In the vast landscape of popular culture, few gaming characters stand as instantly recognizable as Mario or Sonic the Hedgehog. However, Bandai Namco's Pac-Man holds its own among them. That iconic yellow fruit-eating circle with its "waka-waka" eating soundbite is one of the most recognizable in gaming. Debuting in 1980 in arcades, a full year ahead of Mario himself, Pac-Man is now celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2025, though he sports a very different look.

Unveiling Pac-Man's Darker Side for its 45th Anniversary

Born Again in Shadow Labyrinth

Shadow Labyrinth follows the events of the "PAC-MAN: Circle" episode in Amazon's Secret Level anthology. A swordsman is awakened by a yellow floating ball called P.U.C.K. that trails him. This is a big nod to Pac-Man's origins, as "Puck-Man" is his name in Japan. Bandai Namco could have taken Pac-Man in various directions for its gritty remake, like a soulslike game like Elden Ring or an RPG. But instead, it chose a specific route.This new take on Pac-Man is a 2D action platformer, similar to Ori and the Blind Forest (2015) or Hollow Knight (2017), not a "roguelike" like Dead Cells (2018). The traditional Pac-Man maze design is reimagined here.

Setting the Stage in the Grimdark Ice Age

Shadow Labyrinth's setting is inspired by the Ice Age. The enemies and bosses are designed around this concept. In classic Pac-Man games, the character avoids ghosts, but it's unclear what role they'll play in Shadow Labyrinth. In the game's key art, there's a singular ghost in the sky, but Piasek hints there's more.Looking at the reveal trailer, there are many grotesque monsters. The swordsman must devour the bosses using a giant color-inverted black Pac-Man to get stronger and survive in the maze, a clear callback to Pac-Man's eating motif. Piasek also teases that an outside force might be influencing the monsters' growth.

Marking the 45th Anniversary in a Unique Way

Shadow Labyrinth is set to release in 2025 for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X|S. There are no post-launch content plans at the moment. For Pac-Man veterans, this is an entirely new take on the gaming icon. The main theme of the 45th anniversary is "make an impact," and Shadow Labyrinth is seen as an appropriate title. Piasek adds that it's the antithesis to what one would expect from Pac-Man.