Maze+ Twists And Winds Its Way Into The App Store
Maze+ ($1.99) by Secret Headquarters, Inc sports the best, and prettiest, 3D maze solving experience currently available on the iPhone and iPad.
The game’s rich gameplay, heaps of unlockable content, and online multiplay focus makes it an engaging experience, even if the player community is currently a bit lacking.
Maze+ lets players solve large, 3D mazes in a hurry. The app comes with three different courses, ranging from small to giant with gorgeous, cartoon-like graphics. As players wind their way through a maze, they collect gems that can be redeemed for in-game cash. This cash can be traded in for various items, like hats, clothes, and new levels.
There’s a training mode to get new players familiar with Maze+’s gameplay, but the real focus here is the online Game Center multiplayer. Users start up the matchmaking service and wait for an opponent to square off against.
Once an opponent has been found, both players race to beat each other to the large gem at the end of the maze. The winner takes all, redeeming their spoils for in-app money.
It’s a neat and challenging concept, and one that’s quite engaging, once it’s finally up and running. Sadly the list of available players is somewhat lacking, as I often waited five to 15 minutes to find an opponent. Impatience aside, this just means there aren’t enough people online and waiting to play.
This wouldn’t be a problem, if only Maze+ offered a more robust single player experience. The training mode is meant almost exclusively as a tutorial, and proves boring after only one run-through.
Likewise, unlocking new content is incredibly difficult without playing online, as that’s where the real cash is. New levels must be purchased using the in-game economy, which can be supplemented via in-app purchase, but this hardly feels fair. Considering Maze+ costs $1.99 as it is, I don’t feel I should have to pay even more to play the game on my own.
That being said, the online play is truly competitive and quite a blast when it’s finally rolling. I also greatly enjoyed the option to deck my avatar out with customized clothing and apparel. It’s an engaging gameplay mechanic, and it’s a shame the population simply isn’t large enough yet to support it.
If you’re a fan of mazes, Maze+ will tickle your fancy to no end, provided you want to solve a few online. Otherwise, you might be better off looking elsewhere for endless right turns, dead-ends, and high hedge walls.
