Google Pac-Man 30th Anniversary Doodle: Play Pac-Man Online Free (Still Works in 2026)

Want to play Google Pac-Man? The famous Pac-Man 30th anniversary doodle that Google launched in 2010 is still playable in 2026, free, with no download and no sign-up. Here’s exactly how to open it, the controls, the hidden two-player mode, and the newer Google Pac-Man games you may have missed.

Quick answer: Search Google for “Pac-Man” (or “Google Pac-Man”) and click Play on the game card at the top of the results. You can also open the doodle directly from Google’s Doodles archive. Use the arrow keys to move.

How to play Google Pac-Man (step by step)

1. Go to Google.com and search for Pac-Man.
2. Click Play (or the game image) at the top of the results. The doodle opens right in your browser.
3. The game starts automatically. Steer Pac-Man with the arrow keys on a computer, or swipe on a phone or tablet.
4. Eat every dot in the maze to clear the level, and avoid the four ghosts: Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde.

It works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone. Turn on your sound for the original arcade music and effects.

Controls and rules

• Move: arrow keys (or swipe on touchscreens).
• Lives: you start with 3, and get a bonus life at 10,000 points.
• Power pellets: the four big dots near the corners turn the ghosts blue for a few seconds, so you can eat them for extra points.
• Fruit: bonus fruit appears in the middle of the maze; eat it for extra points.
• Tunnels: exit one side of the maze and you come out the other. Ghosts slow down in the tunnel, so use it to escape.

Secret: two-player mode with Ms. Pac-Man

Google hid an Easter egg in the doodle. Click the Insert Coin button beside the maze and Ms. Pac-Man joins the game, so two people can play on the same keyboard:

• Pac-Man: arrow keys
• Ms. Pac-Man: W, A, S, D keys

Google Pac-Man 30th anniversary doodle (May 21, 2010)

Pac-Man was created by Namco and released in Japan on May 22, 1980. For the game’s 30th anniversary on May 21, 2010, Google celebrated the Pac-Man 30th anniversary by turning its homepage logo into a fully playable Pac-Man maze that spelled out “Google”. It was built by Google’s Marcin Wichary and doodler Ryan Germick, using the original game logic, graphics and sounds.

The doodle was meant to run for just 48 hours, but it was so popular that Google gave it a permanent home. That’s why you can still play it today.

Like the original arcade game, it has 255 levels. Reach level 256 and you’ll hit the famous “kill screen”, where a bug in the original code scrambles half the maze.

Pac-Man Halloween 2025 doodle

For Pac-Man’s 45th anniversary, Google released a brand-new playable doodle on October 30–31, 2025: Pac-Man: Halloween 2025 Edition. Made with Bandai Namco, it has eight levels across four haunted-house mazes, one for each ghost. It was on the Google homepage for two days, and Google usually keeps playable doodles in its Doodles archive, so search for “Pac-Man Halloween doodle” to try it. Google’s other big Halloween hit is the Google Halloween game Magic Cat Academy, which you can still play.

Pac-Man in Google Maps (no longer available)

On April Fools’ Day 2015, Google added a Pac-Man button to Google Maps that turned real streets into a maze, and in 2017 it did the same with Ms. Pac-Man. Both were limited-time jokes and no longer work. If you have fond memories of them, the doodle above is the closest you’ll get today.

Tips for a higher score

• Save the power pellets until two or more ghosts are close, then eat as many as you can. Points double with each ghost (200, 400, 800, 1,600).
• Learn the ghosts. Blinky (red) chases you directly, Pinky (pink) tries to cut you off, Inky (cyan) is unpredictable, and Clyde (orange) wanders off when he gets close.
• Clear the corners early so you aren’t trapped in a dead end later in the level.
• Use the tunnels to shake off ghosts.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Pac-Man 30th anniversary doodle?

It is the playable Google doodle released on May 21, 2010 to mark 30 years since Pac-Man first came out in 1980. It is the same game you get today when you search “Pac-Man” on Google. Google kept it online permanently after the anniversary because so many people loved it.

Is Google Pac-Man free?

Yes. It’s completely free, with no ads, downloads or account needed.

Can I play Google Pac-Man on my phone?

Yes. Search “Pac-Man” in your phone’s browser or the Google app and tap Play. Swipe to change direction.

Why doesn’t Pac-Man show up when I search?

Make sure you’re searching on Google itself (not another search engine) and try “Google Pac-Man” or “Pac-Man doodle”. Or open the Doodles archive link above directly.

Enjoyed this? Try another Google trick: Google Gravity, which makes the Google homepage collapse.