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Labyrinth- or maze-style games are abundant on the App Store. I’ve reviewed the straightforwardly named “Labyrinth” in the past and liked it for its simple yet challenging game play. But it’s been some time since that game came out, and others have improved upon its game play. One that stands out from the rest is called Wooden Labyrinth 3D. Just don’t forget that wooden part, otherwise you’ll find another game called Labyrinth 3D. As you’ll soon find out, they are very different games.

Labyrinth 3D

Genre: Puzzle
Developer: Nabil Chatbi
File Size: 19.1 MB
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Requirements: iPhone 2.0+ software
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch
Rating:
Price: $.99

Labyrinth 3D is a game for the iPhone. No, it’s not the Labyrinth we’ve all come to love, it’s not an updated 3D version of it either, and it’s also not the Wooden Labyrinth 3D game that you likely searched for but instead stumbled upon this. No, this is something completely different. It’s a labyrinth, or maze, game in 3D. Think of yourself as a giant black marker looking for the end of the maze, or perhaps you are the lab rat searching for cheese at the end of the maze.

First off, the cheese is a lie, but the whine is free. Second, this game sucks. I’m sorry, I just had to say it. It’s not that it can’t handle 3D, because it can. It’s not because it’s a terrible game; it just needs something more. There are many reasons why this game isn’t worth your dollar.

Let’s begin with how short it is. I spent more time writing this article than playing the game, much more. There are less than 30 minutes of gameplay, not to mention these aren’t challenging or rewarding minutes.

What little time I did spend playing this game wasn’t horrible. The controls are decent; tilt to move back or forward and lean to steer, just like you’d expect. Unfortunately, the game is a little like those mazes your mother would give to you to screw around with when you were 7. This game is not skill based, and you’re not likely to get much better at it with time. It’s more of a guess and check thing, not unlike math, women, and the economy.

There are three levels in each of three ranks of difficulty (for lack of a more appropriate term). The ultimate goal in this game is to find the fire, which gives off smoke to indicate its relative location. So, harder levels are lower the ceiling, with the hardest effectively making the game like crawling through air vents above your school trying to find your way out of detention. But unlike how you remember crawling through the vents, this has strange music playing, instead of that awesome stuff you listen to.

Until this game gets more levels, I have to steer you clear, even at $.99. I wouldn’t be surprised if this game actually makes itself worthwhile, though; it has a decent 3D engine, it just doesn’t use it to its advantage with compelling gameplay and enough levels. Heck, would it be that hard to make a random level generator, or maybe a level creator/importer based on black and white images? Free ideas ideas for the taking, it’s what I do.

Wooden Labyrinth 3D

Genre: Puzzle
Developer: Elias Pietila
File Size: 7.7MB
Version Reviewed: 1.1
Requirements: iPhone 2.1 software
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch
Rating: 4+
Price: $3.99

Wooden Labyrinth 3D is a lot like the game you’ve likely come to enjoy on the iPhone, called Labyrinth, only better. It takes the best of that gameplay and upgrades the graphics to 3D, complete with simulated perspective tilting to make it seem like the screen actually has depth. It’s an amazing game that is amazingly fun.

From the moment the game loads the menu system, you’ll be grinning at the way it handles 3D. The camera and lighting adapt based on the direction you tilt the iPhone to make it seem like you’re really holding a miniature wooden maze in the palm of your hand. This works very well with the fast 3D graphics. You won’t be finding any lag or dropped frames here.

The best way to really see all of this is with a video, so here you are.

There are some settings in this game, which I think is great for players of all skill levels. You can control the amount of friction and sensitivity. This basically equates to how fast the marble moves and how fast you can move the table. These are great options for someone just beginning, or with tremors.

I think it’s best to start this game with the default beginning levels. They’ll teach you the things that you can do with the game. Obviously, you can tilt to move the marble around, but in some levels, you can “shake” the iPhone to jump.  It’s more of a sudden motion with your fingers than a full shake actually. This will enable you to jump over short walls or gaps. You can tell when something like this is right. Instantly after jumping the first time I wondered why the original Labyrinth game on the iPhone didn’t have this. Brilliantly simple.

After you play through the instructional levels, which are fun, you can pick from a number of others, which are organized by sets. Right now, there are over 150 levels, with many more to come. How’s that? Well, the developer just released a level editor to the public, which scores huge points with me. I haven’t tried it out yet, but I’m really hoping it has support for oblique walls. I’m doubting it will, but if it did, this would be the end-all-be-all Labyrinth game on the App Store.

I love it when developers give you the chance to test out their stuff for free, and this is one of those developers. Unless you’re throughly convinced you should buy this game, try out the Wooden Labyrinth 3D Free.  But let’s be honest, I’ve already sold you?