A giant Pac-Man on the Fuengirola seafront

Before 'Fortnite', 'Minecraft', 3D games, and hyper-realistic graphics, video games had to be simple yet with an extremely high level of playability. It's not that they were better or worse, but technical limitations forced the focus to be primarily on the game idea above everything else. Examples like 'Pong', 'Tetris', and 'Space Invaders' were pioneers in their time with very basic mechanics compared to today's standards. One of these games that made a difference was 'Pac-Man' (1980), a character that has now become an icon in the gaming industry due to its cultural and economic impact.

On the occasion of its 45th anniversary, OXO Video Game Museum and Bandai Namco Entertainment are displaying a giant figure of the legendary yellow muncher at various locations across Spain. It first appeared in Madrid, then in Málaga at the Vialia shopping center, and now it has moved to the Costa del Sol.

With the collaboration of the Fuengirola City Council, the figure of one of the most famous characters in video game history stands by the sea, installed on the Rey de España Seafront Promenade in Fuengirola, where it will remain visible for a month as a prominent and eye-catching attraction.

This act is part of the commemorative campaign developed by the OXO Video Game Museum thanks to its collaboration with Bandai Namco Entertainment. The goal: to pay tribute to one of the most universal icons of the video game world, which in 2025 celebrates 45 years of cultural and historical relevance.

Pac-Man, designed by the Japanese Toru Iwatani, was a huge success in its time and dominated arcade machines with its striking design and hundreds of levels. It was also one of the first games to make the leap into the world of 'merchandising', with T-shirts, plush toys, and other products, and even had its own animated series.

Last May, OXO launched a special tribute to PAC-MAN at its headquarters in Madrid, featuring an immersive experience and free play game stations. With over two and a half meters in height and faithful to the classic pixelated design of the character, PAC-MAN now becomes a meeting point for tourists, locals, and video game enthusiasts, reinforcing the role of the Costa del Sol as a cultural and technological destination.