Magic Maze Tower removes timer for slower cerebral puzzle-solving
Take your time.
A new entry in the Magic Maze series of family board games removes the hourglass timer in favour of slower puzzle-solving.
The original Magic Maze is a board game that takes place in real-time, meaning that players will need to complete their objectives before the timer runs out. As a team of adventurers, the players must navigate the labyrinth of the local shopping centre in order to acquire all the equipment they need to go on their next adventure. However, they only have a small amount of time before the guards are alerted and they’re ejected from the shops, meaning they’ll need to put their brains together quickly to get what they need and leave.
As a co-op game, Magic Maze has players working together to navigate around each level of the shopping centre by moving their pieces around the board. Each of the game’s playable characters has their own unique ability that only they can use, such as moving in a certain direction or using a specifc passageway. However, players are only allowed to communicate for short periods of time, with the rest of the time being limited to zero communication between players. This means that players will have to be efficient and clever with their brief moments of communication, ensuring that there is a solid plan in place before they must fall silent.
A new entry in the series called Magic Maze Tower is on its way, providing players with a new collection of levels for them to tackle together. This iteration of the family board game sees the player characters attempting to break out of a high security prison tower after getting caught breaking into and stealing from the shopping centre. As their respective characters, players will have access to their own special abilities that they can use in conjunction with one another's’ to find a way out.
Just like the original Magic Maze, the new entry in the series forces players to keep their communication to a minimum and requires them to work together to navigate through various levels of puzzles. Players are not allowed to move their own character and must rely on their teammates to pick up and place their token along the board. Different characters will be able to overcome different obstacles, meaning that players will need to think carefully about who to put where.
The biggest difference from the original Magic Maze, is that Magic Maze Tower does not feature a real-time mechanic. According to a representative for the title’s publisher, Sit Down!, Magic Maze players had been requesting a version that allowed them to better focus on solving puzzles rather than rushing around the board. Whether the puzzles in Magic Maze Tower will be challenging enough to warrant the removal of the timer remains to be seen.
Magic Maze Tower was designed by Kasper Lapp, the creator behind the first entry in the series, as well as the dino creation board game Gods Love Dinosaurs and party game Fun Facts. Besides Magic Maze Tower, Sit Down! has also published titles such as Dive, Redwood and Tiwanaku.
The release date for Magic Maze Tower is set for Q1 2024.