Forty-five years ago, we were introduced to an unlikely gaming hero who took the world by storm!
(This is the first of a series of articles that takes a closer look at what made PAC-MAN so appealing).
There’s a lot to be said about keeping things simple. Firstly there were no complex barriers to play. You could quickly figure out how it worked: eat all the dots to progress and avoid the ghosts. It was a game of survival.
The gameplay mechanics made for simple loops that triggered our brain’s risk and reward system. Consuming all 240 dots to complete a level, swerving a ghost, or eating the bonus fruits all released a dopamine hit, making the game feel addictive and encouraging you to put another 10p in the coin slot.
You could then flip the game on its head by eating one of the bigger dots, which powered you up and allowed you to eat the ghosts temporarily. This directly feeds into the control reversal psychology term. The pressure of being continually chased down by the ghosts, being temporarily relieved of this, and now being empowered to get justice and payback by eating the ghosts felt good to the brain.
PAC-MAN had just the right level of complexity. You had four ghosts to contend with (Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde) on each level, who would get faster and faster as you progressed. However, they were the same enemies throughout the game, so there were no new nasty surprises to run into.
Another consistent element was the maze, which reset remaining the same for each level. This helped create a mental map, giving a solid base of familiarity and less for the brain to contend with. You could focus on your strategy to eat all the dots.
PAC-MAN’s iconic sound effects, while simple, played a crucial role in its addictive nature. The sensory reinforcement provided by these sounds, from the “Wakka-Wakka” of eating dots to the power-up tone and the ghostly chase, made the game incredibly engaging.
However, the game’s design also included a unique ending. At level 256, the game’s memory is insufficient to load the full board, resulting in a chaotic display of scrambled digits and assets on half the screen. This limitation prevents players from completing the level, forcing them to aim for the highest possible score of 3,333,360. This controversial finish has sparked debate, with some viewing it as a flaw and others as a contributing factor to PAC-MAN’s enduring legend.
The appeal of PAC-MAN extends beyond its psychological elements. While we’ve explored the psychology behind PAC-MAN’s success, there’s much more to uncover. Stay tuned for future articles that delve deeper into the intricacies of this iconic game.
Despite its 45-year history, PAC-MAN remains one of the most recognisable gaming characters in history. In 2025, consumers continue to find immense appeal in this enduring icon.
