Mazes

As a kid I was already fascinated by mazes. Just wander around in some complex set of passages. Unfortunately there aren't that many 'real' mazes where you can actually walk through. Fortunately we now have the computer, that makes it possible to construct mazes of almost infinite size and complexity. Many modern-day computer games have a maze-like touch.

Just for fun I made some simple maze games myself using JavaScript:

• Ruud's maze: a very traditional maze. Just make your way between the hedges.
• Checkerboard maze: a not so tradional maze, based on an idea published in Kijk magazine, issue November or December 1980.
• Crossword maze: apart from its dazzling appearance (slightly resembling a crossword puzzle, hence the name) still very much a traditional maze.

Technical details

Since the mazes are programmed in JavaScript, it is fairly easy to make your own modifications. You will need to download the files below. Edit the .js file to change the layout of the maze. Make your own .gif files to change the appearance.

• Ruud's maze: enmaze1.htm, maze1.js, mazarrow.gif, maznone.gif, mazstep.gif. mazback.gif, mazwall0.gif, mazwall1.gif, mazwall2.gif, mazwall3.gif.
• Checkerboard maze: enmaze2.htm, maze2.js, mazarrow.gif, maznone.gif, mazstep.gif. maztile0.gif, maztile1.gif, maztile2.gif.
• Crossword maze: enmaze3.htm, maze3.js, maz3arow.gif, maz3none.gif, maz3step.gif, maz3left.gif, maz3righ.gif, maz3top.gif, maz3bott.gif.

These mazes should work fine with both Netscape and Internet Explorer, version 4 or higher. Ruud's maze is a positive exception: it works under Netscape 3 as well (only a bit slow). I tried to support Internet Explorer 3 as well, but that was really hopeless. This browser has no onMouseOver event, and it is not possible to change images through JavaScript (there is no document.images object array).

To support Netscape 3, I had to take the following measures:

• Use <A HREF="javascript:..."> instead of <IMG SRC="..." onClick="...">. There is no onClick event in Netscape 3.
• Use document.images[...].onMouseOver = ... instead of <IMG SRC="..." onMouseOver="...">. The image object does have an onMouseOver property, but the IMG tag does not have an onMouseOver element in Netscape 3.

Links

• Think Labyrinth by Walter Pullen. This guy makes BIG mazes! I owe most of the links below to his site's links section.
• Paul Falstad's Maze: a first person perspective maze game; smooth animation makes this a joy to play.
• Doughboy's Maze: another first person perspective maze.
• The Magic Mazes at Conk: easy and hard.
• James L. Dean's 3D Mazes in Java: random top view mazes, shown in beautiful perspective. Walk through using cursor keys.
• John Lauro's Maze Maker: random top view mazes.
• Puzzlemaker: many different shapes of top view mazes, both hand-drawn and computer-generated.
• J.B.'s home page: random top view mazes, and a maze screen saver.
• Garry's JavaScript Games: both first person perspective and top view mazes.
• The Maze Game: top view mazes, walk through using the mouse cursor as fast as you can without hitting the walls.
• Eric Harshbarger's Maze Applet: random top view mazes, walk through using cursor keys.
• Robert Abbott's Mazes: some very original and challenging puzzles.
• AZM Maze: a hedge maze in classic adventure-style: drawings and descriptive text.
• Snow Maze.
• The House of the Dafodil.
• The Virtual Labyrinth.
• Manic Maze.
• Micronet Maze.
• Nacelle's Maze Page: hand-drawn mazes.
• Pat's Puzzle Page.
• Andrew Bernhardt's Mazes: hand-drawn mazes.
• Maze Mania: you'll have to visit the USA to have a go at this life-size maze game.
• Someone loves God. And now he's trying to tell us that God loves someone too. Well, his mazes are OK anyway. Try www.god.loves.someone.net and www.MAZES.com (alternative URLs: members.aol.com/thisis/god/loves and members.aol.com/TheMazeMan).
• Gaurav Singal.
• James J. Brunelle's Mazes.
• Links on Yahoo.