20 Small Mazes
- February 16, 2024
- FLEB
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"20 Small Mazes" is a free, compact puzzle game featuring twenty challenging mazes. Playable with a keyboard and mouse, it caters to both PC and Steam Deck users. The game, an IGF awards' excellence in design honorable mention, offers about 1-2 hours of gameplay, with some puzzles needing English knowledge. Recent updates enhance stability and fix issues, ensuring a smoother experience.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- gameplay370 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "20 Small Mazes" is characterized by its innovative and diverse mechanics, with each of the 20 mazes offering a unique twist that keeps players engaged and challenged. Players appreciate the clever design and variety, noting that the game provides a satisfying experience within a short playtime of about 30 minutes to an hour. While some mechanics may require trial and error, the overall consensus is that the game is a delightful and creative puzzle experience, making it a standout in its genre.
“Unique maze mechanics keep you engaged, and the satisfaction of clearing each maze from the screen is unmatched.”
“Each maze has its own mechanics and some are pretty cool!”
“The innovative design keeps things interesting, and the mix of different mechanics ensures that each stage feels distinct.”
“The game offers no tutorial or hints, leaving players to figure out the mechanics and solutions on their own.”
“I can’t say that all 20 minigames resonated with me - I’d say one or two seemed aesthetically or mechanically a bit off… but other than that - great fun.”
“What I mean is that, even though simple mechanics are used, the solution is not that obvious.”
- graphics128 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming, minimalist art style that is both cute and aesthetically pleasing, often described as soft and colorful. While some players appreciate the simplicity and polish of the visuals, others note that the graphics are not particularly advanced, focusing instead on enhancing the puzzle-solving experience without distractions. Overall, the visuals contribute to a relaxing and enjoyable gameplay atmosphere, making it a delightful experience for players.
“The graphics are a delightful blend of whimsical art and polished design, all presented in charming two-dimensional pixel art.”
“The graphics are nice and simplistic, with a soft, rounded aesthetic and soft pastel colors to match.”
“The simple art style and calming sounds are quite relaxing, while the mazes themselves range in difficulty from simple/cute to mildly difficult.”
“Graphics: neat and minimalist though I wouldn't call them exactly good.”
“This game is graphically pretty simple.”
“Title sets up the story, game delivers, six year old graphics pull it together.”
- emotional60 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "20 small mazes" is characterized by a blend of nostalgia, frustration, and heartwarming experiences, with players expressing feelings ranging from joy and accomplishment to moments of despair and self-doubt. Many reviewers highlight the game's wholesome design and creativity, noting how it evokes strong emotional responses, including laughter and tears, while also providing a cozy and engaging experience. Overall, the game is celebrated for its ability to connect with players on a personal level, making them feel both clever and challenged.
“It’s a celebration of creativity and clever design, wrapped in a package that’s as heartwarming as it is challenging.”
“I laughed, I cried, I contemplated my place in the universe.”
“This was an amazing, truly heartfelt game; I wish to throw my computer freely one day after I finally finish the shifting puzzle.”
- humor58 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "20 Small Mazes" is widely praised for its cleverness and creativity, with players enjoying the unique and funny mechanics of each puzzle. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke laughter through its inventive design and quirky logic, making it a delightful experience that combines humor with engaging challenges. Overall, the game is described as a charming and amusing puzzle adventure that successfully tickles both the brain and the funny bone.
“Funny and creative puzzles with just the right amount of challenge!”
“What truly sets '20 small mazes' apart is its sense of humor and heart.”
“'20 small mazes' is a gem of a game that will tickle your brain and your funny bone in equal measure.”
- music54 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's music aspect is polarizing, with many users noting the absence of a traditional soundtrack, opting instead for ambient sounds and interactive effects. While some appreciate the relaxing atmosphere created by these choices, others express a desire for more background music to enhance the experience. Overall, the sound design is generally well-received, but a consensus emerges that a bit of music could elevate the game further.
“The soundtrack is crazy, wouldn't have beaten the game without it.”
“A hot drink, some nice music, and this little gem was a lovely treat.”
“It has some really cool ideas and is perfect for just relaxing with some music or a podcast!”
“The game does not feature a soundtrack, but instead uses ambient white noise and interactive sound effects to set the mood.”
“Very little sound effects (in fact, the end credits is basically just a thank you to people who make free sound effects to use in things like this), and no music at all.”
“There is no music in this game.”
- story54 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a mixed perception of the game's story, with many users stating that there is little to no narrative present. However, some players appreciate the emotional journey conveyed through the mazes, suggesting that each maze offers a unique experience that can be moving. Overall, while some find the lack of a traditional story disappointing, others find value in the thematic elements woven throughout the gameplay.
“Each maze tells a little story, and by the time you reach the end, you’ll find yourself genuinely moved by the journey.”
“No bugs, no bad graphics, no bad story; this right here is the perfect video game, it transcends art.”
“Plus their story is amazing as well.”
“☑️ this game has no story”
“There is no story, background, or setup to the game.”
“The story, oh the story.”
- grinding36 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 72 % negative mentions
Overall, players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game. While many appreciate the unique and engaging puzzles that avoid becoming tedious, some express frustration with certain mechanics and the need for extensive grinding, particularly for rare drops. The consensus leans towards the puzzles being rewarding and well-designed, though a few players found specific elements, like animations, to be slow and tedious.
“Rewarding, engaging, simple in design yet complex in resolution, while at the same time not tedious or too hard.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Meaningless & repetitive grinding anytime, anywhere.”
“The sliding puzzle felt a little tedious.”
- replayability30 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it infinitely replayable and enjoyable for speed runs, many others note that it has limited replay value once the puzzles are solved. Overall, it offers a fun, albeit short, experience that may not encourage repeated playthroughs unless players are keen on improving their times.
“It's a nice, hour-long experience that looks like it contains a good amount of replayability as you try and beat the game as quickly as possible.”
“I really love this one, and it is rare to find free games that have the value of replayability mixed with solid fun like this game.”
“🔲 infinitely replayable”
“Very good short puzzle game, no replayability but that's to be expected.”
“[b]Limited replay value:[/b] once you've solved all the mazes, there's not much incentive to return to the game, unless you really enjoyed the experience or want to try and beat your previous times.”
“It sure is a fun little game, it's unfortunate there is no replayability though.”
- monetization10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its transparent monetization model, featuring no premium battle passes, in-game purchases, or paid DLCs. Instead, it creatively incorporates pop-up ads as part of the gameplay, allowing players to engage without the pressure of microtransactions, making it a refreshing free-to-play experience.
“No premium battle passes, no in-game purchases, no paid DLCs!”
“It is built like that the mazes are pop-up ads and you try to remove them by solving them.”
“In an age where games often come with hefty price tags or microtransactions, this gem of a game is available to everyone at no cost.”
“It's fun, creative, short, and (a rare feature for free games) doesn't try to suck you into a vicious cycle of dopamine hits that can only be prolonged with microtransactions.”
- stability10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report no glitches or bugs, others have encountered issues, particularly with certain mazes and the slide puzzle. The developers have been proactive, releasing hotfixes for minor problems shortly after launch. Despite the bugs, many users feel the game is enjoyable, especially considering its free price point.
“Shame, it was supposed to be a little fun and creative puzzle game, but it's just too buggy.”
“Some mazes are a bit buggy, but it's literally free, so I can't complain.”
“Fun game, except when you go too fast on the slide puzzle and it glitches out.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its calm and thoughtful ambiance, enhanced by excellent sound design that contributes to a relaxing experience. Players find the mazes engaging, adding to the overall enjoyment of the game's serene environment.
“Short but sweet, a fun and surprisingly clever little puzzler that nails the calm and thoughtful atmosphere you'd want in such a game.”
“The sound design of the game is excellent, and creates a calm and relaxing atmosphere.”
“I like the atmosphere, and the mazes are actually interesting.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews; some users report it as poorly optimized, suggesting potential ulterior motives from the developers, while others find the gameplay smooth and well-optimized, particularly enjoying the charm of the puzzles. Overall, experiences vary significantly, with some players recommending taking breaks if frustration arises.
“All 20 puzzles have their own charm, and everything felt smooth and optimized. After about an hour of gameplay, if you get bored or frustrated, I recommend just quitting and finishing later.”
“Either it is very poorly optimized, or the devs are pushing this out for free to do GPU mining under the hood.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The reviews suggest that character development is largely overshadowed by the game's focus on engaging gameplay elements, such as intricate mazes, which resonate more with players than traditional narrative or character growth.
“I mean, who needs character development or dialogue when you have 20 small mazes that speak directly to your soul?”
