diff --git a/src/main/java/se/urmo/game/entities/ScorePopup.java b/src/main/java/se/urmo/game/entities/ScorePopup.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..375e521
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/se/urmo/game/entities/ScorePopup.java
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+package se.urmo.game.entities;
+
+import java.awt.AlphaComposite;
+import java.awt.Color;
+import java.awt.Font;
+import java.awt.Graphics2D;
+
+public final class ScorePopup {
+    private final double startX, startY;    // world px (not screen)
+    private final String text;
+    private final long startNs;
+    private final long lifeNs;               // e.g. 1_000_000_000L (1s)
+
+    // simple motion params
+    private final double risePixels;         // e.g. 16 px total rise
+
+    public ScorePopup(double x, double y, String text, long lifeNs, double risePixels) {
+        this.startX = x;
+        this.startY = y;
+        this.text = text;
+        this.lifeNs = lifeNs;
+        this.risePixels = risePixels;
+        this.startNs = System.nanoTime();
+    }
+
+    public boolean isAlive() {
+        return (System.nanoTime() - startNs) < lifeNs;
+    }
+
+    public void draw(Graphics2D g, int offsetX, int offsetY, Font font) {
+        long dt = System.nanoTime() - startNs;
+        double t = Math.min(1.0, dt / (double) lifeNs);  // 0..1
+
+        // motion: ease-out upward (quadratic)
+        double y = startY - (risePixels * (1 - (1 - t) * (1 - t)));
+
+        // fade: alpha 1 → 0
+        float alpha = (float) (1.0 - t);
+
+        var oldComp = g.getComposite();
+        var oldFont = g.getFont();
+        g.setFont(font);
+        g.setComposite(AlphaComposite.getInstance(AlphaComposite.SRC_OVER, alpha));
+
+        // draw centered on tile center
+        var fm = g.getFontMetrics();
+        int sx = offsetX + (int) Math.round(startX);
+        int sy = offsetY + (int) Math.round(y);
+        int x = sx - fm.stringWidth(text) / 2;
+        int baseline = sy; // tune if you want it a tad above the exact point
+
+        g.setColor(Color.WHITE);
+        g.drawString(text, x, baseline);
+
+        g.setComposite(oldComp);
+        g.setFont(oldFont);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/se/urmo/game/main/ScorePopupManager.java b/src/main/java/se/urmo/game/main/ScorePopupManager.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1678681
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/se/urmo/game/main/ScorePopupManager.java
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+package se.urmo.game.main;
+
+import se.urmo.game.entities.ScorePopup;
+
+import java.awt.Font;
+import java.awt.Graphics2D;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+public final class ScorePopupManager {
+    private final List<ScorePopup> popups = new ArrayList<>();
+
+    // convenience defaults
+    private static final long LIFE_NS = 1_000_000_000L; // 1s
+    private static final double RISE_PX = 16.0;
+    private static final double worldX = GamePanel.SCREEN_WIDTH / 2.0 - 15;
+    private static final double worldY = 230;
+
+    public void spawn(String text) {
+        popups.add(new ScorePopup(worldX, worldY, text, LIFE_NS, RISE_PX));
+    }
+
+    public void spawn(int score) {
+        spawn(String.valueOf(score));
+    }
+
+    public void update() {
+        // time-based; no per-tick math needed, just prune dead ones
+        popups.removeIf(p -> !p.isAlive());
+    }
+
+    public void draw(Graphics2D g, int offsetX, int offsetY, Font font) {
+        for (ScorePopup p : popups) {
+            p.draw(g, offsetX, offsetY, font);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public void clear() {
+        popups.clear();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/se/urmo/game/state/PlayingState.java b/src/main/java/se/urmo/game/state/PlayingState.java
index 775b580..72babeb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/se/urmo/game/state/PlayingState.java
+++ b/src/main/java/se/urmo/game/state/PlayingState.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import se.urmo.game.main.FruitManager;
 import se.urmo.game.main.GameStateManager;
 import se.urmo.game.main.GhostManager;
 import se.urmo.game.main.LevelManager;
+import se.urmo.game.main.ScorePopupManager;
 import se.urmo.game.map.GameMap;
 import se.urmo.game.map.MapTile;
 import se.urmo.game.map.TileType;
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ import se.urmo.game.util.GameFonts;
 import se.urmo.game.util.GameStateType;
 
 import java.awt.Color;
+import java.awt.Font;
 import java.awt.Graphics2D;
 import java.awt.Point;
 import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
@@ -54,6 +56,9 @@ public class PlayingState implements GameState {
     private boolean deathInProgress;
     private int frightMultiplier;
 
+    private final ScorePopupManager scorePopups = new ScorePopupManager();
+    private final Font scorePopupFont = GameFonts.arcade(16F); // or your arcade font
+
     public PlayingState(GameStateManager gameStateManager, GameOverState gameOverState) {
         this.gameStateManager = gameStateManager;
         this.gameOverState = gameOverState;
@@ -105,6 +110,7 @@ public class PlayingState implements GameState {
                 pacman.update();
             }
         }
+        scorePopups.update();
     }
 
     private void advanceLevel() {
@@ -150,6 +156,7 @@ public class PlayingState implements GameState {
         pacman.draw(g);
         fruitManager.draw(g);
         drawUI(g);
+        scorePopups.draw(g, GameMap.OFFSET_X, GameMap.OFFSET_Y, scorePopupFont);
 
         // Phase overlays
         switch (phase) {
@@ -221,7 +228,9 @@ public class PlayingState implements GameState {
                 if (ghost.isEaten()) return;
                 if (ghost.isFrightened()) {
                     log.debug("Pacman eats ghost");
-                    score += 200 * (1 << (ghostManager.getGhosts().size() - ghostManager.isFrightened()));
+                    int pts = 200 * (1 << (ghostManager.getGhosts().size() - ghostManager.isFrightened()));
+                    score += pts;
+                    scorePopups.spawn(pts);
                     ghost.setMode(GhostMode.EATEN);
                 } else {
                     log.debug("Pacman loses a life");
@@ -251,6 +260,7 @@ public class PlayingState implements GameState {
     }
 
     public void setScore(int score) {
+        scorePopups.spawn(score);
         this.score += score;
     }
 }