pac-man style maze game Game Online
pacman-canvas is free and open source (CC-BY-SA-4.0). Original project: github.com/platzhersh/pacman-canvas.git
How to Play pacman-canvas
Getting started with pacman-canvas takes seconds. Click inside the game frame to give it keyboard focus, then use the arrow keys (or WASD) to move and the mouse or spacebar to act — exact controls are shown inside the game. If the game saves progress, it is stored locally in your own browser, so you can close the tab and pick up where you left off. Press the fullscreen button for the big-screen experience.
Why Play pacman-canvas?
Zero friction is the biggest one: pacman-canvas runs right here in your browser — no download, no installer, no account, and nothing to pay. Because it is an open-source game (CC-BY-SA-4.0), you get an authentic experience with no ads inside the game, no energy timers, and no upsells. It loads in seconds on any modern device, works alongside other tabs without eating your disk, and you can play it at home, at school or on the go as long as you have a browser.
Key Features of pacman-canvas
- Instant play — the whole game streams into your browser tab in seconds.
- Completely free — open-source (CC-BY-SA-4.0), with no payments or locked features.
- Free to play in your browser — nothing to install, nothing to sign up for.
- Runs anywhere — Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari on desktop and mobile.
- Local saves — your progress stays in your own browser's storage.
- Full screen ready — one click switches to an immersive fullscreen view.
How pacman-canvas Works
pacman-canvas is built with web technologies and delivered through this page in an embedded frame. When you press play, your browser downloads the game's code and assets — a few kilobytes to a few megabytes — and runs them locally at full speed. All the processing happens on your own device: input goes straight from your keyboard and mouse to the game, and rendering happens on your GPU. That is why browser games like pacman-canvas start instantly and feel just as responsive as downloaded ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ghosts' names in Pac-Man?
Blinky (red, chases directly), Pinky (pink, tries to ambush from ahead), Inky (cyan, unpredictable flanker) and Clyde (orange, chases then chickens out). Learning their four personalities is the difference between dodging randomly and routing the maze deliberately.
What do the power pellets do?
The four larger dots in the corners flip the board for a few seconds: ghosts turn blue and edible. Eating a ghost scores progressively more — 200, 400, 800, 1600 — so chaining all four in one power phase is where the big points hide.
Is this the original Pac-Man?
It is a faithful open-source recreation of the arcade classic built with HTML5 canvas — same maze, same ghosts, same rules. Not the Namco arcade ROM, but everything that makes Pac-Man Pac-Man.
What is a good Pac-Man score?
Clearing the first board or two puts you past most casual players. The original arcade score to beat is famously 3,333,360 — a perfect game — but for browser sessions, doubling your previous best is the honest scoreboard.