Jinks (USA)

Jinks is an arcade-style maze game released for the Atari 7800 in the late 1980s. Published by Atari Corporation, it was part of the console's initial wave of titles designed to showcase simple, addictive gameplay that home consoles could offer. The exact developer is not widely documented, but like many 7800 games, it was likely handled in-house by Atari's own team.

The player takes on the role of a cat navigating a series of mazes, collecting mice while avoiding angry dogs. Each maze layout changes as you progress, introducing more obstacles and faster enemies. The core loop involves moving through corridors, grabbing the required number of mice, and reaching an exit to advance to the next stage. Power-ups and bonus items occasionally appear to help clear the area or grant extra points.

Jinks is a decent example of the sort of quick-play arcade action that defined early console libraries. It's not a deep or complex game, but it has a simple charm that can still hook a player for a few minutes. Compared to other 7800 maze games like Maze Man or Kyle's Quest, Jinks holds its own with colorful graphics and responsive controls, making it worth a short session for retro enthusiasts.