Escape From the Mindmaster ?-??-82

Before Starpath settled on a final name, Escape From the Mindmaster was originally known as Labyrinth.  One of the earliest Starpath catalogs features Labyrinth on a list of future titles.  This prototype only consists of one load, but unlike the later Labyrinth prototype there isn't much to do other than wander through the mazes.

There are three mazes in this version, after reaching the end of the third maze you will be taken back to the first maze.  One odd thing about this version is that instead of going up flights of stairs to get to the next level, you actually go down stairs.  This would imply that originally the player started at the top of the maze and had to work their way to the bottom to escape.  This version also features an odd circular object on one of the walls which doesn't appear to have any function.  It is unknown what this object was supposed to be or do.  The player also starts with a key in this version which is used to open doors.  The key idea was dropped in favor of the peg puzzle in the final version.

Differences

There is no title screen

The mazes are completely different

There is no Peg Puzzle to solve on each level, the player must simply find the exit

The player starts out with the key

The key is blue instead of pink

The key does not disappear when used to open a door

There are no items to pick up

There is an odd circular object on one of the walls in the first maze.  The object does not appear to do anything and cannot be interacted with.

There is no timer or life display under the directional arrow

The directional arrow is centered in the box

The player is invincible

The Sliding Force Field appears on the first maze

There is no music

The only sound in the game is when the player hits a wall

There is no Alien Stalker

There are only three mazes after which the player is taken back to the first maze

The staircase screen between levels does not show the players score

The player goes down staircases rather than up them to get to the next level

The player can go back up a staircase to visit the previous level

There are two extra HMOV lines at the top of the left side of the screen.  These two lines move during gameplay.

 

You start with the key in this version	What the heck is that?
Going down!	Maze 2
Maze 3	Maze 3 features some one way passage ways

 

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