On May 21, 1980, Pac-man was born by Toru Iwatani, game designer for the Namco company. After more than 40 years, Pac-man continues to increase followers due to its originality. The protagonist of Pac-man is a yellow circle with a portion missing and resembling a mouth, which must eat all the points on the board, without being hunted by ghosts. There are some more visible points that, when eaten, give powers to Pac-man, which will allow him to devour the ghosts for a few seconds, who will return to their lair. Some elements will also appear during the game (cherries, strawberries, apples...) that, when eaten, will give Pac-man extra points.
In 2010, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Pac-Man, Namco Bandai launched several initiatives and products related to the game. Some of the highlights included: Pac-Man Championship Edition DX and World Biggest Pac-Man. One of the most notable doodles was released on May 21, 2010, to celebrate Pacman 30th anniversary. In this doodle, the Google logo was transformed into a playable Pac-Man game, complete with mazes and ghosts. Users could click "Insert Coin" to play and compete with friends around the world. This version of Pac-Man in the Google doodle was very well received and enjoyed by users. The initial idea was that Google Pacman would be operational for a season, but due to the success it achieved among Pacman fans, they decided to offer it permanently.
In the game Pac-Man, there are four ghosts that chase Pac-Man through the maze. Each ghost has unique behaviors that set them apart. Here is a detailed description of each ghost:
Blinky (Red): Blinky is the most aggressive ghost and tends to chase Pac-Man directly. As Pac-Man eats more dots, Blinky increases in speed, making him harder to evade. This increase in speed earns Blinky the nickname "Shadow" as he always seems to be right behind Pac-Man. Pinky (Pink): Pinky tries to position himself at intersections ahead of Pac-Man to ambush him. Instead of chasing Pac-Man directly, Pinky anticipates Pac-Man moves and tries to cut him off. This makes Pinky unpredictable and dangerous. Inky (Cyan): Inky is the most unpredictable ghost. His behavior is a mix of Pac-Man and Blinky positions. This means sometimes Inky can act aggressively and other times passively. Inky dual nature makes him a ghost that is hard to anticipate and plan against. Clyde (Orange): Clyde has a mixed behavior. When he is far from Pac-Man, he moves towards him like the other ghosts, but when he gets too close, he changes direction and heads towards the bottom left corner of the maze. This mix of chasing and retreating makes Clyde less predictable and sometimes easier to avoid if you understand his pattern.
The ghosts in Pac-Man are more than just simple enemies; they are intelligent opponents with unique behaviors that require strategy and planning to avoid. Knowing their characteristics and patterns will help you survive longer and maximize your score in this classic arcade game. Good luck and have fun playing!
