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For this year's April Fools, Google has a Pac-Man option on GoogleMaps.

However, it cryptically references clues in which you can play the Pac-Man maps on, as apparently not all cities are supported.

There's a list of clues it has on its FAQ page, but I don't understand most of them.

Which cities can I play Pac-Man in?

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  • It is very confusing. I was looking around for a while on the web. Until I just tried it and it turned out every location with enough streets to have a decent game is supported. That said it is hard to navigate around then the streets are wonky. You only have 4 directions, so it can get stupid when more then one street at an intersection goes in any of the cardinal directions. And it definable makes it easier if the streets go N-S and E-W instead of more diagonally. – Jonathon Apr 1 '15 at 19:33
  • Can you still play google-maps pacman? – user2813274 Apr 2 '15 at 18:12
  • @user2813274 Yes. – Dronz Apr 3 '15 at 6:13
34

For the Browser version, any area with enough intersecting streets will work.

For the Mobile App version I actually found a good reference at this Mashable article:

1. Times Square, NY

Times Square
Clue: Don't drop the ball on the eve of your victory!

2. Arc de Triomphe, Paris

Arc-de-triomphe
Clue: Triumph is délicieux.

3. Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur

Batu-caves
Clue: Does a Galaxian bonus await at the top of those 272 steps?

4. Plaza de la República, Buenos Aires

Plaza-de-la-republica
Clue: Chomp your way to independence down seven lanes of July.

5. Niagara Falls, Ontario

Niagara-falls
Clue: PAC-MAN and Ms. PAC-MAN can't agree on which side is prettier: the American or the Canadian. Which side do you fall on, eh?

6. Aman Square, Ad Doqi

Aman-square
Clue: After a chat with the Sphinx, PAC-MAN sounds more like "Dokki Dokki".

7. Fraumünster Church, Zurich

Fraumunster-church
Clue: Pause game play to admire Chagall's stained glass windows and have a bit of chocolate.

8. Googleplex, California

Googleplex
Clue: Can you score 10^(10^100) points?

9. Hanover Square, London

Hanover-square
Clue: Whether they're flashing blue or sporting their natural colors, Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde are always kakkoii. Even Vogue agrees they're living in the trendiest of neighborhoods.

10. Taj Mahal, Uttar Pradesh

Taj-mahal
Clue: Previous PAC-MAN lives don't get to rest in a white marble mausoleum.

11. Metropolitan Art Institute, Phoenix

Metropolitan-art
Clue: Head to the valley of the sun and earn your grade in the art of the game.

12. Plaza Del Ejecutivo, Mexico City

Ciber-centro
Clue: How well can you navigate the radiating streets of the distrito federal?

13. Neues Rathaus, Munich

Neues-rathaus
Clue: Victory is like gothic glockenspiel musik to our ears.

14. Victoria Square, Adelaide

Victoria-square
Clue: Pay special attention to Blinky - he might blend in with the dreaming red kangaroos!

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  • Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA is also playable. – tpg2114 Apr 1 '15 at 2:07
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    I actually think this is a question that has no answer -- it's literally any location that has a "sufficient number of intersecting streets" which could literally be anywhere. I only gave my example because I've played it personally... – tpg2114 Apr 1 '15 at 5:00
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    AFAIK Google's statement made it sound like only certain locations have this feature. It won't work in most places. Therefore a set number of locations can be defined and listed, especially if we focus on the hints that Google provides. – user66184 Apr 1 '15 at 5:14
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    From my understanding, the only places you can't play on are rural areas where the map pane has only one road in it. – Seiyria Apr 1 '15 at 13:48
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    It's not specific areas - I've managed to get it to work in my local city, and it's not that 'impressive', it's just a matter of making the pac-man algorithm that they use recognize enough paths to make a stage. – Zibbobz Apr 1 '15 at 14:44
10

On the desktop version, you can go anywhere with enough roads for Pac-Man to move around (I did it around my house), but on the app it's limited to the places previously mentioned by Thebluefish.

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5

You are not limited to only certain cities. You can play Google Maps Pac-Man anywhere there is a sufficient number of intersecting streets. Here are links to a few places I was able to start the Pac-Man game:

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  • The Kremlin location doesn't work for me. The Cairo one has a very picturesque street formation. – smci Apr 1 '15 at 14:46
1

The one about kakkoi actually refers to Kitagawa in Japan.

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  • Ah and I forgot to mention you can play at Gaudi's catherdral as well in a plaza near by! – Raven Apr 2 '15 at 5:02
1

There has been an update on the Google support page with 16 more locations where it can be played!

So far I've got:

  1. Wrigley Field, Chicago
  2. Roman Agora (North of Acropolis) in Athens
  3. Oxford Circus, London
  4. Residence Assounfou Hotel in Marrakech
  5. Sagrada Família, Barcelona
  6. Colosseum, Rome
  7. Catherine Palace, Saint Petersburg
  8. Peace Corps, Washington DC
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  • update: 5. Wrigley Field, Chicago, 7. Oxford Circus, London – Alex Apr 2 '15 at 9:08
-1

12 (radiating streets) also works for DC, which was my first guess. :P

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  • 1
    This does not provide an answer to the question. To critique or request clarification from an author, leave a comment below their post - you can always comment on your own posts, and once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post. – Frank♦ Apr 1 '15 at 15:26
  • @Frank on a second look, it's an answer. Not necessarily correct, if we are just going with the cities in the clues, but it's an answer. – Ash Apr 1 '15 at 16:24
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The clue cities are for mobile devices. It's more fun to swipe your finger to play than use arrow keys on a desktop. (Faster response time.) You can play any city on a PC.

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    This is incorrect. The city needs enough valid roads which means a lot of cities in Europe won't actually work. – Studoku Apr 1 '15 at 21:20

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