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

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 • Mouse in the Maze, MIT, TX-0 mainframe • 1973 • Gotcha, Atari, Inc., Arcade • 1976 • Blockade, Gremlin, Arcade • The Amazing Maze Game, Midway, Arcade • 1977 • Comotion, Gremlin, Arcade • Hustle, Gremlin, Arcade • Maze, Fairchild, Channel F • 1978 • Maze Craze: A Game of Cops and Robbers, Atari, Atari 2600 • Slot Racers, Atari, Atari 2600 • Take the Money and Run, Magnavox, Odyssey² • 1979 • Head On, Sega/Gremlin, Arcade • Space Chaser, Taito, Arcade • 1980 • Berzerk, Stern, Arcade • Car Hunt, Sega, Arcade • Crazy Balloon • Lupin III, Taito, Arcade • Spectar, Exidy, Arcade • Tank Battalion, Namco, Arcade • Tranquilizer Gun, Sega, Arcade • Wizard of Wor, Midway, Arcade • 1981 • 005, Sega, Arcade • A-Maze-Ing, Texas Instruments, TI-99/4A • The Adventures of Robby Roto!, Bally/Midway, Arcade • Armored Car, Stern, Arcade • The Hand, TIC, Arcade • K-Razy Shoot-Out, CBS Electronics, Atari 8-bit, Atari 5200 • Minotaur, Sirius, Apple II • Pulsar, Sega, Arcade • Route 16, Tekhan/Sun, Arcade • Thunder Island, Atari 8-bit, ANALOG Software • Treasure Island, Data East, Arcade • 1982 • Ali Baba and 40 Thieves, Sega, Arcade • Anteater, Tago, Arcade • Bable Terror, Funsoft, TRS-80 • Blue Print, Bally Midway, Arcade • Dig Dug, Namco, Arcade • Diggerbonk, Atari Program Exchange, Atari 8-bit • Entombed, U.S. Games, Atari 2600 • Frenzy, Stern, Arcade • Garden Wars, Commodore, VIC-20 • K-Razy Antiks, CBS, Atari 8-bit • Maze Death Race, PSS, ZX81, ZX Spectrum • Microwave, Cavalier, Apple II • Mines of Minos, CommaVid, Atari 2600 • Mr. Do!, Universal, Arcade • Nibbler, Rock-Ola, Arcade • Night Stalker, Mattel, Intellivision • Raid on Fort Knox, Commodore, VIC-20 • Robot Killer, Emerson, Arcadia 2001 • Shamus, Synapse, Atari 8-bit • Star Maze, Sir-Tech, Apple II • Talbot, Volt, Arcade • Tax Dodge, Free Fall, Atari 8-bit • Towering Inferno, US Games, Atari 2600 • TRON Maze-A-Tron, Mattel, Intellivision • Tutankham, Konami, Arcade • Zzyzzyxx, Cinematronics, Arcade • 1983 • Android Two, Vortex, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC • Ardy the Aardvark, 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, Imagine, VIC-20 • Bomberman, Hudson Soft, NEC PC-8001, Sharp X1, others • Bumpomov's Dogs, Atari Program Exchange, Atari 8-bit • Castle Keeper, ALA Software, Atari 8-bit • Cavelon, Jetsoft, Arcade • Chack'n Pop, 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, Tom Mix, Tandy CoCo • Intrepid, Nova Games, Arcade • Key-Quest, Micro-ware, VIC-20 • Lady Tut, 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, Milton Bradley, TI-99/4A • Space Maze Attack, HAL, MSX • Splat!, Incentive, ZX Spectrum • Spy Catcher, ALA Software, Atari 8-bit • Styx, Bug-Byte, ZX Spectrum • Time Bandit, MichTron, Tandy CoCo • Track Attack, Broderbund, Apple II, Atari 8-bit • 1984 • 3D Silicon Fish, Thor, VIC-20 • Cybertron Mission, Micro Power, Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, C64 • Diamond Mine, Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, others • Fred, Investronica, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, C64 • Henri, Atari 8-bit, Atari Program Exchange • Humpty Dumpty Meets the Fuzzy Wuzzies, Artic, C64, ZX Spectrum • Labyrinth, Acornsoft, BBC Micro • Maziacs, DK'Tronics, ZX Spectrum, C64, MSX • Mr. Dig, Tandy CoCo, Computerware • The Tower of Druaga, Namco, Arcade • 1985 • Cops 'n' Robbers, Atlantis, VIC-20 • Gauntlet, Atari Games, Arcade • Lord of the Orb, Antic Software, Atari 8-bit • King Tut's Tomb, Antic Software, Atari 8-bit • Maze War, ANALOG Computing, Atari 8-bit • Project Future, Micromania, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC • Raiders5, UPL, Arcade • Wriggler, Devonshire, ZX Spectrum • Zone X, Gremlin Graphics, Atari 8-bit • 1986 • A-Maze, K'Soft, ZX Spectrum • Aardvark, Bug-Byte, Atari 8-bit, C64 • Gauntlet II, Atari Games, Arcade • Merlin's Money Maze, Zilec, Arcade • Snail Maze, Sega, Master System • Thunder Castle, Intellivision • 1987 • Fast Lane, Konami, Arcade • Phantom, Mastertronic, C64 • Rescue, Mastertronic, ZX Spectrum • Think Quick!, The Learning Company, Apple II, MS-DOS • Starbase, Taurus Computing, Tatung Einstein • 1988 • Dark Chambers, Atari, Atari 7800, Atari 8-bit • 1989 • Cratermaze, Hudson Soft, TurboGrafx-16 • Krazy Mazes, ANALOG Computing, Atari 8-bit • Tank Action, CP Verlag, C64 • 1999 • Quest: Fantasy Challenge, Sunsoft, Game Boy Color • 2003 • Online Bomberman, Hudson Soft, Windows • 2008 • The Last Guy, Sony, PS3 • 2009 • Robot Rescue, Teyon, Nintendo DSi • 2014 • Pix the Cat, Pastagames, Xbox One, etc.

First-person maze games

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 • Mazewar, Jim Guyton, Alto • 1978 • Maze Game, Muse, Apple II • Escape!, Muse, Apple II • 1979 • Ratrun, Code Works, PET • 1980 • Deathmaze 5000, Med Systems, TRS-80 • Labyrinth, Med Systems, TRS-80 • 1981 • 3D Maze, IJK, BBC Micro, Acorn Electron • 3D Monster Maze, Sinclair ZX81, ZX Spectrum • Captivity, PDI, Atari 8-bit • Space Maze, Program Power, BBC Micro • 1982 • 3D Labyrinth, Llamasoft, VIC-20 • 3D Maze, IJK Software, BBC Micro • Dungeons of Daggorath, Tandy CoCo • Escape from the Mindmaster, Starpath, Atari 2600 • Maze, Acornsoft, BBC Micro, Acorn Electron • Monster Maze, Epyx, Atari 8-bit • Phantom Slayer, Med Systems, Dragon 32, TRS-80 • Spectre, Datamost, Apple II • Supermaze, Timex, Timex Sinclair 1000, Sinclair ZX81 • Theseus and the Minotaur, Apple II • Wayout, Sirius, Atari 8-bit, Apple II, C64 • 1983 • Alien Maze, CRL Group, ZX Spectrum • 3-Demon, PC Research, MS-DOS • Capture the Flag, Sirius, Atari 8-bit, C64 • Caves of Ice, COMPUTE!, Atari 8-bit, Apple II, C64, VIC-20, PET • Corridors of Genon, New Generation, ZX Spectrum • Ladder Maze, Superior, BBC Micro • London Blitz, Avalon Hill, Atari 2600 • Sultan's Maze, Gem, Dragon 32 • Tunnel Runner, CBS, Atari 2600 • Word Maze, Sord, Sord M5- • 1984 • 3-D Bomberman, Hudson Soft, MSX, FM-7, NEC PC-6001, others • 3D Glooper, Supersoft, C64 • 3-D Monster Chase, Romik, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC • Dedal, Oric-1 • Skull, Games Machine, ZX Spectrum, C64 • Star Maze II, Mastertronic, BBC Micro • Zig Zag, DK'Tronics, ZX Spectrum • 1985 • Gyron, Firebird, ZX Spectrum • Scarabaeus, Andromeda, C64 • 1987 • Maze Wars+, MacroMind, Macintosh • MIDI Maze, Hybrid Arts, Atari ST • 1988 • Slaygon, MicroDeal, Amiga, Atari ST • 1989 • Day of the Viper, Accolade, Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS • 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 • 1994 • MazeWars, Mike Kienenberger, NeXTSTEP • Netmaze, M.Hipp, X11 • iMaze, Hans-Ulrich Kiel and Joerg Czeranski, X11 • The Maze, Lynn Alford, Microsoft Windows • 3D Body Adventure, Knowledge Adventure, Levande Böcker, Microsoft Windows • 1995 • Amazeing, Happy Puppy Software, Microsoft Windows • 1996 • 3D Dinosaur Adventure, Knowledge Adventure, Microsoft Windows • Logic Quest 3D, The Learning Company, Softkey Multimedia, Microsoft Windows • 1998 • MazeWars, IndiVideo, Palm OS • 2001 • glMaze, Till Harbaum, Linux • 2017 • Screensaver Subterfuge, Poor Track Design, Windows, macOS, Linux

Maze chase games

This subgenre is exemplified by Namco's Pac-Man (1980), 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 • Heiankyo Alien, University of Tokyo, PC-8001, Arcade • 1980 • Pac-Man, Namco, Arcade • Rally-X, Namco, Arcade • 1981 • A-maz-ing, Audiogenic, VIC-20 • Cave Hunter, Mark Data Products, Tandy CoCo • Chomper, 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, 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, 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, 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, Orca, Arcade • Clean Sweep, GCE, Vectrex • Cosmic Cruncher, Commodore, VIC-20 • Crazy Mazey, Datamost, Apple II • Devil Fish, Arctic, Arcade • Doodle Bug, 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, London Software, Atari 8-bit • Hungry Horace, Beam, ZX Spectrum, C64, Dragon 32 • Labyrinth, Broderbund, Apple II, Atari 8-bit • Lochjaw aka Shark Attack, Games by Apollo, Atari 2600 • Looper, Orca, Arcade • Mazeman, 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!, Silversoft, ZX Spectrum • Pack Maze, DSL Computer Products, Tandy CoCo • Pakacuda, Rabbit, C64 • PC-Man, Orion, IBM PC • Pengo, Sega, Arcade • Pig Pen, 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, Silicon Valley Systems, Atari 8-bit • Spec Man, Jega, ZX Spectrum • Streaking, Shoei, arcade • Spookyman, Abbex, ZX Spectrum • Super Pac-Man, Namco, Arcade • Super Taxman 2, HAL Labs, Apple II • VIC-Men, Bug-Byte, VIC-20 • Zuckman, DJL Software, ZX81 • 1983 • 3-Demon, PC Research, MS-DOS • 3D Munchy, 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!, AMA, ZX Spectrum • Crystals of Zong, Cymbal, C64 • Crystal Castles, Atari, Arcade • Cyclops, Romik, Tandy CoCo • Dot Gobbler, Mr. Computer Products, C64 • Drelbs, Synapse, Atari 8-bit, C64 • Felix and the Fruit Monsters, Micro Power, Acorn Electron, BBC Micro • Getaway!, Atari Program Exchange, Atari 8-bit • Ghost Hunt, PSS, ZX Spectrum • Ghost's Revenge, Micromania, ZX Spectrum • Gnasher, 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, Hewson, ZX Spectrum • Maze Man, Creative Equipment, C64 • Miss Gobbler, Spectral, Tandy CoCo • Monster Munch, Atlantis, C64 • Mouser, IBM, IBM PCjr • Munch Man 64, Solar Software, C64 • Pacar, Sega, Arcade • Pacmania, Mr. Chip, VIC-20, C64 • Pac Rabbit, International Publishing & Software, ZX81 • Plaque Man, HCS, Atari 8-bit, C64 • Power Blaster, Romik, VIC-20 • Preppie! II, Adventure International, Atari 8-bit • Rubbish Monster, Data Becker, C64 • Scooby Doo's Maze Chase, Mattel, Intellivision • Scrambled Egg, Technos, Arcade • Snakman, Microdigital, VIC-20 • Supercuda, Comm*Data, C64 • Trashman, Creative, C64 • Traxx, Quicksilva, VIC-20, ZX Spectrum • Van-Van Car, Karateco, Arcade • Zappy Zooks, Romik, C64 • 1984 • Devil World, Nintendo, NES • Ghost Gobbler, Orwin Software, ZX Spectrum • Ms. Maze, Tom Mix, Tandy CoCo • Munch Mania, Mastertronic, C64 • Oh Shit!, Aackosoft, ZX Spectrum • Pirate Ship Higemaru, Capcom, Arcade • Spatter, Sega, Arcade • Spriteman 64, Interceptor, C64 • Squirm, Mastertronic, C64 • Z-Man, ZX Spectrum, DJL Software • Zulu, Silverbird, C64 • 1985 • Floppy-Eater!, Floppy Magazine 64, C64 • Fruit Pickin', P.F. Software, Atari 8-bit • I'm Sorry, Sega, Arcade • Taxicab Hill, Antic Software, Atari 8-bit • 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, Commodore Magazine, C64 • Mango, Blue Ribbon, BBC Micro • Pac-Mania, Namco, Arcade • 1988 • Knicker-Bockers, StarSoft, Atari 8-bit • Mad Mix, Topo Soft, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Atari ST, others • Snowplow, 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, CoCoPro, Tandy CoCo 3 • Perplexity, Superior, BBC Micro, Acorn Electron • Trog, Midway, Arcade • 1991 • Jungle Jim, Energize, Amiga, Atari ST • 1992 • GobMan, Shareware, MS-DOS • 1993 • CD-Man, Creative Dimensions, MS-DOS • Mean Arenas, Nite Time, Amiga • Tinkle Pit, Namco, Arcade • 1995 • Go! Go! Mile Smile, Funki, Arcade • 1996 • Bubble Trouble, Ambrosia, Mac • Pac-Man Arrangement, Namco, Arcade • 1998 • 3D Maze Man, eGames, Windows • 2006 • Pac the Man X, McSebi, OS X • 2010 • Pac-Man Championship Edition DX, Namco, Xbox 360, PS3, Windows

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 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 • Amidar, Stern, Arcade • 1982 • Blade Runner, Wizardsoft, C64 • Demolition Herby, Telesys, Atari 2600 • Jeepers Creepers, Quality, Atari 8-bit • Jolly Jogger, Taito, Arcade • Kid Grid, Tronix, Atari 8-bit • Macho Mouse, Techstar, Arcade • Radar Zone / Out Line, Century, Arcade • Pepper II, Exidy, Arcade • Time Runner, Funsoft, TRS-80 • Triple Punch, KKI, Arcade • 1983 • Colour Clash, Romnik, ZX Spectrum • Cuthbert Goes Walkabout, Microdeal, Dragon, CoCo, C64, Atari 8-bit • Gridder, Microdigital, VIC-20 • Potty Painter in the Jungle, Rabbit, C64 • Rollin, Atlantis, C64 • Spiderdroid, Froggo, Atari 2600 • Super Gridder, Terminal, C64 • 1984 • Crazy Tracer, Acornsoft, Acorn Electron, BBC Micro • Hooper, Calisto, C64 • Oh Mummy, Gem, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum • Pesky Painter, Supersoft, C64 • Rollo and the Brush Bros., Windmill, MS-DOS • 1986 • Gapper, freeware, MS-DOS • Panel Panic, Aackosoft, MSX • 1999 • Live Wire!, SCI, PlayStation