Flow

Abstract

You may not think of yourself as a gamer, but you have likely heard of Pac-Man. Namco’s 1980 hit video game has appeared everywhere from Atari 2600 to Windows 10. Take a moment and picture the game in your mind’s eye. See its maze-like screen. Hear the telltale sound of “waka waka waka” as you maneuver Pac-Man through sharp turns and long straightaways. You avoid multi-colored ghosts. You seek flashy power-ups. You cheer for 10,000-point bonuses. Each game level consists of many tiny experiences connected along a circuitous path. Do you recall what Pac-Man eats along this path? Gold coins.