It was in the early 60s when the first major maze game, Mouse in the Maze, came out on the old arcade system. Soon after, it was followed up by others such as Gotcha, Blockade, Hustle, Slot Racers, Space Chaser, and more. However, it wasn’t until 1980 that the now-legendary Pac-Man emerged and redefined the maze genre for everyone.
Over the years, players have experienced various Pac-Man games, all of which have tried to do something different. Some titles like Ms. Pac-Man and Pac-Man World have succeeded, while others like Pac-Pix and Pac-Man World Rally have flopped. Still, the one good that came out of this experimentation has been the evolution of the beloved yellow character and his strange powers.
10 Ice Pac
Many video games have had ice-related powers throughout history. A few of those titles include Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Diablo, and various other role-playing games. A newer example is God of War Ragnarok, where the cold abilities are an integral part of the gameplay during combat and exploration.
While icy powers suit various games, not many expected Pac-Man to have them in his arsenal. Moreover, nobody anticipated him to turn into a block of ice, freeze his enemies and break them like a pane of glass.
9 Pac Kong
The word “Kong” reminds most gamers of the popular Donkey Kong arcade game that emerged in 1981 and eventually became a cult classic. Even more memorable are the in-game characters that include Mario as the main protagonist, Pauline as the damsel in distress, and the legendary Cranky Kong.
Pac-Man and Donkey Kong do not have a lot of things in common except. But somehow, the beloved yellow character can eat the primordial power berry to turn into a Pac Kong.
8 Fire Pac
Fire abilities are one of the most ancient powers in video game history. One classic example is the original Super Mario Bros game, where players can eat a fire flower and acquire the ability to throw bouncy fireballs to turn Koopas into turtle stew.
While the fire abilities match the world of Mario and other similar games, it was odd to see Pac-Man use them in The Ghostly Adventures series. Mostly because this power gives Pac-Man a hilarious Super Saiyan-style haircut and allows him to glide and shoot fireballs.
7 Granite Ball Pac
Benjamin “Thing” Grimm from Marvel’s Fantastic Four comics is one of the most iconic stone-like characters. He has the abilities such as superhuman strength, endurance, and relentless toughness. Additionally, he has a proper backstory of how he turned into a granite-like structure.
Sadly, Pac-Man does not have. However, he still turns into a Granite Ball by eating a dark brown power berry. Pac-Man’s version of the Thing has hilarious rock n’ roll attacks, dashing abilities, a super slam, and the power to knock enemies out like a bunch of bowling pins.
6 Balloon Pac
Speaking of balloon-like characters, the first name that comes to mind is Nintendo’s Kirby. The cute pink character debuted in Kirby's Dream Land and quickly became a beloved character for its unique design and powerful inhaling abilities. Another cute balloon-like character is Pokemon’s Jigglypuff, which is pretty much Kirby, except it has the power to bounce and “Cute Charm” its enemies.
Sadly, Balloon Pac does none of that and is the opposite of the two soft pink characters. The chewing gum-type power berry turns Pac-Man into a hilarious inflated version of itself, with a creepy smile that can scare the final boss. The Balloon Pac’s powers include moving and deflating.
5 PacZilla
Almost all gamers have heard of Godzilla, the legendary Kaiju fictional monster that originally appeared in 1954. This massive beast can collapse buildings, kill hundreds of thousands of people, and wipe out an entire city. It can also use its powers, such as the atomic heat beam, to beat anything.
The Pac-Man version of Godzilla isn’t so deadly. Instead, it is a poor imitation titled, PacZilla, who can chomp enemy missiles, fire rockets, and hilariously move with his hands up in the air. Still, the gigantic Pac-Man design looks pretty cool.
4 Chameleon Pac
Reptilian creatures have been another big part of video games throughout history. Over the years, games like Mega Man Series, Super Mario Bros., Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six, and more have utilized reptile characters to build fearful villains that stand out and look menacing.
Hence, it is odd that Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures used it as a power to turn the cute yellow character into a creepy-looking reptile. The Chameleon Pac has two main abilities, including chomping strength and the “Chameleon Tongue,” which can grab enemies or be used to swing around.
3 Rubber Pac
It’s funny that Namco Bandai Games added Balloon Pac and Rubber Pac in the same game when they can be the same powers. Still, for gamers who don’t know, Rubber Pac-Man is an ability that can help the cute yellow character turn into its original shape without the legs and arms.
This Pac-Man skill allows players to bounce slam enemies like the dense crazy balls that were a relatively popular toy in the 80s. It also lets players jump to new heights that weren’t possible before, and wall bounce like Prince of Persia. Still, the cooler thing about this power is the limbless concept, which alludes to Pac-Man’s original design.
2 Metal Pac
It is only fair that when there’s fire and ice, there has to be a metal power too. During Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, when players take a chrome power berry, Pac-Man turns into this robot-like creature that almost resembles the iconic Pokemon Electrode.
This Titanium Pac-Man has powers like a ghost magnet and can run on moving platforms and stick to them through magnetism. The scariest part about this design is its tongue, made of an electronic tentacle with a massive electromagnet at the end.
1 Spin Pac
Spinning attacks are also one of the oldest attacks in video games. One classic example is Tiny Toon Adventures’s Dizzy Devil, which can spin and kill any enemy. Then there’s Super Mario Bros. 3’s Mario, who can use his tail to turn Koopas upside down and push them away.
Spin Pac-Man is similar to the two mentioned before, as it can turn into a literal spinning top and run over obstacles like a piece of Beyblade. This Pac-Man power consists of the classic chomping ability, spin chomping skill, and the strength to cross barriers and platforms in a single sprint.