We Build The LEGO PAC-MAN Arcade, Which Actually Moves And Plays

ign.com:

The LEGO Pac-Man Arcade is a mechanical marvel, and every step of the build reminds you of that fact. You can feel the trial-and-error that went into creating something this seamless, and after I finished building it, I was shocked that it worked as smoothly and consistently as it did. My 8-year-old son couldn't stop turning the crank.

Some of the LEGO designers' best, most engaging work are their video game sets, geared at adults who grew up during the golden age of the arcades and the dawn of the console era. In 2020, LEGO released a scaled replica of the Nintendo Entertainment System, complete with an '80s-style television. Turn the crank on its side, and a tiny Mario sprite played through a Super Mario Bros-inspiredlevel on the TV's 'screen.' The designers accomplished this effect by laying down hundreds of smooth tiles to create a sort of 8-bit tapestry, and then wrapping that around a spindle that rotated on a crank.

It was a brilliant bit of engineering, but unfortunately, the television completely encased the mechanical elements, and all you could see was the cumulative final effect. The LEGO Pac-Man designers did not make the same mistake. The arcade cabinet opens up in the back via a latch and catch, so any curious onlooker can see how it all works.

The LEGO Pac-Man Arcade is a scaled down facsimile of the original arcade cabinet and game, with a single joystick on its dashboard, a coin insert slot on its bottom right (push a button, and it emits a familiar red glow), and multiple decals on its sides and front panel. The machine has a score display on its upper left, which you can change with a dial to display four different high scores. A bar along the bottom displays the number of lives and the cherry icon,