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Game Info

Cratermaze Cover Art

Not rated

Platform
TurboGrafx-16
Genres
Action
Player Perspective
Top-down
Developer Companies
Nichibutsu
Publishers
Hudson Soft
Release date
31 December 1990

Summary

Cratermaze landed on the TurboGrafx‑16 with the original Hudson Soft art intact, giving Western players a glimpse of the Japanese “Booby Kids” series. From an overhead view you control a kid who can dig instant booby traps and drop enemies into fresh pits, then finish them off with wacky weapons like a yo‑yo, a freeze beam or a bubble gun. The 60‑plus stages aren’t just maze‑like; they drift through time – you start in a prehistoric jungle, march into feudal Japan, swing past a World War II battleground, zip through a modern city, and even crash into a neon‑lit future. Hidden bonuses sprinkle each era, rewarding you with coconuts, scrolls, radios, money bags or computer monitors. It feels like a puzzle‑runner wrapped in a colorful arcade skin.

Storyline

Cratermaze (often just called Crater Maze) thrusts you into a wild rescue mission. The evil Kublai, ruler of Zenzombie Land, has kidnapped four of your friends while you were soaring through time on a magic carpet.
Your only option is to dive into a sprawling labyrinth teeming with monsters, racing against the clock to free each captive. Every twist of the maze brings new hazards, and the frantic pace forces you to keep moving or be caught. The game’s frantic chase through monster‑filled corridors captures the classic TurboGrafx‑16 challenge of quick reflexes and daring strategy.

Edited by Maya Carter

Game Screenshots

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