MAZE CORE

A claustrophobic procedural maze runner built for GitHub Game Off 2025

FULL SCREEN IN REQUIRED!

MAZE CORE is a fast, atmospheric maze-survival game built entirely in one self-contained HTML file — no external assets, no libraries, no dependencies. Just pure handcrafted HTML5 canvas, CSS3, and JavaScript.

Every run drops you into a fresh, procedurally-generated maze packed with hazards, invisible walls, and shifting pathways. Your only tools are movement, sonar, and your instincts. The deeper you go, the faster the maze begins to turn against you.

To break the rhythm — and prove the engine’s range — the game also features a seamless 3D rotation mode, a stylish showpiece moment that transforms the maze into an isometric space you can physically rotate. It’s a breather, a flex, and a way to reset your nerves before the next descent.

Features

• Infinite procedural mazes

  Every run is new. No patterns. No memorisation. Survive on your wits alone.
  

• Zero dependencies — literally

  One monolithic HTML file: code, art, renderer, audio logic, everything.
  

  Play it anywhere a browser exists.

• 2D pressure, 3D flair

  Switch into a full 3D rotation scene — a visual punch that breaks the tension without breaking the engine.
  

• Sonar scanning system (WAVES)

  Reveal just enough of the maze to stay alive. Too much reliance gets you killed.
  

• Tight touch + keyboard controls

  Designed to run identically across desktop, mobile, handheld emulation browsers, and even embedded webviews.
  

• Tiny footprint, huge atmosphere

  No loading screens. Instant start. Minimalist visuals with high-contrast readability.
  

How to Play/ Controls

Whether you are on your computer or tapping away on your phone, the game actually changes how you control it depending on if you are in the normal 2D Maze or the secret 3D Hyperspeed Mode (Level 5+).

Here is your pilot's manual!

 For PC Players (Keyboard)

You have the most precision here! You can use either the Arrow Keys or WASD.

Phase 1: The Maze (2D Mode)

• Move Around: Use Arrow Keys or W / A / S / D.

• Sonar Ping: Hit SPACEBAR.

• Pro Tip: Use this to see invisible walls! But don't spam it, or it will overheat (recharge time).

• Pause / Map: Click the on-screen START button with your mouse.

Phase 2: Hyperspeed (3D Mode)

Once you hit Level 5, the game turns into a first-person shooter style view!

• Move Forward/Back: Up / Down (or W / S).

• Turn Left/Right: Left / Right Arrow Keys.

• Strafe (Side-Step): A and D.

• Why this matters: Use "A" and "D" to dodge enemies sideways without losing your aim!

 For Mobile Players (Touch)

The game creates a virtual Game Boy-style controller on your screen.

Phase 1: The Maze (2D Mode)

• Move: Use the D-Pad (Cross button) on the bottom left.

• Sonar Ping: Tap the big Red Button on the right.

• Friendly Warning: Watch the little green bar under your score; that's your Sonar battery!

Phase 2: Hyperspeed (3D Mode) - IMPORTANT! ⚠️

The controls shift slightly here so you can move and look around at the same time.

• Move & Strafe: The D-Pad now controls your body.

• Up/Down walks forward/back.

• Left/Right steps sideways (strafing).

• Look / Turn: The Red Sonar Button becomes your steering wheel! 

• Tap the Left side of the button to rotate left.

• Tap the Right side of the button to rotate right.

Universal Controls

• Start Button: Pauses the game (and shows the map in 2D mode).

• System Menus: Use Up/Down to pick options and Space / Sonar Button to confirm.

Good luck, Pilot! Watch out for those red enemies! 👾

Why This Exists

MAZE CORE is a technical challenge wrapped in a minimalist game:

How much tension, style, and replayability can you squeeze out of one file with zero external dependencies?

It’s an experiment in restriction — and an attempt to push pure browser tech as far as it can go.

Made For

GitHub Game Off 2025 – “Wave/s”

The game is built from a single piece, but the experience unfolds in distinct mechanical modules:

2D navigation → scanning → rotation → reset.

Every layer supports the next, creating a loop that feels continuous but structurally modular.