Caterpillar revives Trial series with new video: The Cat Trial #9: PAC-MAN™

For Release Worldwide: October 2020
Release Number: 904R20

Continuing the company’s successful Cat Trials series, a total of eight videos which have logged more than 18 million views, Caterpillar released its first new Cat Trial video in four years. The Cat Trial #9: PAC-MAN™ takes on the video-gaming world to celebrate Caterpillar’s 95^th anniversary, while PAC-MAN™ celebrates its 40^th anniversary, by showcasing Cat^® products, technology and services.

“These trials are designed to surprise and delight our customers and prospects, as well as people outside our industry,” says Victoria Keese Morrissey, global marketing and brand director for Caterpillar. “Challenges the ghosts pose to PAC-MAN™ strike a unique metaphor for obstacles lurking around each corner of the jobsite. POWER PELLETS represent the role Cat dealer services play in helping our customers overcome these challenges.”

The Cat Trial #9: PAC-MAN™ plays out on a 162.4-ft x 180.4-ft (49.5- x 55-m) version of the iconic PAC-MAN™ gameboard— 19,040 percent larger than the original scale of the maze on the classic arcade screen—  and was built and played using the latest Cat equipment as well as grade and remote technology.

Commenting on the collaboration, Yutaka Fuse, Head of PAC-MAN™ Licensing & Branding team for BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., owners of the PAC-MAN™ brand, said, “We appreciate Caterpillar approaching us and giving a nod to PAC-MAN’s™ 40^th Anniversary in a truly unique way, and we were excited to work with them. It’s amazing how Caterpillar’s equipment was able to precisely recreate the iconic PAC-MAN™ maze in the real world on such a grand scale. We were astonished by the final product.”

Gameboard construction

The original PAC-MAN™ gameboard design was loaded into the Cat GRADE with 3D system on the 336 Next Gen excavator, eliminating the need for stakes and grade checkers, saving time in the construction. In total, 70 labor hours were required for the 336 to create the life-size gameboard. Roughly 6,880 yd³ (195 m³) of cut/fill dirt was removed to build the maze that was comprised of 151 corners and 4-ft-tall (1.2-m) walls.

Support equipment to construct the gameboard, also using Cat GRADE with 3D to ensure they followed the same plan, included multiple field prep Cat dozers, Cat wheel loaders, a 323 excavator, trucks and water wagons. 

“Cat GRADE with 3D enabled the workers to only handle material one time for digging, loading, hauling and dumping,” explains J. Archie Lyons, creative director, global brand strategy and activation for Caterpillar. “Reducing material handling is just one of the challenges our customers face, and Cat Grade technology greatly enhances jobsite efficiency.”

Five Cat 236D3 remote controlled skid steer loaders, rented from The Cat Rental Store, were used for play to represent PAC-MAN™ and the four ghosts –  BLINKY, INKY, CLYDE and PINKY. PAC-MAN™ and ghost avatars placed atop the Cat loaders could be seen above the maze walls.

The four corner POWER PELLETS that put PAC-MAN™ on the offensive represent Cat dealer services— Customer Value Agreements, Repair Options, Cat Financial and Cat App. Helping with fleet management, financing and maintenance, Cat Services give customers an extra efficiency boost in the field.

Caterpillar also stayed true to the original game by including fruit bonuses, represented by Cat parts boxes. Fruit is how PAC-MAN™ earns points, which in turn helps to earn additional lives, like how Genuine Cat Parts allow customers to get more life out of their machines to get the job done.

“As a unique surprise at the end, we wanted to pay homage to the original game, in a way only Caterpillar could. Due to available memory at the time, level 256 experiences an integer overflow, and the right side of the board can’t be rendered,” explains J. Archie Lyons, creative director, global brand strategy and activation for Caterpillar. “We have duplicated the original screen’s look of level 256 with our real-life PAC-MAN™ game, using four Cat dozers to create the effect.”

The PAC-MAN™ game players

In addition to the internal team members and collaborative partner BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., Caterpillar thanks the players, who brought to life the PAC-MAN™ video game experience. The participants controlling the Cat 236D3 skid steers using line-of-sight remote control systems were:

• PAC-MAN™ – Jim Kosner of JIMAX Landscaping & Demolition, Peoria, Ill.
• BLINKY – Joey Stone, NASCAR/Richard Childress Racing (RCR) eSports driver of the #8 Virtual Cat car
• INKY – Alfonso Farjardo of Horsepower Site Services, Charlotte, N.C., a Caterpillar Global Operator Challenge regional finalist
• CLYDE – Tom Gardocki, The Dirt Ninja, social media influencer, professional heavy equipment operator in landscaping and construction
• PINKY – BLITZ, social media influencer, YouTube gaming content creator and civil engineer

Customers continue to view the Cat Trial series, the most popular of which have received Guinness World Records for playing the largest game of Jenga^® and building the tallest sandcastle.

To watch The Cat Trial #9: PAC-MAN™ video, visit www.cat.com/trial9. 

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©2020 Caterpillar All Rights Reserved 

About Caterpillar

Since 1925, Caterpillar Inc. has been helping our customers build a better world – making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. With 2019 sales and revenues of $53.8 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. Services offered throughout the product life cycle, cutting-edge technology and decades of product expertise set Caterpillar apart, providing exceptional value to help our customers succeed. The company principally operates through three primary segments – Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation – and provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment. For more information, visit caterpillar.com. To connect on social media, visit caterpillar.com/social-media.

About PAC-MAN

Born on May 22, 1980, PAC-MAN immediately rose to meteoric popularity, first in video game arcades, then on the pop culture stage and through an array of branding and entertainment appearances throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s. With a brand recognition rate of 90% around the world, PAC-MAN’s image and brand continues to be one of the most beloved and recognized on the planet.

To learn more about PAC-MAN’S 40th Anniversary celebrations, please visit: https://www.pacman.com/en/. You can also follow PAC-MAN on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pacman/, on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/officialpacman?lang=en, or on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/officialpacman/?hl=en.

About BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc.

BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., part of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc., is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for all major video game consoles, iOS, Android, and online platforms. The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including PAC-MAN®, GALAGA®, TEKKEN®, SOULCALIBUR®, and ACE COMBAT®. BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. is the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime-based video games including NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL Z®, and ONE PIECE®. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com or www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS.

©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.