Tilt Maze is a free puzzle where you tilt a maze with a joystick to roll four balls into the circle in the middle. It runs in your browser with no download or sign up. Hard mode adds holes that swallow any ball that rolls over them.
Inspired by: Handheld ball in a maze puzzles.
How to play Tilt Maze
- Click and hold the round joystick to the right of the maze.
- Drag the mouse to tilt the board in that direction. The balls roll with gravity.
- Guide all four balls from the corners into the dashed circle in the centre.
- Press H for hard mode with holes, or E to go back to easy mode.
- Press Space at any time to restart.
Controls
- Keyboard: Space restarts, H turns on hard mode, E returns to easy mode.
- Mouse: Hold the joystick and drag to tilt the maze.
- Touch screen: Made for a mouse. The joystick may not respond to touch on phones.
Tips to score higher
- Use small tilts. A big tilt sends balls flying past the turn you wanted.
- Get the balls into a group first, then move them together.
- Once a ball is inside the centre circle, tilt gently so it does not roll back out.
- In hard mode, check where the holes are before every move.
The story behind Tilt Maze
Rolling a ball through a maze by tilting it is a very old puzzle idea. Pocket puzzles with small balls under glass were popular in the late 1800s, such as Pigs in Clover from 1889, and wooden tilting labyrinth boards have been on toy shelves for generations. Many Indian kids had a tiny plastic ball maze from a fair or a birthday return gift and spent hours trying to land the last ball. This browser version brings back that patient, wobbly fun.
Questions players ask
Is Tilt Maze free to play?
Yes. It is free in your browser with no sign up.
How do I tilt the maze?
Click and hold the joystick next to the maze, then drag the mouse in the direction you want the balls to roll.
What is hard mode?
Press H to add holes to the maze. If a ball falls in, you have to start again.
Does it work on mobile?
It is built for a mouse, so a computer works best.