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Pac Man, A Video Game Icon, Turns 40

(SOUNDBITE OF TOSHIO KAI'S "PAC-MAN THEME")

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

That distinctive theme is not by B.J. Leiderman, who writes our theme music. Of course, it's Pac-Man. You don't need Zoom to play it. The original maze arcade game debuted in Tokyo 40 years ago this week. Toru Iwatani said that he wanted to come up with an alternative to the violent arcade games that were so common at the time and have hardly disappeared now. He originally called it "Paku Paku Taberu." The name's a play on the Japanese word for gobbling something up. And the game, indeed, has chomped its way around the world with its simple, relatable, zen-like simplicity. We are. Therefore, we munch. And keep munching. Munch. Munch. Munch.

(SOUNDBITE OF PAC-MAN SOUND EFFECTS) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.