Each ghost in Pac-Man follows a unique, programmed algorithm rather than moving randomly, forcing players to develop strategy.

Released in 1980 by Namco, Pac-Man was designed by Toru Iwatani to appeal to a broad audience through 'cute' enemies with distinct personalities. Lead programmer Shigeo Funaki implemented specific AI logic for each ghost to balance gameplay difficulty and maintain player engagement.Blinky, the red ghost, operates in 'Chase' mode and targets Pac-Man's exact tile, making him the most persistent threat. Pinky, the pink ghost, uses 'Ambush' logic by targeting four tiles ahead of Pac-Man's current direction, creating the illusion that she's trying to block your path. Inky, the cyan ghost, employs the most sophisticated algorithm: his target tile is calculated by drawing a vector from Blinky's position to a point two tiles in front of Pac-Man and doubling that distance, making his movements unpredictable unless you understand how the other ghosts influence his behavior.Clyde, the orange ghost, alternates between two states based on proximity to the player. When more than eight tiles away, he chases Pac-Man directly; once he enters that eight-tile radius, he switches to 'Scatter' mode and retreats to the bottom-left corner. This behavior, sometimes called 'Pokey,' often inadvertently provides players with an escape route. These algorithms were revolutionary for their time, as most early 1980s arcade games relied on simple, randomized enemy movement patterns.