Pac-Man is yellow in the character’s classic official design. That bright, simple color was established for the original 1980 arcade game and became one of the most recognizable visual identities in video-game history.
Creator Toru Iwatani wanted Pac-Man and the other characters to look cute, colorful, and approachable rather than threatening. The choice of yellow was also symbolic: Iwatani regarded it as a neutral color that did not suggest either an enemy or a heroic figure. Against the dark maze and brightly colored ghosts, the yellow character was immediately readable on arcade screens.
The design itself was inspired by a pizza with a slice removed and, according to Iwatani, by rounding out the Japanese character for “mouth.” Pac-Man’s appearance has changed in cartoons, merchandise, and later games, sometimes adding limbs, clothing, or more expressive features. Those variations can cause confusion, but they generally retain the yellow body. Red, blue, and green Pac-Man figures have appeared in some spin-offs or related products; they are not the classic official design of the original protagonist.