A-maze yourself

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Some games, like Snapper and Frogger, have staying power. Another sure to join the ranks of the stayers is Maze from Acornsoft.

You have just entered a top-secret installation of a rival company with the aim of stealing some secret information. The baddies are robot guards who will, of course, shoot you on sight.

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to locate three secret keys scattered around the randomly-drawn 3D maze, and place them in the indestructible iridium box (what else?). Then you can take the new key within, work your way back to the lift and elevate yourself to the next level. Once there, you are faced with an extra robot and a more complex maze.

The keys themselves are represented by different coloured squares situated on the floor. Should you happen to come across the iridium box in your travels, its position remains displayed on the plan view of the maze so that you can find your way back to it.

The maze itself isn't fancy but is very effective, scrolling steadily and without judder, and usually responding quite quickly. Pressing V supplies you with a plan of the parts you have already explored, with the robots and their respective positions shown.

When a robot approaches, echoing footstep sounds emanate, and when it appears in the corridor before you, pressing F will fire one of your three bullets to blast it to smithereens (if it hasn't already beaten you to the draw). Shooting one doesn't really make things any easier, as it is immediately replaced by another robot.

Maze has certainly become my favourite pastime for the moment, and I'm sure I'll be playing it for some time to come. And if that isn't a recommendation, then I don't know what is!

Bruce Smith