Google Maps transforms Vancouver (and the world) into Pac-Man

If you've ever wondered what Vancouver would be like as a setting for a videogame maze, Google has granted your wish. And it's not an April Fool's Day joke either, believe it or not.

As if you didn't need another time-wasting distraction from the Internet, Google Maps is offering a special button (in the bottom left corner) that transforms maps of cities into a playable Pac-Man game.

All you have to do is search for a city name of your choice, such as Vancouver, in Google Maps.

You use your arrow keys to direct Pac-Man. What's helpful is you can press two keys at once to move diagonally, which is important for some of those awkward intersections or diagonal streets.

To keep things interesting, it's fun (and sometimes more challenging) to choose an area that's densely packed with roads, particularly ones with unconventional layouts and features such as curved roads, numerous intersections, and roundabouts. Some good international examples are Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Cairo, New Delhi, Islamabad, Jakarta, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, or Tokyo.

Some particularly intriguing areas in Vancouver include Granville Island, the looping off-ramps from the Granville Street Bridge, and North Vancouver.

And once you eat all the dots, you can also advance levels.

However, while those using computers can play pretty much anywhere (except places that don't have enough roads), those using the Google app on their mobiles are restricted to 15 locations.

There are some cryptic clues in Google's help webpage as to where you might find Pac-Man around the world. But if you're too lazy to figure out the locations, you can always use this cheat sheet from Boing Boing.

There's no word yet on how long it'll last so have fun while it's available.