Games can become notable and recognized in many diverse ways. It is possible that a game is already appreciated among its contemporaries, for example, if it is considered to be of exceptional quality, represents a turning point from a genre perspective, gains significant success in the market, or receives some sort of cult status among subcultural circles. It is equally possible that a game acquires its noteworthy status only afterwards, thanks to amateur or professional historians who discover its importance for one reason or another. Contemporary recognition is often amplified afterward through the work of historians and in various historical presentations (Suominen, 2016; Suominen & Sivula, 2016). In this paper, we analyze a game that is not interesting due to its high quality, exceptionality, or contemporary recognition – quite the contrary. We analyze a Pac-Man clone created by Finnish gamer programmer Stavros Fasoulas (b.1968) for the VIC-20 computer (see Figure 1). In the larger picture, the game exhibits very typical characteristics of the computer hobbyist and game cultures of its time’s and does not exactly stand out from the WELL PLAYED 7 rest of its contemporaries. The game is relevant and important exactly because of its typicality, and its connections to wider contemporary phenomena. However, it also has certain special features – its programmer, publication forum, and name – that explain why we have selected it as a case example.
- 69 views