This Pac-Man book is a perfect Christmas gift for gamers

A decade ago, the games section in bookstores only had a few boxes of gaming supplies. Far SideA small number of neglected strategy guides and puzzles. The ’90s kids who couldn’t afford those Prima guides (and copied cheat codes into their math class notebooks) have since grown up and gotten salaries. Book publishing has grown alongside them, eager to capitalize on the audience’s inflated wallets. Now the “video game book” section of what few bookstores remain spans fiction and nonfiction, dense academic doorstops, and glossy coffee-table picture books. Gaming books are having a moment.

Latest entry in this category Pac-Man: Birth of an IconIt combines a little bit of all. It’s a delightful throwback to the effusive guides of the ’90s; a thoroughly researched video game history; and a gorgeously curated collection of Pac-Man art, photography, and scans of rare internal design documents.

It’s priced to match its scope. The special edition, which includes a clever and sturdy Pac-Man-shaped slip case, a vinyl single of “Pac-Man Fever,” and a Pac-Man arcade token, retails for $99.95. For $55.95 the regular edition includes only the hardcover. Neither are cheap by the standards of video game books, though collectors of art books from publishers like Taschen likely won’t flinch.

Photo by Cook and Becker

This is not like so many art books.The Birth of an IconIt is enjoyable to read. It’s written in plain English, and it never falls into the writerly trap of “important” writing. The authors Tim Lapetino and Arjan Terpstra dive into every detail of Pac-Man’s history, but they avoid industry jargon or the traditional tone. They are more interested in the people than on game design details. Within the first few pages, we meet Pac-Man creator Toru Iwatani, and learn about his rural upbringing (with details like catching crawfish in the Meguro ward of Tokyo) during the years before Japan’s economic boom in the final quarter of the 20th century.

It is almost a workmanlike style by the authors, who present Pac-Man’s breadth in small, yet still nutritious chunks. The authors spend surprising amounts of time building a strong foundation in cultural, historical and regional contexts before they get to the Pac-Man. For example, “The Rise of Pac-Man’’ is the sixth of nine chapters. Before that, Terpstra and Lapetino document the ascendance of video games in Japan, the life of Iwatani, and the arduous process of actually making a video game in the ’70s, when practically nobody yet knew how. It’s a bold choice in terms of pacing, one that places Pac-Man in the center of the pop culture zeitgeist, however briefly, and elevates the series to feel worthy of a tome.

Photo by Cook and Becker

Terpstra and Lapetino really find their stride when they’re writing like archaeologists, dusting off little details from forgotten interviews, game and culture studies books, and old marketing materials. It’s all about their access. A standout story recounts how Iwatani and company looked at the newly popular Sanrio and Hello Kitty characters for inspiration for “kawaii” colors, softer pastels that didn’t align with the popular action video games of the ’70s.

Bandai Namco collaborated on the creation of this book, which includes drawings and documents for internal design. The artwork shows Iwatani arguing against technology’s limitations. One image shows the ghostly antagonists squishing through the doorways of the tight corridors, a character detail that couldn’t be animated on the bulky machines of the time. I am smitten with these doodles, how they capture a vibe that the game couldn’t quite convey, but that would in the long term fuel the series.

Last year, one brave soul dedicated a three-hour video essay to the world’s favorite pellet-gobbler. Tim Rogers’ loving and exhausting video breaks down Pac-Man into smaller and smaller pieces until he’s picking the game apart on the atomic level. Rogers tells us that there are two versions of the game. Beginners will find the first 20 levels easy enough to play, and it is also welcoming for more experienced players. However, the second portion of the game is designed for serious players. It consists of dozens of levels culminating in the kill screen. They’re punishing and demand an understanding of the game’s habits and quirks.

What’s peculiar about this book is I’m unsure of which of those audiences is the perfect match: the person who loves Pac-Man because it’s simple, immediate fun, or the giga-fan who must know every little detail? When the book goes comically deep into Pac-Man Fever, or the timeline of every Pac-Man spin-off, or Pac-Man fashion, like a Giles Deacon runway show with models wearing Pac-Man helmets, it’s serving both.

That’s what makes it so delightful. No matter what you want from a video game book in 2021, you’ll find something charming within these pages.

Pac-Man: Birth of an Icon The book is available now. Cook and Becker provided a book copy for review. Vox Media also has affiliate relationships. They do not affect editorial content. However, Vox Media might earn commissions for products bought via affiliate links. Find out more. additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.