Maze games are fun because they’re combinations of action and puzzling-solving. Of course, not everyone wants to solve a puzzle, they just want to blast everything on the screen. For players of this ilk, “Wizard of Wor” was created.

PRESS FIRE TO START

When a game has the word “Wizard” in the title, it’s a safe bet to assume it’s of the fantasy genre, no? In the case of this cart, the allusion to dungeons and dragons is quite true since the setting takes place in a dungeon and it’s your job to go around blasting dragon-like creatures.

The screen is a maze setting but without any dead ends. There are two or three different mazes which rotate as you advance. You play as “The Worrior,” who is apparently a bright yellow fat guy who holds his laser rifle from his crotch. You earn points by walking around the maze shooting anything you see, namely, “Worlings” which come in a variety of colors. Some have the ability to turn themselves invisible and all of them have the power to shoot back at you, which can be a real bummer when they sneak up behind you undetected.

To aid in your assault is a “Radar Scope” at the bottom center of the screen, which gives you a general idea of where the baddies are. This comes in quite handy since so many of them can seemingly vanish into thin air. After you kill all the enemies, a winged beast called “Worluk” will appear, but he’s the easiest enemy in the game because he doesn’t fight back (but runs like the wind). Occasionally, the Wizard of Wor himself will show up. He disappears and reappears all over the maze very rapidly and tries to shoot you. Like all the other baddies, he can be slain with one shot, but you’d better make it quickly and accurately!

Each kill gets you a certain amount of points based on the enemy and you receive a 1-Up after the first 10,000 points. There is no end to the game, it’s classic Sisyphus style.

PLAYER 1 – READY!

Initially, “Wizard of Wor” seems to be too simple of a game. It starts off with very slow gameplay and the challenge is minimal. However, each stage contains an unseen clock, because the longer you take to kill off the enemies, the faster they move. Naturally, as you advance to higher stages the pace begins to pick up faster so your dexterity will be challenged.

By the second or third stage, the gameplay becomes very engaging. The fun isn’t in blasting everything to smithereens; it’s in watching your back while at the same time attacking. So many of the enemies have the power to disappear so you must keep a close eye on the radar screen to know just how safe you are. It’s like playing offense and defense at the same time.

The game does offer a two-player simultaneous mode which would probably lead to some pretty high stages if both players were skilled enough. Even in single-player mode, having another person would really help so you could have someone watch the radar scope and tell you where to go.

The best strategy I find is to approach all the baddies from behind because they cannot turn around. They can only change course when they reach an intersection. It’s also wise to wait at an intersection and anticipate their next move. Don’t expect to come around a corner, fire a shot off and hope to dodge the monsters’ incoming shots. It can be done if the path is lengthy and the enemy is moving slow, but it’s not a wise strategy to employ due to the play controls.

JOYSTICKING

Games that are dependant upon player dexterity absolutely must have good play controls and “Wizard of Wor” delivers for the most part. Your player moves surprisingly fast considering how cramped the screen is. The controls are fairly well responsive, with your shots coming off nearly as fast as you can push the button, and the character’s movements are quite fluid.

Not that it’s perfect in the play control department, though. Firstly, the Worrior will seemingly take corners or make U-turns without actually moving him in such a way. Chalk this up to the controls maybe be a little TOO sensitive, but at least they’re not delayed. Secondly, your player moves at the same speed no matter how many stages into the game you progress. It’s expected that the enemies would speed up, but why can’t your character move just a little quicker? Thirdly, the game utilizes the classic “one shot at a time” rule, so you can’t play it as a button masher. To its credit I must praise the fact your shots fly across the screen surprisingly fast.

SPRITES & PIXELS

“Wizard of Wor” is not the most visually impressive game ever made, but it’s far from the worst. The graphics are very basic, even for an Atari 2600 game. I already mentioned how silly the Worrior looks, but the enemies look more like fish than demons or monsters. I do like the dark atmosphere of the game, which is complimented very well by the creepy soundtrack.

However, this particular cart is notorious among old school gamers as having possibly the worst screen flicker, ever! If you thought the flickering ghosts in the Atari port of “Pac-Man” were bad, wait till you see the strobe effect of the baddies here. I suppose in a way it gives the game something of a “candlelight” effect since you’re supposed to be a dungeon or whatever, but to most players it will come off as distracting.

CHIPPED TUNES

Sound and music were never used very well across the board when it came to the Atari VCS library, but “Wizard of Wor” is a very notable exception. From the time you start, it’s quite clear this game is trying to creep you out. The background music is not unlike the “Jaws” theme, which constantly increases in rhythm and pitch to enhance the suspense. When the Worluk and the Wizard appear, the music changes to an intense, alarm-like cadence to really freak you out. And the explosion sound when you beat the Wizard, along with the flashing screen is an awesome finale (reminiscent of “Missile Command,” actually).

INSERT COIN TO CONTINUE

For a game that’s essentially a single-screen field of play without much change in the gameplay, “Wizard of Wor” is surprisingly addictive. It take a little while to feel out the controls and develop a strategy, but once you get into a groove you’ll constantly want to top yourself again and again. It holds up just as well after extended breaks, making it a truly good game.

GAME OVER

I think the concept behind “Wizard of Wor,” was to take “Pac-Man” and turn the tables - making you the hunter instead of the hunted. The additional challenge of invisible enemies and playing offense and defense at the same time is what gives “Wizard of Wor” its hook.

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