Dora-Maze is an 8-bit pixel art style game development project, with simple but addictive gameplay, inspired by the image of Doraemon - a cartoon character familiar to many generations of viewers. The project aims to recreate a new, fun and interactive version of Doraemon, through the endless maze setting and the journey to find dorayaki donuts - the character's signature dish.

By combining the aesthetics of retro pixel art with a fast, simple and accessible gaming experience, Dora-Maze brings a nostalgic yet modern entertainment product, suitable for young players, especially Gen Z who love arcade games.

Dora-Maze

Project Goals

Create a short, easy-to-play, yet challenging 8-bit game.
Build a Doraemon character in a pixel art style with a clear identity, giving it a “retro but new” feel.
Develop simple, accessible gameplay suitable for mobile or web platforms.
Focus on the “play fast – have fun – want to play again” experience.

Concept and Story

In Dora-Maze, the player takes on the role of Doraemon, who is lost in a constantly rotating maze, where every corner has attractive donuts but at the same time, there are hidden dangers. The main goal of the character is:
Collect as many donuts as possible to increase points;
Avoid or escape from the eternal enemy - the mouse, which always makes Doraemon terrified.
The plot is humorous - light, focusing on quick experiences instead of long-term progression, in the spirit of classic arcade games.

How to play

Players control Doraemon to move in the maze using the arrow keys or swipe the screen.
The maze is randomly generated (procedural generation) each time you play, creating a new and unique experience.

Gameplay elements

Donuts: Increases the score, while also slightly increasing Doraemon's speed, adding more challenge.
Mouse: Chases Doraemon in the maze; the longer you play, the faster the mouse's speed.
Mini treasures (power-ups):
Speed ​​up: Helps Doraemon run faster for 3–5 seconds.
Invisibility: Makes the mouse temporarily invisible to Doraemon.
Freeze: Slows down or stops the mouse's movement.

Difficulty increases gradually according to:

Playing time increases
Mouse speed increases
The density of walls in the maze is more complex
Donuts appear in harder-to-reach locations