3D Monster Maze

3D Monster Maze

Sinclair ZX81 - UK - 1st edition.

Developer J. K. Greye Software Publisher J. K. Greye Software, New Generation Software Published 1981-12-?? Platforms Sinclair ZX81 Genres Active puzzle, Maze, Survival horror Distribution Commercial

3D Monster Maze is a maze video game developed and published by J. K. Greye Software for the Sinclair ZX81 in December 1981, the republished by New Generations Software in 1982. The game was conceived of and produced by J.K. Greye and programmed by Malcolm Evans in Zilog 80 Assembly and Sinclair BASIC and requires the 16 KB RAM upgrade to run. Unofficial ports have been made for the ZX Spectrum and Commodore PET.

In the game, the player tries to navigate a first-person maze while escaping from a pursuing tyrannosaurus rex. The minor narrative, feedback the game gives to the player as the dinosaur closes in, and disconcerting death cutscene has led some players to describe this as a prototypical survival horror video game.

Personal

Own?	No.
Won?	Yes.
Finished	Sinclair ZX81: 2024-07-23 / Commodore PET: 2024-08-22.

I like to learn about old video games for fun, particularly those that have been influential. I think I first learned about 3D Monster Maze from a review of the Sinclair computers made by The 8-Bit Guy, although I may have seen screenshots before, I'm not sure. Years later, while looking through old 8-bit computers, I remembered this game and tried it out. I found it to be a fun, but primitive and brief distraction.

Review

2	2	4	1	3

Best Version: Sinclair ZX81

Good

• For 1981, the game does a pretty impressive job of rendering a 3D maze. Even the T. Rex, though chunky, looks pretty good and a bit creepy.
• The framing narrative and description of the dinosaur's whereabouts helps add to the thrill of the game.

Bad

• Input isn't very responsive. You sometimes have to press the direction buttons multiple times or hold them down to get them to work.
• The keyboard control scheme is awkward. The ZX81 had arrows printed on the keyboard in a linear layout instead of the now-standard upside-down T. The developers should a
• Your score continues to accumulate whether you succeed or die making it pointless.

Ugly

• Ultimately, there isn't much to the game. Adding the ability to stun the dinosaur, teleport through some walls, would have added to the appeal
• Despite how primitive it is, the game still has a loading time of almost five minutes.
• Because the platform has no audio capabilities, the game has no audio of any kind.

Media

Box Art

• 

  Original release.

• 

  Re-Release.

• 

  Original release - Tape jacket.

• 

  Re-Release - Tape jacket.

Documentation

• 

  Manual - Front.

• 

  Manual - Back.

Screenshot

• 

  The usual introduction.

• 

  Step right up folks, bring your children!

• 

  Getting instructions.

• 

  Generating the maze.

• 

  Starting a new maze.

• 

  Run!

• 

  Well, that's mildly terrifying.

• 

  Went to a good cause.

• 

  Finally escaped with my life.

Videos

Review - 8-Bit Guy.

Longplay - Sinclair ZX81.

Play Online

Commodore PET Sinclair ZX81

Representation

Strong female character?	Fail	There are no women.
Bechdel test?	Fail	There are no women.
Strong person of color character?	Fail	There are no people of color.
Queer character?	Fail	There are no queer characters.

Download

This collection includes the tape files of both versions in P and TZX formats as well as the source code listing of each.

• Download (Info)

Credits

Role	Staff
Programmer	Malcolm Evans
Game Idea, Producer	J.K. Greye

Links

       

• softtangouk.wixsite.com/soft-tango-uk/3d-monster-maze - Game details.
• zx81stuff.org.uk/zx81/tape/3DMonsterMaze - Game media and source.