MAZE! is a single-player puzzle game about a little blue square called “Steve” who is trying to find his way to the exit in a maze. The player must direct Steve to the exit but will find it quite difficult as they must search around to find it. Secret doors will open up for Steve to help him get out quicker, so long as the player is able to find them!
Occasional arrows can be found to help point Steve in the right direction.
Evaluation and Reflection
After both technical and user testing, MAZE! was able to be created into a much more enjoyable and immersive game than it was before. The implementation of sound (background music, sound effects, and cheering when you complete a maze), hidden doors, and increasingly harder levels improved the user’s enjoyment to a large extent. The user interface featured in the game has been a highlight for many people as it creates a more professional-feel to the game and allows the player to have a lot more freedom with what they choose to do while running the game (replaying a level, restarting, exiting, etc).
While some elements of the game are still a little lacking (player speed for example), the game has a solid base that can be built upon exponentially. An idea given during user testing that I would like to implement in the future is making the game multiplayer: having a split screen and larger maze where two players start on either end and race each other to the exit. This could make the game a lot more enjoyable as playing it on your own can be a little slow at times.
Play MAZE!
To play MAZE!, download the file above and open it in GameMaker Studio. Ensure that when you run the program, you run it as a “Test” or “Windows.” This will ensure the graphics are not distorted. Thank you!
References
Sounds used in game:
https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/gamemusic-6082/
