ZX81 Labyrinth

The Good
ZX81 Labyrinth is another one of those maze games that were quite popular in the golden age of computing, and it is quite simple. There are no enemies to worry about; it’s just you and the maze. The front cover for the game shows players what to expect: the 3D representation of the maze. The inside cover also has some detailed instructions that span the entire page.

The game starts out by asking you about the maze dimensions, whether you want a compass and want to see the map before you start. If you choose to view the map, how long it is displayed on screen varies depending on the dimensions you set. I like the way that the maze is random each game, even with the same dimensions. The map can be called up any time during the game by pressing H. As for the compass, it is displayed in the middle of the screen. I had no use of it myself.

Unlike other games where you have to use the keys 5,6,7,8 for movement, ZX81 Labyrinth employs F,B,L,R. This means that not only are your fingers are evenly spread out on the keyboard rather than huddled together, but you won’t get confused which key moves you in which direction; you just think F takes me forward and L turns me to the left.

The game is 14K in size, so you must have a 16K expansion pack handy. You can see why; as I mentioned before, the maze is represented in 3-D paving the way for games like 3D Monster Maze. The walls look good, especially with the drop shadows. Although there are no sound effects, that is understandable given that the ZX81 has no sound anyway and a simple game like this does not need them.

When you manage to get out of the maze, you have the option of seeing what path you took. Not only do you get to see the asterisk move through it, taking the same exact path, but you are also told exactly when you used help. If you find it easy getting through a small maze, then perhaps you like to try a bigger one.

The Bad
Hardly anything bad you can say about this game, except the compass should be near the top or bottom of the screen, not in the middle.

The Bottom Line
ZX81 Labyrinth is a simple game in which you have to get through a maze with the dimensions you set before you start. There are no enemies to worry about, and you can get help if you are stuck, and even using a compass to guide you. Great for the whole family.