It's been a good year for Pac-Man this year. The little yellow chomper from the '80s made waves when a surprise announcement at E3 added him to the roster for Nintendo's mega-hit Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, and he's about to do it again for a completely different and very unique reason.
Visitors to the Woodfield Mall in Schaumberg, Illinois, about 40 minutes outside of Chicago, will be able to step into Level 257, a new restaurant and entertainment experience completely themed around the Bandai Namco icon Pac-Man. Named after the infamous killscreen in the arcade game, the “fun dining” experience, as it's being termed, will feature a restaurant, retro-styled bowling lanes with smart technology, table tennis, pinball machines, custom built game tables, board games, and a “Lost & Found” arcade featuring classic arcade games alongside today's current hits. Level 257 will also feature a gallery and retail shop featuring all things Pac.
According to The Chicago Tribune, a statement released on the restaurant says that Level 257 “seeks to explore PAC-MAN’s impact upon our society and pop culture, reminding us all of the importance of play in our lives, while facilitating our desire to relive those times when beating the next level was the most important thing in our world. All while indulging that which we love now – great food and drink with our friends and family.”
I'm just going off the top of my head here, but I'm thinking custom-made, brick-oven pizzas… with one slice missing. Wakka wakka indeed.
