Pac-Man is a single-player maze game. The player controls Pac-Man, a yellow, circular character who must navigate a series of enclosed mazes while eating small pellets scattered along the paths. The objective in each stage is to clear the maze of all pellets while avoiding capture by four ghosts who pursue Pac-Man relentlessly. As the player progresses, the mazes repeat but with increased difficulty as the ghosts become faster and more aggressive.

The ghosts each follow distinct behavioral patterns that affect how they chase the player. Blinky, the red ghost, targets Pac-Man directly. Pinky, the pink ghost, attempts to ambush from ahead. Inky, the blue ghost, uses a conditional strategy that can create unpredictable movement, while Clyde, the orange ghost, alternates between chasing and wandering aimlessly. One touch from any ghost results in the loss of a life, and the game ends when all lives are lost.

To counter the ghosts, four large power pellets, known as Energizers, are positioned in the corners of the maze. Eating one temporarily changes the ghosts to a vulnerable blue state, allowing Pac-Man to chase and consume them for bonus points. When eaten, the ghosts’ eyes return to the central box where they regenerate and resume pursuit. Fruits and other bonus items also appear occasionally in the maze, granting additional points if collected.

The game offers continuous play with no fixed ending. After every few stages, short comedic intermissions between Pac-Man and the ghosts are shown as lighthearted rewards, becoming progressively more elaborate. As players advance through more levels, the speed of the game increases and the Energizer effect shortens, eventually reaching a point where the ghosts no longer turn blue.

Pac-Man was first released in arcades and has since been reissued under multiple titles, including Jelly Monsters, PacMan, Arcade Archives: Pac-Man, and Arcade Game Series: Pac-Man (amongst others). These versions preserve the original gameplay, with some offering optional features such as enhanced graphics, online leaderboards, and adjustable display settings.