Features

• Summary: Daedalus is a program that allows one to create, solve, analyze, view, walk through, and most of all have fun with Mazes. See Windows download link.
• Algorithms: Daedalus implements every one of the Maze creation and solving algorithms described in the following Maze algorithms page.
• Feature list: See the Daedalus documentation file for a comprehensive list of features, more information about the program, as well as help on all the actual commands within the program.
• Games: Daedalus contains its own macro language, through which one can write scripts to play games or do other advanced operations. Daedalus comes with 29 sample games and applets (both Maze related and non-Maze related).
• Maze simulations: Daedalus can be used to simulate life size Maze plans on the computer. If you want to build a life size Maze, Daedalus can allow you to simulate walking through it before actually building it. If you've created a life size Maze before, Daedalus can allow you to still enjoy it after it's been taken down.
• Source code: Unlike most Maze creation software, Daedalus comes with its complete source code. This allows the programmer to see working examples of the various algorithms, and to customize the program even beyond what's provided by the macro language.
• Numb3rs: A Maze created by Daedalus was featured on the CBS show "Numb3rs". How many Maze programs can say they've been "advertised" on prime time television? ;-)

Sample Mazes

• Creation types: Standard, unicursal, no dead ends, circular, triangular, hexagonal, octagonal, spherical, random angles, true random, over-and-under, 3D, 4D, 5D, spirals, arrows, biased passages, long passages, diagonal passages, symmetric, binary tree, nested fractal, recursive fractal, cubes, word, picture, hypermaze.
• Solving: Daedalus can solve or help you solve Mazes in any number of ways and algorithms.
• Labyrinth types: Daedalus can create unicursal Labyrinths commonly used as a tool for meditation and spiritual growth, just as it can Maze puzzles: Chartres replica, Classical, Extended Classical, Cretan, Man in the Maze, Extended Man in the Maze, Custom circuits. See Labyrinth walk video.
• Creation algorithms: Kruskal's, Eller's, Aldous-Broder, true Prim's, modified Prim's, recursive backtracking, hunt and kill, growing tree, growing forest, recursive division, binary tree, sidewinder.
• Analysis: Dead end types, distance from start, distance from solution, important passages, important walls.
• GIF animations: Maze on surface of sphere, Maze on surface of cube, Prim's and Kruskal's algorithms.
• More samples: Daedalus, or earlier prototype versions of it, created all of the Mazes in the Maze Graphics section of my Maze Gallery page.

Screenshots

• Walk through #1: A 3D first person perspective view from inside the passages of a Maze, a "hedge" Maze under a clear sky. See also the same scene with texture mapped surfaces, and an animated flyover.
• Walk through #2: Another Maze, this time with different colored walls, and under a night sky with stars and moon.
• Walk through #3: Inside the passages of a three dimensional Maze with pits in the floor and ceiling.
• Walk through #4: A Maze with semitransparent walls of several different colors, and also floor markings of various colors too.
• Walk through #5: Overlooking the passages of a Maze at sunset, with a map of the Maze overlaying the scene.
• Aerial view: Moving through a Maze seen from above, in which only the nearest passages are visible.
• Overview: An orthographic 3D view of a Maze.
• Perspective view: A full color true perspective overview of a Maze.
• Escher room: Not Maze related but still created by the program: An orthographic Escher room with staircases at many angles.
• Medieval castle: Not Maze related but still created by the program: An orthographic ten story castle with towers and battlements.
• Platonic solids: Not Maze related but still created by the program: A true perspective scene of various geometric shapes.
• Perspective title: A single point perspective view of the word "Daedalus", overlaying a Maze, all created from within the program.

Simulation Screenshots

• Glacier Maze simulation: A reproduction of Glacier Maze, a wooden fence Maze in Montana. Find your way to four checkpoints in the four corner towers, going over and under bridges in the process. See also an overview of this Maze.
• Survivor Mazes: Daedalus has simulations of Mazes from actual challenges in the CBS TV show "Survivor". In all of them you race through a Maze (or Mazes) as fast as you can, finding checkpoints (either in order, or in any order) and then reaching a goal point when done.
  • Survivor Maze #1: Find five checkpoints in order, exiting when done. This Maze can be randomly generated. See also a map of the default Maze in this game.
  • Survivor Maze #2: Find five checkpoints in order, returning to the center after each. See also a map of the Maze in this game.
  • Survivor Maze #3: Find four checkpoints in any order, returning to the center when done. This Maze can be done blindfolded. See also a map of the Maze in this game.
  • Survivor Maze #4: Find eight checkpoints in any order, returning to the center after each. Weave through obstacles blocking paths. See also an overview of the Maze in this game, and a map of the Maze in this game.
  • Survivor Maze #5: Navigate an eight floor vertical Maze, finding ten checkpoints in any order, returning to the start outside after each. See also a map of the Maze in this game.
  • Survivor Maze #6: Navigate this bird shaped Maze, finding six checkpoints in any order, going to the center atop the Maya pyramid after each. See also an overview of the Maze in this game.
  • Survivor Maze #7: Navigate five Mazes in sequence, finding a checkpoint within each that yields the key to the next area. This Maze can be done blindfolded. See also a map of the Maze in this game.
  • Survivor Maze #8: Find four checkpoints in any order, exiting when done. This Maze can be done blindfolded. See also a map of the Maze in this game.
  • Survivor Maze #9: Find four checkpoints in any order, exiting when done. This Maze can be randomly generated. See also a map of the Maze in this game.
  • Survivor Maze #10: Find four checkpoints in any order, finishing when done. This Maze can be done blindfolded. See also a map of the Maze in this game.
• Corn Mazes: Daedalus has simulations of plans from several corn Mazes that existed in real life at one point.
• Carleton Farm corn Maze #1: Reproduction of a corn Maze from Carleton Farm in Washington. Find ten checkpoints in the cornfield in any order, which spell out a secret message. There is a bridge in the center of the Maze.
• Carleton Farm corn Maze #2: Another reproduction of a corn Maze from Carleton Farm in Washington. Find ten checkpoints in the cornfield in any order, which spell out a different secret message.
• Stocker Farms corn Maze: Reproduction of a corn Maze from Stocker Farms in Washington. Find your way through two separate Mazes in the cornfield. There are a couple bridges and a Halloween themed "Field of Screams".

Maze Game Screenshots

• 4D Mazes: Try to solve a four dimensional Maze with portals leading through the 4th dimension, from a first person view!
• 5D Mazes: Try to solve a five dimensional Maze, with all dimensions displayed at once and the whole thing animating! See 7D cube animation.
• Gigamazes: The largest Mazes ever created! Try to solve a Maze measuring a billion passages by a billion passages.
• Word Mazes: Also create Mazes in the shapes of words, and Mazes with solution paths that spell out a word.
• Safari Maze: A 3D simulation of a Maze containing bridges and tunnels, in which you need to hunt down four checkpoints then exit. See video of this Maze.
• Mouse Maze: Try to move your mouse through the twisty path as fast as you can, without hitting a wall.
• 3D Pac-Man: A reproduction of the old arcade video game Pac-Man, but from a first person view!
• 3D Sokoban: The Japanese box pushing puzzle game, from a first person view again.
• Dragonslayer: A Dungeons & Dragons type game similar to Nethack, but from a first person view. Slay the evil dragon before getting killed by it or other unfriendly creatures.
• Jareth's Labyrinth: Solve a giant life size Maze within 13 hours, inspired by the movie Labyrinth reproducing many of the scenes and characters.

Other Game Screenshots

• Survivor squares game: A non-Maze related game based on the show "Survivor". Move from square to square trying to run the computer players out of room before they run you out of room.
• Pentris: A non-Maze related game based on the classic Tetris, however it includes 5 and 6 square polyominoes too.
• Fractal exploration: A non-Maze related rendering of the Mandelbrot set fractal, in which one can zoom in on and render sections in 3D.
• Evolution: A non-Maze related cellular automaton involving a rainbow palette of colors flowing around the screen.
• Grippy Socks: A non-Maze related realistic simulation of mental health. You're in a psych ward, and need to find the right medication treatments in order to get yourself released.
• The Hunger Games: A non-Maze related game inspired by "The Hunger Games" book and movie. Defeat all the other computer AI controlled players before they defeat you.

Downloads

• Daedalus 3.5 for Windows setup program: 100% freeware with no registration fee! :-) 1686K self-extracting zip archive file. Runs on all versions of Windows supporting 32 bit applications, ranging from Windows 95 to Windows 11 and beyond. Comes with a copy of the Daedalus documentation file, a latest changes file for users of previous versions, info on the Daedalus scripting language, and the complete source code.
• Daedalus 3.5 raw files: The same files as in the setup program above except in a simple 1616K zip archive. No installation needed: You can run daedalus.exe immediately after unzipping.
• Daedalus 3.5 64 bit files: The same files as in the 32 bit version, except with a 64 bit executable, in a simple 1681K zip archive. No installation needed: You can run 64 bit daedalus.exe immediately after unzipping.
• Daedalus 3.5 extra files: The same setup program above except with optional extra sound and picture files to enhance the Hunger Games script. A larger 25,058K self-extracting zip archive file. These extra files are only useful if you play that game that comes with the program.

Download Links

• IndieDB: Daedalus 3.4 can be downloaded from Indie DataBase.
• SourceForge: Daedalus 3.4 can be downloaded from the world's largest Open Source software development site.
• GitHub: Daedalus 3.4 and its source code can be downloaded from the Git based source management site.
• Softpedia: Daedalus 3.4 can be downloaded from Softpedia.
• Softonic: Daedalus 3.3 can be downloaded from Softonic.
• Facebook: Daedalus has its own Facebook page.

Back to Think Labyrinth!