Google makes the coolest home page logo in the history of the Universe (Pac-Man 30th b-day)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/21/google-celebrates-pac-mans-30th-with-playable-logo

A playable ... logo? That's exactly what web giant Google has today, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Pac-Man's Japanese release. The doodle (Google's term for its event and holiday-specific logos) is accessible on its main page and is a full 255-level game complete with a 256th level "kill screen," just like the original coin-op.

The interactive doodle -- a first for Google -- is the brainchild of senior user experience designer Marcin Wichary, whose earliest exposure to Pac-Man came at age five while traveling across his native Poland with his father, a game technician, to repair arcade machines. Wichary worked with Google doodler (yes, it's a real job) Ryan Germick to create the finished design.

So, for today at least, you can tell your boss: "I may be browsing the web and playing a game, but I'm also being part of something historic."

^{Note: Joystiq assumes no responsibility for any repercussions that result from playing Google's Pac-Man doodle at work.}

[Cant trust em]

1. Those kids at Google sure do have some time on their hands, don't they. nt

[SidDithers]

2. ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8383659

Sid

[tridim]

3. Not only playable, but nicely playable.

Great little app! Thanks Google.

They should do this for all the classic arcade games on their birthdays. Ms. Pacman next year.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

4. It gets better: it's not a Flash app -- it's entirely browser-side JavaScript!

Color me gobsmacked. :wow:

[tridim]

7. Wow, that's a surprise.

Wonder if the source code is capturable? Checking.

Edit: Sweet!
http://www.google.com/logos/js/pacman10-hp.2.js

Someone beat me to it:
http://sumanrs.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/googles-pacman-doodle-reverse-engineering-101/

[slampoet]

9. does that mean i can just save the website and play it later?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

10. I would think so, depending on how thoroughly your browser's "Save Page" function works.

Anyhoo, Google usually saves their doodles in a museum of sorts in their site.

[yodermon]

23. cool! Have you seen the DHTML Lemmings??

http://www.elizium.nu/scripts/lemmings/

eh, who needs flash anyway

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

24. That

kicks

butt.

[Touchdown]

18. Found a couple of glitches, but no different than the original upright.

In between the G and the 2 Os, when powered, a stunned ghost passes right by you, and you have to chase him down.

[quiet.american]

5. That is cool. nt

[slampoet]

6. I just cleared the first board and scored 8560

[mikelgb]

8. great there goes my day

:evilgrin:

[Touchdown]

11. That is so hard to play with a mouse!

Fun though!

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

12. Use the Arrows, Luke. -nt

[Touchdown]

14. Ok, that's better.

Momentary brain fart

[The Straight Story]

16. You need the keys in 2 player mode :) (nt)

[Soylent Brice]

13. i saw IanDavid's thread in the Lounge, and i've been playing it non-stop since.

:freak:

[City Lights]

15. Very cool!

B-)

[Froward69]

17. I made Level three... and you can hide in the "G"

it has been years...

oh and use your arrows to turn Pac man.

[Touchdown]

19. It's also playable on iPad, iPhone and Droid!

Just tried it on my iPad, and someone at a tech site used it on their Droid phone.

Finger swipe before an intersection to change directions.

[Touchdown]

20. But wait! There's more! Wine Glasses!

http://nerdapproved.com/gaming/pac-man-30th-anniversary-wine-glass-set-with-coasters/

[yowzayowzayowza]

21. Jus played more pac-man than in my entire life,

'bout 2 minutes.

[blogslut]

22. Pretty freaking awesome

I would say it truly defies the Google motto: "Don't be evil." Because this thing is an evil time sucker.