To celebrate April Fools Day, which occurs on the first of April, Google Maps has unveiled an Easter egg that allows users to play “Ms. Pac-Man” on the platform. As with the original game, players fight ghosts and can even collect cherries, but on real-world maps. This is at least the third time Google has used the iconic video game characters and allowed users to play a version of the game on their platforms.
The game may be different depending on the device users employ
According to reports, users need to open up the Google Maps application and click on a pink button on the right side of the screen.
While the game is played on a real-world map, the app reportedly does not transition your current location into a game, as the Easter Egg instead transitions to another area to play “Ms. Pacman,” if employed with Android. According to some users, however, this only applies to Android users, as the iOS version allows you to choose the location on the map. It is believed the promotion is set to start at midnight on the first of April in each individual country.
The game can be played from the website itself, although the button appearing on the left screen, employs a screenshot of “Ms. Pacman” instead of a pink button, and has the phrase, “Insert Coin Here,” as reference to traditional arcade machines, although the promotion itself appears to be free.
The website version of the game uses actual maps.
How do you play the game?
As with the traditional “Ms. Pacman,” users guide “Ms. Pacman” to collect pellets while avoiding four ghosts. “Power-pellets” allow the users to eat the ghosts, and random food objects like cherries occasionally appear to be collected. A player has four lives to play “Ms.
Pacman.”
This is not the first time Google allowed users to play a “Pac-Man” inspired game. A similar promotion using the game occurred in 2015, once again on Google Maps. Added to that, in 2010, a “Google Doodle,” which refers to the Google logo, transformed itself into an interactive version of the game to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Pac-Man.”