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List of maze video games

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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 is a maze. Quick player action is required to escape monsters, outrace an opponent, or navigate the maze within a time limit. After the release of Namco's Pac-Man in 1980, many maze games followed its conventions of completing a level by traversing all paths and a way of temporarily turning the tables on pursuers.

Top-down maze games

[edit]

While the character in a maze would have a limited view, the player is able to see much or all of the maze. Maze chase games are a specific subset of the overheard perspective. They're listed in a separate section.

1959

1973

1976

1977

  • Comotion, Gremlin, Arcade
  • Hustle, Gremlin, Arcade
  • Maze, Fairchild, Channel F

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

  • Android Two,[9] Vortex, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC
  • Ardy the Aardvark,[12] Datamost, Apple II, Atari 8-bit
  • The Birds and the Bees II: Antics, Bug-Byte, C64, ZX Spectrum
  • Abracadabra!, TG Software, Atari 8-bit
  • Bewitched,[13] Imagine, VIC-20
  • Bomberman, Hudson Soft, NEC PC-8001, Sharp X1, others
  • Bumpomov's Dogs,[14] Atari Program Exchange, Atari 8-bit
  • Castle Keeper,[15] ALA Software, Atari 8-bit
  • Cavelon, Jetsoft, Arcade
  • Chack'n Pop,[16] Taito, Arcade
  • Chase the Chuck Wagon, Spectravideo/Ralston Purina, Atari 2600
  • Creepy Corridors, Sierra On-Line, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, others
  • Dandy, Atari Program Exchange, Atari 8-bit
  • Flappy, DB-SOFT, Sharp X1
  • Grabber,[17] Tom Mix, Tandy CoCo
  • Intrepid, Nova Games, Arcade
  • Key-Quest,[18] Micro-ware, VIC-20
  • Lady Tut,[19] Spinnaker, Apple II, C64
  • Master Miner, Funtastic, IBM PC
  • Mazer Blazer, Stern, Arcade
  • Oil's Well, Sierra On-Line, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, others
  • Sewermania,[20] Milton Bradley, TI-99/4A
  • Space Maze Attack, HAL, MSX
  • Splat!, Incentive, ZX Spectrum
  • Spy Catcher,[21] ALA Software, Atari 8-bit
  • Styx,[9] Bug-Byte, ZX Spectrum
  • Time Bandit, MichTron, Tandy CoCo
  • Track Attack,[22] Broderbund, Apple II, Atari 8-bit

1984

1985

  • Cops 'n' Robbers, Atlantis, VIC-20
  • Gauntlet, Atari Games, Arcade
  • Lord of the Orb,[26] Antic Software, Atari 8-bit
  • King Tut's Tomb,[27] Antic Software, Atari 8-bit
  • Maze War, ANALOG Computing, Atari 8-bit
  • Project Future,[28] Micromania, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC
  • Raiders5,[29] UPL, Arcade
  • Wriggler, Devonshire, ZX Spectrum
  • Zone X, Gremlin Graphics, Atari 8-bit

1986

1987

1988

1989

  • Cratermaze, Hudson Soft, TurboGrafx-16
  • Krazy Mazes,[31] ANALOG Computing, Atari 8-bit
  • Tank Action,[32] CP Verlag, C64

1999

  • Quest: Fantasy Challenge, Sunsoft, Game Boy Color

2003

2008

2009

2014

First-person maze games

[edit]

Differentiated from more diversified first-person party-based RPGs, dungeon crawlers, first-person shooters, and walking sims by their primary emphasis on navigation of largely abstracted maze environments often with little to no texture mapping or in-game objects and props.

1973
  • Maze, Steve Colley, Imlac PDS-1

1977

1978

1979

  • Ratrun, Code Works, PET

1980

1981

  • 3D Maze, IJK, BBC Micro, Acorn Electron
  • 3D Monster Maze,[9] Sinclair ZX81, ZX Spectrum
  • Captivity,[35] PDI, Atari 8-bit
  • Space Maze, Program Power, BBC Micro

1982

1983

1984

  • 3-D Bomberman, Hudson Soft, MSX, FM-7, NEC PC-6001, others
  • 3D Glooper, Supersoft, C64[43]
  • 3-D Monster Chase,[44] Romik, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC
  • Dedal,[45] Oric-1
  • Skull, Games Machine, ZX Spectrum, C64
  • Star Maze II,[46] Mastertronic, BBC Micro
  • Zig Zag, DK'Tronics, ZX Spectrum

1985

  • Gyron, Firebird, ZX Spectrum
  • Scarabaeus, Andromeda, C64

1987

1988

1989

1991

  • 3D-Maze, Odin Software Development, Microsoft Windows
  • Faceball 2000, Bulletproof, Game Boy

1993

  • Master of the Maze, Spice Software, Microsoft Windows
  • Super Maze Wars, Callisto Corporation, Macintosh[51]

1994

1995

  • Amazeing, Happy Puppy Software, Microsoft Windows

1996

1998

2001

2017

Maze chase games

[edit]

This subgenre is exemplified by Namco's Pac-Man (1980),[24] where the goal is to clear a maze of dots while being pursued. Pac-Man spawned many sequels and clones which, in Japan, are often called "dot eat games". Some other maze chases don't feature dots, and the goal is to clear the maze of the pursuers themselves (e.g., Pengo, Guzzler, Jungler).

1979

1980

1981

  • A-maz-ing, Audiogenic, VIC-20
  • Cave Hunter,[55] Mark Data Products, Tandy CoCo
  • Chomper,[56] MMG Micro, Atari 8-bit
  • Crazy Chicky, VTech, CreatiVision
  • Crazy Pucker / Crazy Moonie / Crazy Chewy, VTech, CreatiVision
  • Frisky Tom, Nichibutsu, Arcade
  • Ghost Hunter, Arcade Plus, Atari 8-bit
  • Gobbler, On-Line Systems, Apple II
  • The Hand / Got-Ya,[57] T.I.C., Arcade
  • Hangly-Man, Nittoh, Arcade
  • Jawbreaker, On-Line Systems, Atari 8-bit, Apple II, others
  • Jelly Monsters, HAL Labs, VIC-20
  • Jungler, Konami, Arcade
  • Lady Bug, Universal, Arcade
  • Lock 'n' Chase, Data East, Arcade
  • Make Trax / Crush Roller, Alpha Denshi, Arcade
  • Mouse Trap, Exidy, Arcade
  • Ms. Pac-Man, Bally Midway, Arcade
  • Muncher,[58] Astrovision, Bally Astrocade
  • Munchkin / KC Munchkin, Magnavox, Odyssey²
  • Munchyman, Program Power, BBC Micro
  • New Rally-X, Namco, Arcade
  • Packri Monster, Bandai, Handheld
  • Piranha, GL, Arcade
  • Radar Rat Race, Commodore, VIC-20
  • Round-Up, Centuri, Arcade
  • Scarfman,[59] Cornsoft, TRS-80
  • Snoggle, Broderbund, Apple II
  • Taxman, HAL Labs, Apple II
  • Thief, Pacific Novelty, Arcade
  • Turtles, Konami, Arcade

1982

  • Alien, 20th Century Fox, Atari 2600
  • Dung Beetles, Datasoft, Apple II, Tandy CoCo, Atari 8-bit
  • Baby Pac-Man, Bally Midway, Arcade
  • Byte-Man, Mindseye, ZX81
  • CatChum, Kaypro, CP/M
  • Cat Trax, Emerson, Arcadia 2001
  • Changes,[60] Orca, Arcade
  • Clean Sweep, GCE, Vectrex
  • Cosmic Cruncher, Commodore, VIC-20
  • Crazy Mazey,[61] Datamost, Apple II
  • Devil Fish, Arctic, Arcade
  • Doodle Bug,[62] Computerware, Tandy CoCo, Dragon 32
  • Eyes, Rock-Ola, Arcade
  • Gobble a Ghost, CDS Micro Systems, ZX Spectrum
  • Gulpman, Campbell Systems, ZX Spectrum
  • Hard Hat, Exidy, Arcade
  • Hot Lips,[63] London Software, Atari 8-bit
  • Hungry Horace, Beam, ZX Spectrum, C64, Dragon 32
  • Labyrinth,[64] Broderbund, Apple II, Atari 8-bit
  • Lochjaw aka Shark Attack, Games by Apollo, Atari 2600
  • Looper, Orca, Arcade
  • Mazeman,[65] Abersoft, ZX81, ZX Spectrum
  • Money Munchers, Datamost, Apple II
  • Mouskattack, On-Line Systems, Atari 8-bit, Apple II
  • Munch Man, Texas Instruments, TI99-4A
  • Muncher!,[66] Silversoft, ZX Spectrum
  • Pack Maze,[67] DSL Computer Products, Tandy CoCo
  • Pakacuda, Rabbit, C64
  • PC-Man, Orion, IBM PC
  • Pengo, Sega, Arcade
  • Pig Pen,[68] Datamost, Apple II
  • Serpentine, Broderbund, Apple II
  • Snack Attack, Datamost, Apple II
  • Snack Attack II, Funtastic, IBM PC
  • Snapper, Acornsoft, BBC Micro, Acorn Electron
  • The Snapper,[69] Silicon Valley Systems, Atari 8-bit
  • Spec Man, Jega, ZX Spectrum
  • Streaking,[70] Shoei, arcade
  • Spookyman, Abbex, ZX Spectrum
  • Super Pac-Man, Namco, Arcade
  • Super Taxman 2, HAL Labs, Apple II
  • VIC-Men,[71] Bug-Byte, VIC-20
  • Zuckman, DJL Software, ZX81

1983

  • 3-Demon, PC Research, MS-DOS[39]
  • 3D Munchy,[72] MRM Software, BBC Micro
  • Alien's Return, ITT Family Games, Atari 2600
  • Bank Heist, 20th Century Fox, Atari 2600
  • Bootleg, Atari Program Exchange, Atari 8-bit
  • Botanic, Valadon, Arcade
  • Caterpiggle, APX, Atari 8-bit
  • Chomper Man, Victory, C64
  • Crazy Bugs!,[73] AMA, ZX Spectrum
  • Crystals of Zong,[74] Cymbal, C64
  • Crystal Castles, Atari, Arcade
  • Cyclops,[75] Romik, Tandy CoCo
  • Dot Gobbler,[76] Mr. Computer Products, C64
  • Drelbs, Synapse, Atari 8-bit, C64
  • Felix and the Fruit Monsters, Micro Power, Acorn Electron, BBC Micro
  • Getaway!,[77] Atari Program Exchange, Atari 8-bit
  • Ghost Hunt,[78] PSS, ZX Spectrum
  • Ghost's Revenge,[79] Micromania, ZX Spectrum
  • Gnasher,[78] R&R Software, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 16/Plus/4
  • Gobble A Ghost, CDS Microsystems, ZX Spectrum
  • Guzzler, Tehkan, Arcade
  • Hover Bovver, Llamasoft, C64, Atari 8-bit
  • Jawbreaker II, On-Line Systems, Atari 8-bit, Apple II, others
  • Jr. Pac-Man, Bally Midway, Arcade
  • Marvin's Maze, SNK, Arcade
  • Maze Chase,[80][81] Hewson, ZX Spectrum
  • Maze Man, Creative Equipment, C64
  • Miss Gobbler,[82] Spectral, Tandy CoCo
  • Monster Munch, Atlantis, C64
  • Mouser,[83] IBM, IBM PCjr
  • Munch Man 64,[84] Solar Software, C64
  • Pacar,[85] Sega, Arcade
  • Pacmania,[86] Mr. Chip, VIC-20, C64
  • Pac Rabbit, International Publishing & Software, ZX81
  • Plaque Man,[87] HCS, Atari 8-bit, C64
  • Power Blaster,[88] Romik, VIC-20
  • Preppie! II,[89] Adventure International, Atari 8-bit
  • Rubbish Monster,[90] Data Becker, C64
  • Scooby Doo's Maze Chase,[91] Mattel, Intellivision
  • Scrambled Egg, Technos, Arcade
  • Snakman,[92] Microdigital, VIC-20
  • Supercuda,[93] Comm*Data, C64
  • Trashman,[94] Creative, C64
  • Traxx, Quicksilva, VIC-20, ZX Spectrum
  • Van-Van Car,[95] Karateco, Arcade
  • Zappy Zooks,[96] Romik, C64

1984

1985

1987

  • 3D Dotty, Blue Ribbon, BBC Micro
  • Classic Muncher, Bubble Bus, Amstrad CPC
  • Cruncher Factory, Kingsoft, Amiga
  • Fantasy Zone: The Maze, Sega, Arcade
  • Gobbler's Revenge,[108] Commodore Magazine, C64
  • Mango,[109] Blue Ribbon, BBC Micro
  • Pac-Mania, Namco, Arcade

1988

  • Knicker-Bockers,[110] StarSoft, Atari 8-bit
  • Mad Mix, Topo Soft, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Atari ST, others
  • Snowplow,[111] ANALOG Computing, Atari 8-bit
  • Yuu Maze, Taito, Famicom Disk System

1989

  • Fast Food, Codemasters, C64, ZX Spectrum, others
  • Maze Mania, Hewson, ZX Spectrum, C64, Amstrad CPC
  • Maze of Flott, Taito, Arcade

1990

  • Hacman II, freeware, Atari ST
  • Marty's Nightmare,[112] CoCoPro, Tandy CoCo 3
  • Perplexity, Superior, BBC Micro, Acorn Electron
  • Trog, Midway, Arcade

1991

  • Jungle Jim,[113] Energize, Amiga, Atari ST

1992

  • GobMan,[114] Shareware, MS-DOS

1993

  • CD-Man,[115] Creative Dimensions, MS-DOS
  • Mean Arenas, Nite Time, Amiga
  • Tinkle Pit, Namco, Arcade

1995

  • Go! Go! Mile Smile,[116] Funki, Arcade

1996

1998

2006

  • Pac the Man X,[117] McSebi, OS X

2010

Grid capture games

[edit]

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 from 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.

1981

1982

1983

  • Colour Clash,[119] Romnik, ZX Spectrum
  • Cuthbert Goes Walkabout, Microdeal, Dragon, CoCo, C64, Atari 8-bit
  • Gridder,[120] Microdigital, VIC-20
  • Potty Painter in the Jungle, Rabbit, C64
  • Rollin,[121] Atlantis, C64
  • Spiderdroid, Froggo, Atari 2600
  • Super Gridder, Terminal, C64

1984

1986

  • Gapper, freeware, MS-DOS
  • Panel Panic,[124] Aackosoft, MSX

1999

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