like me and grew up playing this fantastic arcade game, you’re going to love the way Google is celebrating the anniversary. They’ve embedded a playable Pac-Man game as a Google Doodle on the homepage for the next two days!

Pac-Man may be the most influential video game of all time. The Guinness Book of World Records named Pac-Man as the best-known video game character on Earth, beating out Mario Brothers and Sonic the Hedgehog. Guinness also lists Pac-Man as the most successful coin-operated game ever. There are many popular versions of the game available for mobile devices, and you’ll find the arcade version in probably half the bars in this country. I know anytime I am out somewhere and see the game, I grab my quarters and migrate to the dot goodness on the screen. Twin Galaxies, which tracks video game world record scores, estimates the quarter-gobbler was played more than 10 billion times in the 20th century alone!

If you haven’t checked out the game on Google yet, give it a shot. It may not be exactly the same… but it comes darn close. Let me know your favorite Pac-Man memory. I’m willing to bet most of you have one.

Pac-Man Doesn’t Look a Day Over 25

One More Production has done it again. Patrick Jean and his team’s latest short film, PIXELS, was shot on location in New York City.

The level of creativity in these video clips are nothing short of fantastic. This has to be one of my favorites, though. What Geek doesn’t love both 8-bit AND video games? I’m glad that @GapingVoid brought this to my attention.

8-Bit Creatures Have Invaded New York!

Just a few short years ago, the word Geek still had negative connotations attached to it. Companies didn’t really make products designed specifically for those of us who proudly label ourselves as Geeks. Today, though, all of that has changed. It seems that nearly every company now sells products aimed at our Geeky side. You can find everything from shower accessories to jewelry – and everything in between! There are several websites dedicated to selling nothing but Geek items. If you know where to look, you can even find some amazing Geek furnishings for your home!!

Scrabble Furniture

Periodic Table

Nintendo Chair

Captain Kirk Chair

Geek Shower

Geek Door Lock

CD Chair

Book Chair

Pac-Man Shelves

Pac-Man Coffee Table

LEGO Couch

Number Keys Seat

Rubik’s Cube Tables

Calculator Chairs

Pirillows!

These are just a few of the things that I’ve come across on my travels across the web. What Geeky furniture have you seen, that I may have missed?

Some of the furniture pictures were also featured in a blog post on Geek.Ology.

Top Furniture for Geeks

Pac Man!

I’m Being Eaten by Pac Man

When Microsoft put Pac Man into the Xbox Live Marketplace, I grabbed it immediately. Many PacMan fans were disappointed that this video game classic really wasn’t optimized for an HD experience. Guess what?

The “Pac-Man Championship Edition” features the first new Pac-Man mazes in more than 26 years. Think of it as the same beloved “Pac-Man” game played in pizza parlors and arcades of the 80’s but updated with new features that former “Pac-Man” fanatics and new generations of fans alike will love. It includes new mazes that dynamically change shape during gameplay, six new timed game modes, new soundtracks and high-definition (HD) graphics.

Yeah, this one was totally worth waiting for…

If you’d like to take a closer look, either download the demo or check out a Pac Man CE screen capture (and a Pac Man wallpaper). My favorite Pac-Man of all time was Ms. Pac Man. What about you?

Pac Man: A Classic

I think I’m staying up late tonight. I want to be the first geek on my block to get achievements for Frogger. I wasn’t much of a Frogger fan in the arcade, but I think it’s good enough to spend a few more dollars on. I’m looking forward to Pac Man, too – although I wish it was Ms. Pac Man, instead. Here’s the scoop:

Today, Xbox Live unveils Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays, a new program that will provide a regular launch schedule of new Xbox Live Arcade titles on the Xbox 360. Starting today, Xbox Live Arcade games will now go live worldwide on Wednesdays at 0800 GMT (Midnight Pacific) – hitting gamers around the world all on the same day. July 12 – Frogger; July 19 – Cloning Clyde; July 26 – Galaga; August 2 – Street Fighter II; August 9 – Pac-Man.

“What’s that? The outlet? Mm-hmmm. That’s where the electricity comes out.” Oh, you mean the holes.

Frogger is Coming!