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Zenji

ColecoVision

ColecoVision

Zenji is an action/strategy game where you control a rolling face throughout a maze. Each section of the maze can be rotated by the face. The goal is to turn the entire maze green by connecting each section of the maze to the source at the center of the screen. After all sections of the maze have...

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Developer
Activision

Released on
1984

Size
1–2 Players

Version
ColecoVision

Requirements
ColecoVision

Downloads
Action

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Zenji is an action/strategy game where you control a rolling face throughout a maze. Each section of the maze can be rotated by the face. The goal is to turn the entire maze green by connecting each section of the maze to the source at the center of the screen. After all sections of the maze have been connected, you can move on to the next, more challenging level. In addition to having a time limit to complete your task, you need to avoid the flames and sparks which wander about the maze. From time to time a number will appear in a maze section and count down from 9 to 0. If you touch the number before it disappears, bonus points are earned. As the levels progress, the mazes become larger, trickier and more flames will appear.

Zenji

Overview & History

Released in 1984 by CBS Electronics for the ColecoVision, Zenji is a uniquely meditative yet frantic puzzle game designed by Matthew Hubbard. Diverging from the standard shoot-'em-up fare of the era, the game places players in the role of a robed mystic navigating abstract, neon-drenched mazes. The overarching storyline tasks your character with restoring cosmic harmony by untangling interconnected webs of glowing pathways before time runs out. Utilizing ColecoVision's robust graphic capabilities, the game presented a striking futuristic aesthetic accompanied by hypnotic, looping electronic soundscapes that set it apart from its arcade contemporaries.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Zenji’s gameplay revolves around manipulating maze segments displayed on a grid. The player must slide and rotate individual track pieces to form continuous, unbroken pathways connecting designated energy terminals. Navigating the labyrinth requires spatial reasoning, as enemies known as "Zons" patrol the corridors, disrupting your progress and draining your limited time reserves. Clearing a board demands not only speed but meticulous planning, introducing increasingly complex grid layouts, moving barriers, and multi-layered routing challenges across its numerous stages.