Amidar
Amidar - Puzzle Classic
Amidar is a maze video game that came out in arcades back in 1982, developed by Konami and distributed in North America by Stern. It's one of the earliest examples of the grid capture sub-genre, where the objective is to claim territory by running over maze paths. The game ran on standard arcade hardware of the era and was later ported to home systems like the Atari 2600 and Casio PV-1000, though the arcade original remains the definitive version.
You control a character who moves through a series of mazes, drawing a line behind them to fill in the grid squares. The trick is to complete entire sections of the maze while avoiding enemies that patrol the pathways. If you can trap an enemy by closing off a section, you earn bonus points. The game alternates between standard maze stages and bonus rounds where you collect items for extra score.
Amidar is worth checking out today because it represents an early twist on the maze formula, predating similar capture games by a year or two. It's simple but satisfying, and the arcade version has a clean, colorful look. If you enjoy classic arcade puzzle-action games like Pac-Man but want something a little different in how you claim space, this is a solid pick. It's not deep, but it's fun in short bursts and holds historical value as the first grid capture maze game.
How to Play Amidar Online
To start playing Amidar, insert a coin (press 5 on the keyboard for Coin 1, then Enter for Start). You control a small character that moves through maze corridors. The goal is to run over the lines of the maze to fill in entire grid squares. Each completed square awards points, but enemies patrol the maze and will chase you. Touching an enemy costs a life.
The core loop is simple: move around the maze to claim territory while avoiding or outrunning the enemies. If you trap an enemy by closing off a section of the maze behind you, that enemy is eliminated for extra points. After clearing a certain percentage of the grid, the stage ends and a new, harder maze appears. Bonus stages pop up occasionally where you collect fruit or items for score.
New players should focus on learning enemy movement patterns and plan routes that let you claim large squares without getting cornered. There is no save feature in the original arcade game - just play for high score. The game is entirely in English, so menus are straightforward.
Amidar Keyboard Controls
Controls
- Arrow Keys: Joystick / Movement
- X: Button 1
- S: Button 2
- Z: Button 3
- A: Button 4
- Q: Button 5
- E: Button 6
- Enter: Start / 1P
- V: Coin / Insert
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