On April Fools’ Day, Google lets you play Pac-Man in Maps

First, the bad news: Google didn't come up with a doodle to mark April Fools' Day.

Now, the good news: Google's got something way better – you can play Pac-Man on Google Maps.

"Welcome, Player 1! You can now play the classic arcade game PAC-MAN in Google Maps with streets as your maze. Avoid Blinky, Pinky, Inky, (and Clyde!) as you swerve the streets of some famous places around the world. But eat the pac-dots fast, because this game will only be around for a little while," Google Maps expert Laura said in a help page.

Google will analyze the streets on the map and lay out the dots, cherries – and ghosts – appropriately.


^{Screenshot: A Pac-Man game using the street layout around GMA Network Center in Quezon City.}

Laura said users can play Pac-Man only in a few places if using a mobile device.

Users can open Google Maps and "search for a place you think PAC-MAN might be."

Even better, they can "navigate to a place on the map where you want to start your game."

Once they click on Pac-Man, the map will change to a game board, and players can start the chase.

A separate report on The Next Web said a player can use the keyboard on computers.

But on mobile, players will have to solve some riddles to find hidden Pac-Man pins at specific locations.

"This isn’t the first time Google has added a Pac-Man Easter egg, by the way; the company featured Pac-Man in a Doodle back in 2010. Last year, Google had another video-game nod for April Fools by letting you catch a Pokemon right on your maps," it added.  — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News