Originally released in arcades in 1980 by Namco, Pac-Man is one of the most recognizable pop-culture icons in history. The NES port remains one of the most faithful 8-bit conversions, capturing the exact maze layout, sound effects, and most importantly, the complex ghost artificial intelligence. In this guide, we dive deep into the ghost personalities, navigation patterns, scoring tables, and top strategies to achieve high-score dominance.
1. Understanding the Ghost Personalities (AI)
Pac-Man is not a game of random movements. Each of the four ghosts has a unique targeting algorithm that determines how they navigate the maze relative to Pac-Man's position:
Blinky (Red Ghost - Shadow): The most dangerous ghost. Blinky directly targets Pac-Man's current grid position. As you eat more dots in a level, Blinky's speed increases, earning him the nickname "Cruise Elroy."
Pinky (Pink Ghost - Speedy): Pinky attempts to ambush you. Her algorithm targets four tiles ahead of the direction Pac-Man is currently facing. Be careful when heading directly toward her, as she will close the gap quickly.
Inky (Cyan Ghost - Bashful): The most unpredictable ghost. Inky's targeting uses both Blinky's position and Pac-Man's position to calculate a coordinate. He can swing between chasing you aggressively and wandering away.
Clyde (Orange Ghost - Pokey): Clyde targets Pac-Man directly if he is far away (more than 8 tiles). However, once he gets close to Pac-Man, Clyde's AI switches targets to his home corner (bottom-left), causing him to turn away.
2. Scatter, Chase, and Frightened Modes
Ghosts cycle through three main behavioral states during gameplay:
Scatter Mode: At the start of a level and periodically during play, the ghosts abandon the chase and head to their respective corners. This is your chance to clear dots in difficult areas.
Chase Mode: The default mode where the ghosts actively pursue Pac-Man using their unique algorithms.
Frightened Mode: Triggered when Pac-Man eats a Energizer (large flashing dot). Ghosts turn blue, move slower, and choose paths at random. Eating consecutive ghosts yields exponential points (200, 400, 800, 1600).
3. Scoring and Fruit Tables
To maximize your score, you must collect the bonus items (fruits) that appear below the ghost cage twice per level. The fruits increase in value as you progress through stages:
Stage 1: Cherry - 100 points
Stage 2: Strawberry - 300 points
Stages 3 & 4: Peach - 500 points
Stages 5 & 6: Apple - 700 points
Stages 7 & 8: Grapes - 1000 points
Stages 9 & 10: Galaxian Boss - 2000 points
Stages 11 & 12: Bell - 3000 points
Stage 13+: Key - 5000 points
4. Advanced High-Score Strategies
Pre-steering (Cornering)
Pac-Man moves slightly faster than the ghosts. You can maximize this speed advantage by pressing the directional key *before* reaching a corner. Pac-Man will hug the wall and turn instantly without losing momentum, while ghosts take longer to adjust.
The Tunnel Advantage
Ghosts slow down significantly when they enter the escape tunnels on the left and right sides of the screen. Pac-Man maintains his full speed through the tunnels. Use this to shake off aggressive pursuers like Blinky.
The Safe Spot
In the original NES code, there is a grid tile just to the right and above the ghost house where you can hide safely *if* you enter it while none of the ghosts are looking in your direction. They will loop around the maze indefinitely without finding you.
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