Otamatone Pac-Man: the new 2026 collection

What is the Otamatone Pac-Man?

The Otamatone Pac-Man is the official collaboration between Maywa Denki (creators of the otamatone) and Bandai Namco, launched in early 2026. It swaps the otamatone's classic face for Pac-Man's iconic round yellow body, and rounds out the lineup with editions of ghosts Inky, Pinky and Blinky in their original arcade colors (cyan, pink and orange).

It's the third major character license the otamatone has launched in 2026, alongside the Pusheen and Monster collections, and it's already available on Amazon with international shipping from Japan and the US. It follows the same mechanism as every other otamatone: you play it by sliding your finger along the neck to change the note and opening the mouth for the wah effect — ideal for arcade fans and anyone after a curious, easy-to-learn instrument alike.

The models in the Pac-Man collection

The 2026 collection rolled out over the first two months of the year with up to 8 new releases across Pac-Man, Pusheen and Monster. Here are the available Pac-Man models:

1. Otamatone Regular Pac-Man

The base model, with Pac-Man's round yellow body instead of the otamatone's classic head. It measures about 25 cm, has three octave modes (low, mid, high) and runs on AAA batteries. It's the most popular pick for beginners and arcade-universe collectors alike.

2. Otamatone Deluxe Pac-Man

The 45 cm XL version, with a longer neck for finer pitch control. It's the recommended pick if your goal is playing full melodies rather than just displaying it as a collectible.

3. Otamatone Melody Pac-Man

The mini keychain model with pre-recorded in-game tunes: just press a button to hear the classic Pac-Man theme. No practice or manual tuning required — ideal as a gift or collection add-on.

4. The ghosts: Inky, Pinky and Blinky

Besides Pac-Man himself, the collection includes Regular versions of the game's three ghosts, with their rounded bodies and classic arcade colors: cyan (Inky), pink (Pinky) and orange (Blinky). They work just like the standard Otamatone Regular and are perfect for completing the collection or playing in a group with several instruments at once.

Comparison table: Regular vs Deluxe vs Melody

How to play the Otamatone Pac-Man step by step

The mechanism is identical to any otamatone — only the shell changes. Follow these steps:

1. Insert the batteries and flip the side power switch.
2. Pick the octave with the switch on the back: low, mid or high. Start with mid.
3. Place your thumb on the instrument's neck.
4. Slide your finger up for higher notes and down for lower ones.
5. Open and close Pac-Man's mouth with your other hand to create the wah effect.
6. For vibrato: gently wiggle your finger up and down on the neck while holding the note.

With the Otamatone Deluxe, it's easier to tune precisely thanks to the longer neck — especially handy if you want to play the full arcade melody.

Pac-Man melodies to play on the Otamatone

Pac-Man's own opening theme is short and repetitive, which makes it the perfect melody to practice on the otamatone:

• Pac-Man Opening Theme — The game's intro tune. Very short and repetitive, great for beginners.
• Waka Waka (dot-eating sound) — Easy to mimic with the otamatone's mouth wah effect.
• Chase theme (ghost chase) — Faster tempo, intermediate level.
• Death sound (Pac-Man caught) — Its signature descending run, good practice for fast slides.

The first otamatone covers of the Pac-Man soundtrack are already starting to appear on YouTube, riding the wave of the official 2026 collection launch.

Where to buy the Otamatone Pac-Man

The 2026 collection is already available on Amazon, both in the Spanish and US stores, with international shipping. Since it's a recent release, initial stock may be limited, so it's worth comparing prices between the Regular, Deluxe and Melody models before buying.

Reviews and what to expect from this collection

Since it's a 2026 release, specific Pac-Man edition reviews are still scarce, but we can draw on the general experience with other licensed otamatones (Kirby, Miku Hatsune, Unicorn):

What's likely to be popular

• The faithful arcade design: an instantly recognizable round yellow body.
• The collectible factor of completing Pac-Man plus all three ghosts.
• It's easy to play with no prior musical knowledge, like every otamatone.
• A great gift for gamers feeling nostalgic for the 1980s.

Things to keep in mind

• Being a recent release, stock and pricing may fluctuate more than with established models.
• The original instructions are in Japanese/English, though it's intuitive to use.
• For precise tuning, the Deluxe model is the best pick, same as with the rest of the otamatone lineup.