# Geeky Anxiety Relievers The Pac-Man Stress Ball Lets You Squeeze Your High Score Problems Away By Michael Hines | Published 2011-12-27 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pac-man-stress-ball References: [technabob](http://technabob.com/blog/2011/12/22/pac-man-stress-balls-squash-some-ghosts-and-chill-out/) & [kitschagogo](http://www.kitschagogo.com/pp0466pm-namco-pac-man-ghost-stress-ball.html) The Pac-Man stress ball may very well be the most geeky way to relieve stress ever. The stress balls are designed after the iconic ghosts featured in the arcade classic and are designed to both delight and de-stress. The Pac-Man stress ball comes in four different colors or ghosts. There's Blinky (red ghost), Inky (blue ghost) and Clyde (orange ghost) with Pinky (the pink ghost) noticeably absent. Pac-Man himself is also available to purchase in case you feel like giving the hungry yellow circle a good squeeze. With gaming now a completely mainstream activity, this nostalgic look back on the geeky pastime of many is unsurprising. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.5/10 - Popularity: 22% | Activity: 15% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Health](https://www.trendhunter.com/health) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Retro Gaming Stress Relief:** The Pac-Man stress ball taps into the trend of using nostalgia and gaming as a means of stress relief. - **Geek-chic Self-care:** The Pac-Man stress ball represents the growing trend of incorporating geeky and nerdy elements into self-care products. - **Nostalgic Pop Culture Accessories:** The Pac-Man stress ball is part of a larger trend of retro-inspired accessories that appeal to fans of classic video games. ### Who This Affects Most - **Gaming Accessories:** The Pac-Man stress ball presents an opportunity for gaming accessory manufacturers to tap into the market for novelty stress-relief products. - **Wellness and Self-care:** The Pac-Man stress ball highlights the potential for incorporating nostalgic and geeky elements into self-care products and wellness offerings. - **Pop Culture Merchandise:** The Pac-Man stress ball is a prime example of the demand for pop culture merchandise that appeals to fans of retro video games. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Ultra-Soft Silicone Stress Balls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/silicone-stress-ball.md) - [Food-Shaped Fidget Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stress-pickle.md) - [Stress-Reducing Breathing Balls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/breathing-ball.md) - [Therapeutic Fidget Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/speks-magnet-balls.md) - [Video Game Crochet Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/woobles-pacman-crochet-kit.md) - [Pizza Dough-Inspired Stress Balls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dough-stress-balls.md) - [Pillow-Like Gaming Consoles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/arcade1up-pacman-couchcade.md) - [Pixelated Gamer Smart Lights](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/govee-pacman-gaming-pixel-light.md) - [Dedicated Desktop Character Microphones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pacman-microphone.md)