How to Play Maze Pathfinder

Game Objective

The goal of Maze Pathfinder is simple: navigate your character (the blue pulsing circle) from the starting position (green square in the top-left corner) to the exit (red square in the bottom-right corner) as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Each maze is randomly generated, so you'll face a new challenge every time you play. The maze will always have a solution - there's guaranteed to be a path from start to finish!

Controls

Maze Pathfinder offers multiple control methods to suit your preferred playing style:

Desktop Controls

  • Arrow Keys: Use ↑ ↓ ← → to move up, down, left, and right
  • WASD Keys: Alternative keyboard control using W (up), A (left), S (down), D (right)

Mobile & Touch Controls

  • Swipe Gestures: Swipe in any direction on the maze to move your character
  • On-Screen Buttons: Use the directional arrow buttons displayed on mobile devices

Pro Tip: Your character can only move into open passages. If you try to move into a wall, nothing will happen - this prevents accidental movements!

Understanding the Game Elements

Green Square: Starting position (always at coordinates 0,0 in the top-left)
Red Square: Goal/Exit (always in the bottom-right corner)
Blue Pulsing Circle: Your current position
Black/White Lines: Walls (you cannot pass through these)

Scoring System

Your score is calculated based on two factors: the number of moves you make and the time it takes to complete the maze. The scoring formula is:

Score = 10,000 - (Moves × 10) - (Time × 5)

This means:

  • Each move costs you 10 points
  • Each second costs you 5 points
  • The maximum possible score is 10,000 (theoretical perfect play)
  • Higher scores indicate more efficient maze solving (fewer moves, less time)

Tracked Statistics

  • Moves: Total number of movements made during the current game
  • Time: Elapsed time in seconds since starting the maze
  • High Score: Your best score across all games (stored locally)
  • Best Time: Your fastest completion time in seconds (stored locally)

Tips for Beginners

1. Take Your Time to Observe

Before making your first move, take a moment to scan the maze. Look for obvious paths and potential dead ends. Understanding the overall structure can help you plan a better route.

2. Follow the Wall

A classic maze-solving technique is the "wall follower" method: pick a wall (left or right) and keep your hand on it as you navigate. This guarantees you'll eventually find the exit, though it may not be the fastest route.

3. Remember Dead Ends

When you encounter a dead end, mentally note it (or remember the visual pattern). This knowledge helps you avoid repeating the same mistakes and reduces unnecessary moves.

4. Generally Move Toward the Exit

Since the exit is always in the bottom-right corner, try to make progress downward and rightward when possible. However, be prepared to take detours when direct paths are blocked.

5. Practice Regularly

Like any skill, maze solving improves with practice. Play multiple games to develop your spatial reasoning and pattern recognition abilities. Each maze teaches you new strategies!

6. Don't Rush Your First Playthrough

Your first time through a maze, focus on finding the exit rather than optimizing your score. Once you understand the basic paths, you can replay and try to improve your efficiency.

Want to Master the Game?

Check out our Maze Solving Strategies page to learn advanced techniques used by expert maze solvers, including the Trémaux algorithm, breadth-first exploration, and optimization strategies.

Ready to Play?

Head over to the game page and start your first maze! Remember, every maze is unique, and there's always room to improve your score. Good luck, and happy pathfinding!