During most of the 80’s, Pac-Man was omnipresent. Not only could the circular yellow pellet-eater be found in every arcade — remember those? — but product tie-ins to the video game had spiraled out of control. Evidenced by the unfortunate existence of Pac-Man Pasta.

Chef Boyardee had decided to get in on the Pac-Man action, and unleashed this even scarier form of SpaghettiO’s. Gullible children already watching the Pac-Man Saturday morning cartoon — yes, that existed too — would be subjected to the commercial seen below. Soon after watching Pac-Man gobble up whole cans of the dreaded ‘pasta’, children would then pester their parents to buy them the canned monstrosity — this guy included.

This was your latest Dose of Ephemera… And let us know if you remember Pac-Man Pasta.