Rock Band Spurs Revival of 1980s Videogames in Peru

The arcade machines on which the Peruvian youth of the 1980s grew up playing Pac-Man are enjoying a resurgence of popularity thanks to a trio of new games based on songs by rock band Estado de Sitio, Spanish for State of Siege.

The idea originated with students at Lima's Instituto Toulouse Lautrec, which specializes in graphic design and media arts.

Lorenzo Delgiudice, Marcos Galiano and Pierina Tiravanti set out to produce gaming experiences built on the narratives of three of the nine songs on the group's latest album.

In each game, the corresponding song stops suddenly when the player uses up all his "lives.”

The game for "Vuelve a empezar," or Start Again, takes place on the seafront avenue of the posh Lima district of Miraflores, where a young woman skater must overcome a series of obstacles to join up with friends.

In "Aqui voy," or Here I Go, a boy in a labyrinth must vanquish zombies and monsters, and in "En la oscuridad," or In the Darkness, a boy must struggle past enemies to recover his the rest of his rock group.

The games are based on arcade classics such as Pac-Man and Super Mario and feature lighting effects linked to the music.