Pepper II

A little angel with scissors who has to circle and seal off every tile in a maze while horned little devils are on his heels — Pepper II is a maze arcade game with an unexpectedly original idea that sets it apart from the flood of similar games of its era. Instead of simply collecting dots, it's about filling in areas.

The mechanic is a fresh variation on the maze genre. You move along the edges of segments, and your goal is to „trace“ each one all the way around, thereby filling it in and scoring points. When you close off an entire field in a way that draws out a symbol, you earn a bonus. Meanwhile enemies chase you and the whole game turns into a tense race over who'll be first — you with your filling, or they with catching you.

It's precisely this idea of filling in areas that gives Pepper II its distinctive rhythm. You have to plan your route so you close off segments efficiently and don't get stuck in a corner with no escape. There's even a hint of strategy in the form of temporary invulnerability and clever maneuvering. The result is a game that looks simple at first glance but quickly pulls you in with its particular pace.

On the ColecoVision this colorful, legible title felt right at home. The console handled a clear rendering of the maze and brisk enemy movement, so the home version offered a satisfying arcade experience for anyone who liked „trace-and-survive“ games.

Today Pepper II ranks among the lesser-known but all the more charming classics of the maze genre. For fans of games in the vein of Amidar or Qix it's a small discovery — proof that even in a crowded genre you could find original ideas worth trying.

Why play: For an original maze mechanic of filling in areas, which has its own tense rhythm and sets itself apart from the usual dot-collecting games.