Ms. Pac-Man

Ms. Pac-Man is the sequel many players think is better than the original. The ghosts move partly at random, so the fixed patterns that beat Pac-Man no longer work, there are four different mazes, and the fruit no longer waits in the middle: it bounces through the maze and escapes if you don’t catch it. This is the 1982 arcade game, and it plays right here in your browser with no download.

Like early arcade classics? Try Galaga too.

How to play

1. Press Play under the title picture and wait a moment while the arcade machine starts.
2. Press Coin (V on a keyboard) to add a credit, then Start (Enter).
3. Steer Ms. Pac-Man with the arrow keys. She keeps moving until she hits a wall, so press the next direction just before a turn.
4. Eat every dot to clear the maze. Use the tunnels at the sides to escape: the ghosts slow down inside them.
5. Eat a big flashing power pellet and the ghosts turn blue for a few seconds. Eat them for 200, 400, 800 and 1,600 points.
6. Catch the bouncing fruit for bonus points. After some levels a short cartoon plays.

Controls

Computer: arrow keys move, V adds a coin and Enter is Start. Move the mouse over the game to show the bar with pause, restart, sound, save state, load state and full screen buttons.

Phone and tablet: the pad under the game has the cross, and Coin and Start buttons.

A USB or Bluetooth gamepad also works.

Cheats

Press the magic wand button next to the full screen button above the game. A small panel opens over the game, and the game waits until you close it. The cheats switch on a few seconds after the machine has started.

• Unlimited lives: you never run out of lives.
• Blue ghosts: the ghosts stay blue all the time, so you can eat them whenever you catch them.

Reloading the page turns the cheats off again.

The ghosts

• Blinky (red) chases you directly and speeds up as the maze empties.
• Pinky (pink) tries to get in front of you.
• Inky (blue) is the hardest to read.
• Sue (orange) is new in Ms. Pac-Man, replacing Clyde.

About Ms. Pac-Man

Ms. Pac-Man began as Crazy Otto, an enhancement kit for Pac-Man made by the programmers of General Computer Corporation, a group of MIT dropouts. Midway bought it and released it in February 1982, and with 125,000 cabinets sold it became one of the best-selling arcade games ever made in the United States.

Frequently asked questions

Is Ms. Pac-Man free to play here?

Yes. You can play it free in your browser on Yes This Game, with no download and no sign-up.

How do I start the game?

Press Coin (V) to add a credit, then Start (Enter).

What is the difference from Pac-Man?

Four mazes instead of one, smarter ghosts, moving fruit, and Ms. Pac-Man herself.

Can I play it on my phone?

Yes. On a phone or tablet an on-screen pad with Coin and Start appears under the game.

Can I save my progress?

Yes. The bar under the game has save state and load state buttons that keep the game in your browser on this device.