Pac-Man FAQ: twenty common questions, answered in a paragraph each
Short, accurate answers with links to the full explanations. If your question is not here, the contact page is open for suggestions.
About the original game
These answers cover the 1980 arcade release. For the long versions, every answer links to its guide, and the whole library is indexed on the pacman strategy and history hub page.
The free games on the play mr pacman style games are original maze-chase titles; nothing here describes them unless stated.
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Frequently asked questions
What year did Pac-Man come out?
1980: 22 May in Japan as Puck Man and October in North America. Details in when did pacman come out.
Who made Pac-Man?
Toru Iwatani designed it at Namco with programmer Shigeo Funaki and composer Toshio Kai. See who created pacman.
Why is it called Pac-Man?
From paku-paku, the Japanese sound of munching; Midway changed Puck Man to Pac-Man to prevent vandalism. See why is pacman called pacman.
What are the ghosts' names?
Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde. See pacman ghosts and their nicknames.
How do the ghosts decide where to go?
Each picks the next tile closest to its target: Pac-Man's tile, four tiles ahead, a doubled vector from Blinky, or a corner. See pacman ghost behavior patterns.
How many dots are there?
240 small dots and 4 power pellets per board.
How many points is each thing worth?
Dot 10, power pellet 50, ghosts 200 to 1,600 in a chain, fruit 100 to 5,000. See how pacman points work.
What is the order of the fruit?
Cherry, strawberry, orange, apple, melon, Galaxian, bell, key. See every pacman fruit explained.
How long do ghosts stay blue?
Six seconds on level 1, shrinking to zero by level 19. See power pellet rules in pacman.
Is there an end to Pac-Man?
The game breaks on board 256 because of an overflow bug. See the pacman kill screen.
What is a perfect score?
3,333,360 points. See the 3333360 perfect score.
What is the world record?
The score record is the perfect score; competition is for the fastest perfect game, around three and a half hours. See record holders in pacman.
How many mazes are in Pac-Man?
One. Ms. Pac-Man introduced four. See pacman maze tiles and tunnels.
What is the difference between Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man?
Ms. Pac-Man has four mazes, moving fruit, faster play and partly random ghosts. See pacman and ms pacman compared.
Is there a Mr. Pac-Man?
No standalone arcade game. The term refers to the original Pac-Man or to the 1982 Mr. & Mrs. Pac-Man pinball table. See mr pacman and ms pacman differences.
Was the Atari 2600 version bad?
It sold millions but was heavily criticised for its flickering ghosts, simplified maze and altered sounds. See arcade pacman versus atari version.
Can I play the original legally today?
Yes, through Pac-Man Museum+, Arcade Archives and other official releases. See every pacman game by year.
Is the Google Pac-Man doodle still playable?
Yes, in Google's doodle archive. See play google pacman differences.
Who owns Pac-Man?
Bandai Namco Entertainment. This site is independent and unaffiliated; see our trademark and affiliation disclaimer.
What is Mr Pacman, this website?
A free arcade hub with original maze games and researched guides, written by Syed Hamid. See about the mr pacman site.