diff --git a/src/main/java/pacmanGame/GameManager.java b/src/main/java/pacmanGame/GameManager.java
index 6c60efb..236dd2c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/pacmanGame/GameManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/pacmanGame/GameManager.java
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ public class GameManager {
 	public Visualizer visualizer;
 	public Player player;
 	public int score = 0;
-	public Boolean ghostIsEdible = false;
+	public boolean ghostIsEdible = false;
+	public boolean isPaused; 
 	
 	public GameManager() {
 		setupGame();
@@ -22,6 +23,8 @@ public class GameManager {
 		for(int i = 0; i < ghosts.length; i++) {
 			ghosts[i] = new Ghost(this);
 		}  
+		isPaused = false;
+		
    }
    
 	public void Update() {
@@ -47,8 +50,8 @@ public class GameManager {
 	}
 
 	public void ProcessInput(char inputChar) {
-		if(inputChar == 27) {
-			//todo: escape key pauses game
+		if(inputChar == 27) {// 27 = ESC
+			TogglePause();
 		} 
 		else if (inputChar == 'w' || inputChar == 's' || inputChar == 'd' || inputChar == 'a') {
 			player.processInput(inputChar);
@@ -85,4 +88,18 @@ public class GameManager {
 			ghostIsEdible = false;
 		}
 	}
+	public void Pause() {
+		isPaused = true;
+	}
+	public void Unpause() {
+		isPaused = false;
+	}
+	public void TogglePause() {
+		if(isPaused) {
+			Unpause();
+		}
+		else {
+			Pause();
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/pacmanGame/Program.java b/src/main/java/pacmanGame/Program.java
index d835fa4..da7b37c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/pacmanGame/Program.java
+++ b/src/main/java/pacmanGame/Program.java
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ public class Program {
 		gameManager = new GameManager();
 
 		GameLoop();
-		
+	
 	}
 
 	public void GameLoop() {
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ public class Program {
         frame = new JFrame("PacmaaaAAAYYYHAAAaaam");
         frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
 
-        frame.setSize(500, 665);
+        frame.setSize(500, 685);
 
         textArea = new JTextArea("...");
         textArea.setEditable(false); 
diff --git a/src/main/java/pacmanGame/VisualizerPlainText.java b/src/main/java/pacmanGame/VisualizerPlainText.java
index 37f7768..9e71590 100644
--- a/src/main/java/pacmanGame/VisualizerPlainText.java
+++ b/src/main/java/pacmanGame/VisualizerPlainText.java
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ package pacmanGame;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 
 public class VisualizerPlainText implements Visualizer {
-
+    public boolean showScore = true;
 	private String output;
 	public final GameManager gameManager;
 	
@@ -28,7 +28,11 @@ public class VisualizerPlainText implements Visualizer {
 	
 	@Override
 	public void Update() {
-		output = "Score: " + gameManager.score + "\n"; 
+		output = "";
+		if(showScore) { 
+			output = "score: " + gameManager.score + "\n";
+		}
+
 		Map map = gameManager.map;
 		
 		for(int y = 0; y < map.size.y; y++) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/pacmanTests/VisualizerPlainTextTest.java b/src/test/java/pacmanTests/VisualizerPlainTextTest.java
index e73225c..7227f86 100644
--- a/src/test/java/pacmanTests/VisualizerPlainTextTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/pacmanTests/VisualizerPlainTextTest.java
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class VisualizerPlainTextTest {
 		GameManager gameManager = new GameManager();
 		gameManager.map = new Map(mapTest, gameManager);
 		VisualizerPlainText vpt = new VisualizerPlainText(gameManager);
-		
+		vpt.showScore = false;
 		String expected = ""
 				+ "[]. []\n"
 				+ "  .   \n"
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ class VisualizerPlainTextTest {
 		GameManager gameManager = new GameManager();
 		gameManager.map = new Map(mapTest, gameManager);
 		VisualizerPlainText vpt = new VisualizerPlainText(gameManager);
+		vpt.showScore = false;
 		
 		gameManager.ghosts[0].position = new Vector2(1, 1);