List of maze video games

Maze game is a video game genre description first used by journalists during the 1980s to describe any game in which the entire playing field was a maze. Quick player action is required to escape monsters, outrace an opponent, or navigate the maze within a time limit.

Top-down maze games

First-person maze games

Maze chase games

This genre is exemplified by Namco's Pac-Man (1980),[6] where the goal is to collect dots while avoiding enemies that are chasing the player. Pac-Man spawned many sequels and clones. In Japan, they are often called "dot eat games".

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

  • Chomper Man, Victory, Commodore 64
  • Crystal Castles, Atari, Arcade
  • Dot Gobbler,[14] Mr. Computer Products, Commodore 64
  • Felix and the Fruit Monsters, Micro Power, Acorn Electron, BBC Micro
  • Getaway!, APX, Atari 8-bit[15]
  • Ghost Hunt,[16] PSS, ZX Spectrum
  • Gnasher,[16] R&R Software, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 16/Plus/4
  • Gobble A Ghost, CDS Microsystems, ZX Spectrum
  • Guzzler, Tehkan, Arcade
  • Hover Bovver, Llamasoft, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit
  • Jawbreaker II, On-Line Systems, Atari 8-bit, Apple II, others
  • Jr. Pac-Man, Bally Midway, Arcade
  • Maze Chase,[17][18] Hewson Consultants, ZX Spectrum
  • Maze Man, Creative Equipment, Commodore 64
  • Munch Man 64,[19] Solar Software, Commodore 64
  • Pac Rabbit, International Publishing & Software, ZX81
  • Plaque Man,[20] HCS, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64
  • Preppie! II, Adventure International, Atari 8-bit[21]
  • Scooby Doo's Maze Chase,[22] Mattel, Intellivision
  • Scrambled Egg, Technos, Arcade
  • Trashman,[23] Creative Software, Commodore 64
  • Traxx, Quicksilva, VIC-20, ZX Spectrum

1984

1985

1987

1988

  • Mad Mix, Topo Soft, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Atari ST, others
  • Snowplow, ANALOG Computing, Atari 8-bit

1990

1991

  • Jungle Jim, Energize, Amiga

1992

  • GobMan,[28] Shareware, MS-DOS

1993

  • CD-Man,[29] Creative Dimensions, MS-DOS
  • Mean Arenas, Nite Time, Amiga

1996

1998

2006

  • Pac the Man X,[30] McSebi, OS X

2010

Grid capture games

In grid capture games, also called line coloring games, the maze consists of lines, and the goal is to capture rectangular areas by traversing their perimeters. The gameplay is not fundamentally different than Pac-Man (players still have to navigate the entire maze to complete a level) but enough games have used the grid motif that it is a distinct style. One unique element is that it is possible to capture multiple rectangles simultaneously, usually for extra points. Amidar established the model for this subgenre.

  • Amidar, 1981, Stern, Arcade, Atari 2600
  • Amigo, unknown, 1981, Arcade[31]
  • Blade Runner, 1982, Wizardsoft, Commodore 64[32]
  • Demolition Herby, 1982, Telesys, Atari 2600
  • Jeepers Creepers, 1982, Quality, Atari 8-bit
  • Jolly Jogger, 1982, Taito, Arcade
  • Macho Mouse, 1982, Techstar, Arcade
  • Radar Zone / Out Line, 1982, Century Electronics, Arcade
  • Pepper II, 1982, Exidy, Arcade
  • Time Runner, 1982, Funsoft, TRS-80
  • Triple Punch, 1982, KKI, Arcade
  • Cuthbert Goes Walkabout, 1983, Microdeal, Dragon 32/64, TRS-80 Color Computer, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit
  • Kid Grid, 1983, Tronix, Commodore 64
  • Potty Painter in the Jungle, 1983, Rabbit, Commodore 64
  • Colour Clash, 1983, Romnik, ZX Spectrum
  • Spiderdroid, 1983, Froggo, Atari 2600
  • Super Gridder, 1983, Terminal, Commodore 64
  • Crazy Tracer, 1984, Acornsoft, Acorn Electron, BBC Micro
  • Oh Mummy, 1984, Gem, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum
  • Pesky Painter,[33] 1984, Supersoft, Commodore 64
  • Rollo and the Brush Brothers, 1984, Windmill, MS-DOS
  • Gapper, 1986, freeware, MS-DOS
  • Zoom!, 1988, Discovery, Genesis, Amiga, Commodore 64, MS-DOS
  • Live Wire!, 1999, SCI, PlayStation

References

  1. ↑ "Tranqulizer Gun". Hardcore Gaming 101. January 6, 2014.
  2. ↑ Maze Death Race
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "MAZE GAMES", CRASH, April 1984
  4. ↑ "Bumpomov's Dogs". Atari Mania.
  5. ↑ "Lady Tut". Gamebase 64.
  6. 1 2 "ARCADE MIND GAMES", Sinclair User, June 1984
  7. ↑ "Project Future Review", CRASH (Newsfield) (14), March 1985: 44.
  8. ↑ "Raiders 5 - Videogame by UPL". Killer List of Video Games.
  9. ↑ http://www.atarimagazines.com/compute/issue40/caves_of_ice.php
  10. ↑ "Atari 2600 London Blitz 1983 Avalon Hill". YouTube.
  11. ↑ "3D Glooper". Lemon 64.
  12. ↑ "Chomper". Atari Mania.
  13. ↑ "Scarfman". TRS-80.org.
  14. ↑ "Dot Gobbler". Lemon 64.
  15. ↑ http://www.atariarchives.org/APX/showinfo.php?cat=20195
  16. 1 2 "GHOST GOBBLING", CRASH, April 1984
  17. ↑ "ZX-81 Software Scene", Sinclair User (ECC) (17), August 1983.
  18. ↑ Passey, Chris; Uffindell, Matthew (July 1984), "Run It Again - Electro Gobble: Pacman Type Games", CRASH (Newsfield) (6).
  19. ↑ "Munch Man 64". Lemon 64.
  20. ↑ "Plaque Man". Atari Mania.
  21. ↑ "Preppie! II". Atari Mania.
  22. ↑ "Scooby Doo's Maze Chase". Invellision Lives.
  23. ↑ "C64 Review - Trashman".
  24. ↑ "Munch Mania". Lemon 64.
  25. ↑ "Spriteman 64". Lemon 64.
  26. ↑ "Floppy-Eater!". Gamebase 64.
  27. ↑ "Gobbler's Revenge". Gamebase 64.
  28. ↑ "GobMan". RGB Classic Games.
  29. ↑ Download page for CD-Man, on DOS Games Archive, with screenshots
  30. ↑ Cohen, Peter (2006-02-15). "Pac the Man X". Macworld.
  31. ↑ KLOV entry for Amigo
  32. ↑ Blader Runner footage at YouTube
  33. ↑ "Pesky Painter". Gamebase 64.

External links

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