Summary
- Release Year: 1973
- Genres: Shooter
- Platforms: Imlac PDS-1
Maze (1973): The Granddaddy of First-Person Shooters
Released in 1973, Maze is one of the earliest examples of a first-person shooter, and it laid the groundwork for many of the conventions that would become standard in the genre. Despite its simple graphics and gameplay, Maze was a groundbreaking game in its time, and it remains an important historical artifact in the evolution of video games.
Gameplay
Maze is a simple game by today’s standards. Players control a disembodied eyeball that can move through a maze, turn left or right, and shoot other players. The goal of the game is to score points by shooting other players, and to avoid being shot oneself.
The maze is made up of a series of interconnected rooms, each of which contains a number of obstacles, such as walls, pillars, and doors. Players can move from room to room through doorways, and they can peek through doorways to see what is on the other side.
Other players are represented by eyeballs, and when a player sees another player, they can shoot at them. Players can also shoot at walls and other objects in the maze, but this does not have any effect.
Development
Maze was developed by Greg Thompson and Steve Colley at the University of Utah. Thompson was a student in the university’s computer science department, and Colley was a professor. The game was originally written as a research project, but it quickly became popular among students and faculty.
Thompson and Colley released Maze to the public in 1973, and it quickly became one of the most popular games on the PLATO system. The game was later ported to a number of other platforms, including the PDP-11 and the VAX.
Legacy
Maze is considered to be one of the most important early first-person shooters. It was one of the first games to allow players to explore a three-dimensional environment from a first-person perspective, and it introduced many of the conventions that would become standard in the genre, such as the ability to shoot enemies and to navigate through a maze-like environment.
Maze also had a significant influence on the development of other video games. For example, the game’s tile-based movement system was later used in the popular game Pac-Man.
Conclusion
Maze is a simple game by today’s standards, but it is an important historical artifact in the evolution of video games. The game’s pioneering use of first-person perspective and its simple but addictive gameplay make it a must-play for anyone interested in the history of video games.
Additional Information
- Maze was originally written in the TUTOR programming language.
- The game was inspired by the 1963 film The Haunting, which features a scene in which the characters are chased through a maze by a disembodied eyeball.
- Maze was one of the first games to use a cheat mode. In the X11 port of the game, the player running the server could see the other players’ positions on the map.
- A version of Maze is included in the Video Game History Museum in San Jose, California.
Review
Maze is a simple game, but it is also a lot of fun. The gameplay is addictive, and the maze-like environment is challenging to navigate. The game’s graphics are primitive by today’s standards, but they are still charming in their own way.
Overall, Maze is a great game for anyone interested in the history of video games or for anyone who enjoys a good first-person shooter.
Score: 8/10
Review Score
8/10
