The classic roller ball game

When I was a kid, I vaguely remember having a small wooden board with pane of glass over it, some holes in the board and a silver ball which you had to navigate through a maze without it falling down the holes.

In the end, I think I gave up, smashed the glass and used my hand to place the ball where I wanted it. That’s not so easy with Labyrinth which emulates the classic game in what the developers call “an exhilarating game of manual dexterity.” While exhilarating might be pushing it, dexterity and a steady hand on the mouse is needed in bounds to get your ball through the maze without falling down a hole.

There are actually various scenarios you can choose from in Labyrinth – 80 of them in all and not all involving holes – but the hardest ones inevitably involve the holes. To roll your ball through the mazes you must move the board, up and down, left and right. Note that not all holes are bad – some are “friendly” which means you pop out the other side and continue playing. If you do get bored or want to really annoy a friend, there is a maze editor which allows you to construct your own and then share them. However, the editor is rather basic allowing you add nothing much but corners and yes, holes.

Labyrinth is fun although if you’re a bit of a clutz like me, incredibly frustrating until you either throw your mouse across the room or smash your screen – whichever comes first.