How to Beat Google Pac-Man: Tips for the Google Doodle Version

Google added a fully playable Pac-Man to its homepage on May 21, 2010, to celebrate the game's 30th anniversary. It was the first interactive Google Doodle. The page is still live at google.com/pacman. Here's how to win it.

How to access it

Visit google.com/pacman and click 'Insert Coin.' Click a second time to enable two-player mode (with Ms. Pac-Man on the second player slot). The maze loads inside the Google homepage layout.

Key differences from arcade

The Google version uses Pac-Man's original maze layout and is mechanically faithful but with a few quirks: the visual style mimics the arcade pixel art, the speed is slightly slower than the 1980 arcade for accessibility, and the level loop differs from the arcade (you'll never reach the kill screen on the Google version through normal play).

Strategy

• Use arrow keys to move. Touchscreens use tap controls.
• The four ghosts have the original AI behaviors — see our ghost AI breakdown.
• Chain ghost eats on power pellets for big score multipliers.
• The game has the original 1-up reward at 10,000 points.

Use it for a quick play

The Google version is great for a 5-minute break. For a fuller experience with more variants, browse all 34 games on this site.

Related: Pac-Man cheat codes: what works and what doesn't

💡 Browse our full directory of our Pac-Man games directory — 34 games, no download required.