The arcade veterans are back, but not as we know them...

For those of you who, like myself, still consider the likes of Pac-Man and Frogger as the original action heroes of our time, you’re sure to appreciate this whimsical little article. Over the years, these lads (well, chimp, frog and, erm... hungry yellow full stop?) have proven their dominance over a number of different markets - everything from arcade supremacy to their clinquant merchandise sales - and continue to attract gamers from all walks of life and social backgrounds. Whether you love them or hate them, these classics redefined gaming throughout the years and, as such, deserve the same respect as you would give an aging movie icon, rock star or celebrity.

When the news of a Rock Band 3 cameo reached my ears, I had to check a number of sources before I wrote it up. While there are a number of similarities to a rock star (Donkey Kong’s lack of respect for authority, Pac-Man’s drug-induced ghost-munchies, and Frogger’s blatant disregard of the highway code), I was confused as to how their familiar antics would work in this genre. However, after some necessary field research, it turns out that their appearance itself will be a further cameo in this ever-complicated tapestry.

In 1981, a duo by the names of Jerry Buckner and Gary Garcia produced the first commercially available album based entirely on videogames. The album, Pac-Man Fever (which I now know front to back), was named after the pair’s only top ten single. Unfortunately, while the single of the same name peaked as high as eighth, sold well over one million records, and gained both of the pair an envious degree of notoriety, the album itself did not do so well. So the decision to remaster and remodel it for Rock Band 3 is certainly a dubious one.

However, whilst blissfully ignorant to the fact that, as you sing along to “Do the Donkey Kong” (a track from the album based on one of the earliest Nintendo stars) you will be doing so on a Microsoft console, MTV Games remains adamant that it will be a success.

To be fair, if we made a barrel-bowling, faeces-flinging chimp into one of the most memorable video-game characters of all time, who are we to say it won’t work?

Kotaku

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS ARTICLE, PLEASE HELP SUPPORT OUR SITE, AT NO COST WITH ONE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK 'LIKE' BUTTON BELOW:

If you're interested in writing for Shadowlocked (disc and screening reviews, etc, or just getting some extra coverage for your extraordinary writing talent, get in touch with us.