Maze Runner is a free online maze game where every level creates a brand new random maze, a little bigger than the one before. Find the golden star before the timer runs out. It runs in your browser with no download or sign up, works on phones and computers, and keeps working offline once loaded.
Inspired by: Classic paper mazes and the maze games of early computers.
How to play Maze Runner
- You start in the top left corner. The golden star is the exit.
- Move with the arrow keys or WASD. On a phone, swipe or use the arrow pad.
- A glowing trail shows where you have been, so you do not walk in circles.
- Finish before the green bar runs out. Faster finishes give more bonus points.
- Each new level is a larger maze. Clear 15 levels to become a maze master.
Controls
- Keyboard: Arrow keys or WASD to move. Hold a key to keep walking. P or Esc pauses.
- Mouse: This game is played with the keyboard or touch. You can drag across the game to swipe.
- Touch screen: Swipe in any direction to run along the path until a junction, or use the arrow pad under the game.
Tips to score higher
- Look at the maze as a whole first. The exit is usually far from the start, often on the opposite side.
- Use the trail. If you see your own glow, you are going back over old ground.
- Try the right hand rule: keep one hand on the wall and follow it. It works in every maze like this.
- Swipe is fast on phones. It carries you around bends until you reach a choice.
- Dead ends are normal. Turn back quickly instead of hoping for a hidden path.
The story behind Maze Runner
Mazes are among the oldest puzzles in the world, from the myth of the Labyrinth in ancient Greece to the hedge mazes of European gardens. When home computers arrived in the 1970s and 1980s, programmers loved making them, because a few lines of code could build a new maze every time. A common way is called recursive backtracking, which carves a path and steps back when it hits a dead end. Many of us doodled mazes in the back of school notebooks and on puzzle pages in newspapers and comics. Maze Runner brings that simple pleasure to the screen.
Questions players ask
Is Maze Runner free to play?
Yes. It is free with no sign up, no download and no in-game purchases.
Is every maze different?
Yes. Each level builds a new random maze, and it always has exactly one way from the start to the exit.
How does the timer work?
Each level has its own time limit that grows with the size of the maze. If it runs out, the game ends.
How do I move on a phone?
Swipe on the maze to run along a path, or use the arrow pad that appears under the game.
How many levels are there?
There are 15 levels. The mazes grow from a small grid to a large 31 by 31 grid.