The Maze

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING ⚠️

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The subject of this article contains potentially sensitive content that may be discomforting or upsetting to certain users. Viewer discretion is advised.

Reason: Major jumpscare with minor body horror.

The Maze (commonly referred to as the Scary Maze Game) is a browser game developed by Jeremy Winterrowd in October 2004, which was later released on his website in 2005. The game purports to be a simple maze game containing four levels, but jumpscares the player near the end of the third level.

Gameplay

Level 3

The Maze is a simplistic maze game where the player must use their mouse to move a tiny blue dot through a series of mazes, with the paths becoming increasingly narrow throughout the levels. Touching a wall will return the player to the title screen, forcing them to start from the beginning. Near the end of Level 3, the path becomes incredibly narrow, encouraging the player to concentrate on the screen. As the player nears the end of the level, a picture of Regan MacNeil from the horror movie The Exorcist appears on the screen with two loud screams, along with a set of links and the option to replay the game.

Level 4

One supposed "Level 4"

Although the game is designed to end during Level 3, the mention of a fourth level on the game's title screen led to theories that such a level may truly exist, if the jump scare were to be somehow bypassed. A video released on YouTube on 19 October 2008 for example instructs the player to right click the screen during Level 3, and move the cursor to the goal to bypass the jump scare and access a fourth level. The video does not show the level being completed, as the player's cursor is shown to touch one of the walls near the start of the level which returns the player to the title screen.

Another supposed "Level 4"

Another video released on YouTube on 24 November 2008 shows the cursor cutting the corner at the point where the screamer appears, and accessing a fourth level which returns the player to the title screen after completion with the message "care to try a little bit faster this time?"

In reality, any claims of the existence of a fourth level are merely hoaxes - while it is possible to move the cursor past the walls by right-clicking, the goal at the end of Level 3 is non-functional. Touching any point after the first left turn in the final section of the level, including the goal area, will trigger the jump scare.

Gallery

Level 1

Level 2

Ending