Pac Man!
I built a Lego thing. This time: Pac Man! It’s a gaming classic that I’ve played a lot on a C64. I was intrigued when I saw the box at a Lego store, and wanted to build it to see how the mechanics are working (of course it has moving parts).
Of course, it all starts with a big pile of numbered bags. The first thing that gets assembled is the little Pac Man hunt that sits on top of the machine. You can push a button to make the Pac Man and ghosts turn (which is what happens in the game, too).
Next, the frame of the big arcade machine is built (notice the crank!), and of course this part needed Curly’s quality control. She approved.
The rather realistic screen was built next. I have to say, this is one of the most finicky pieces of Lego I’ve ever assembled. That’s for a reason: there are moving parts, as the screen, when the crank on the arcade is turned, will simulate part of the gameplay, and the little icons actually move about the scene. This is an amazing example of Lego engineering, and very rewarding indeed. The way a single axle, powered by the aforementioned crank, moves all the parts, is ingenious.
Here’s how it looks in real life.
The finishing touches include building the top part of the arcade machine (proud and tired builder visible in the window reflection), and a little bit of playful scenery that’s well hidden inside the big box (notice the mini replica of the game, and the bubble gum dispenser?).
Assembling the set took me about 6 hours in total. I’m not a speed builder (boo), but one who likes to relish in the details, enjoy picking the parts, and even more enjoy assembling them. This set brought a lot of joy.
Tags: the-nerdy-bit