Introduction

Pac Man is a classic arcade game for a reason. It’s fun, it’s challenging, and it’s as addicting as all get out. And despite how dated it appears to today’s audiences, I’d argue that the best tips Pac Man has to offer are actually quite relevant to today’s issues.

As I’ve played more and more of this game throughout my life (yes, it really is that addicting!), I’ve found myself applying the lessons I learned while munching on pills in a maze with ghosts to situations both at home and at work. While I’m not suggesting you quit your day job and become a garbage disposal-turned-yellow-dot-eater (though if you do decide to do that, please send photos of your costume), I can say with confidence that anyone who takes the following Pac Man “hacks” seriously will get through their day without being caught in an endless loop of anxiety.

Onwards!

Always keep moving forward.

Pac-Man is a game about avoiding the ghosts. But it’s also about not getting stuck in a rut.

In life, you may find yourself thinking that you can’t get out of your current situation because “things are just how they are.” If that’s the case, then I’d suggest looking at what other people think and what you can change as two separate things—because sometimes the latter might not be relevant to where you’re at right now. You might be able to change those things later on, but if now isn’t when they’re going to happen (due to other factors), then putting energy into thinking about them won’t help anything.

If this sounds familiar, try asking yourself: Is there anything I can do right now? It might be something as small as making sure that every day has been productive or calling someone who always makes me smile after a rough day; either way will help take some pressure off at least one area of your life so that everything else seems less daunting!

Find your power pellets and stock up.

The power pellet is a life saver. It’ll help you defeat ghosts and also give you a bit of energy. Don’t waste time on anything but eating them!

You know what they say: “Find it, eat it.”

Use warp tunnels, but know where they lead.

Warp tunnels are a great way to get to the next level. But they can also be a waste of time, so use them wisely. Don’t use them if you don’t need to:

• If there is no ghost nearby, or if it’s still far away, don’t warp away just yet! Wait until he gets closer or starts chasing after you. The same goes for when the ghosts are all heading in different directions (this won’t last long).
• Don’t warp into an area with a power pellet and then immediately backtrack through the same warp tunnel because this wastes valuable seconds that could have been used escaping from one of those pesky ghosts instead!
• And finally, don’t think about warping into another room just because there might be some cherries in there—you shouldn’t rely on getting food whenever possible because that can leave yourself vulnerable while waiting around for something else good (like power pellets).

Don’t be afraid to eat a ghost every once in a while.

You should be eating ghosts whenever you can. They are a good source of power pellets, and you can’t eat a power pellet. You might think that this is bad advice, but it’s actually very good advice. Why? Because sometimes you just want to eat a ghost because it feels good or because you’re hungry and didn’t have time for lunch or breakfast (breakfast is important!). If there was one thing that Pac-Man taught me growing up, it was that life is short, so enjoy the little things like eating ghosts when they’re available!

Always look ahead.

When you’re playing a game and you see an enemy, look ahead. Be prepared for what’s ahead. When you’re in school and you have a test, look ahead to see what your teacher wants you to know, so when it comes down to the final hour of studying, there won’t be any surprises. If someone is giving a presentation at work or school and they are nervous as heck (or even if they aren’t), tell them: “Just look ahead.” It will help them focus on their speech rather than worrying about whether or not others will like it. If someone has just died and left behind children who don’t know how the world works yet (or ever), tell them: “Don’t worry about today; just look ahead.” This will give these children strength as they grow up because they’ll realize that life goes on despite death or other tough situations–and this realization may even help them accept their own mortality someday in the future!

Know the difference between an energizer and a cherry. One helps you destroy ghosts, the other just adds points to your score.

Cherries are a tasty treat and they’re worth 500 points. But, here’s the thing: cherries are also edible by ghosts. So if you eat one, it will increase your score but it won’t change anything else about the game.

Ghosts can eat cherries too! That’s why they’re red—they have blood in them and that means they are made of meat (and thus can be eaten). If a ghost eats a cherry, he’ll gain a little bit of energy back which means he’ll be able to move around more quickly for awhile before needing another one—but still not as fast as Pac Man himself!

Pay attention to your surroundings. You’re gonna need to know which ghosts are edible and which are trying to get you.

The ghosts are constantly trying to trick you and get you. They’ll pop out of the walls and floors, trying to scare you into running away. If one of them eats your character, it’s game over!

The only way to beat these ghosts is to figure out which ones are edible and which ones aren’t. You can tell by looking at the color of their eyes: red means run away, while blue means stay put! The best strategy is to follow a ghost around until they reveal themselves as edible, then go ahead and attack them while they’re distracted with eating another ghost (or whatever else). Once they’re dead, take a look at what kind of power-up they left behind—if it’s an extra life or weapon upgrade (like lasers), great! Pick that up too.

Pac Man is much more than a retro arcade game; it’s a life lesson in how to survive anything thrown your way!

Pac Man is much more than a retro arcade game; it’s a life lesson in how to survive anything thrown your way!

One of the most important things you can learn from Pac Man is that sometimes you just have to do what you want, even if it’s not the most practical decision. When Pac-Man first starts out, all he knows is that there are four flashing dots on the screen—those dots represent his only food and will keep him alive. And yet as soon as those red and blue ghosts show up, suddenly eating them becomes his main goal instead of getting away from them (which would be another way to stay alive). Of course, this doesn’t work very well because once he eats one of those dots he gets trapped by some ghosts or other obstacles and has to go back to square one—but at least he tried!

Conclusion

Remember, nothing is insurmountable. The key to success is being aware of your surroundings and making sure you have the skills and tools necessary to get through anything that comes at you. So don’t forget Pac Man’s tips next time you have an obstacle in your path; they’ve worked for him for decades, so why not try them yourself?