Write the prompt around a playable rule
The example combines a visible goal, a predictable gate rule and optional rewards. The alternating-turn cue lets players reason ahead instead of testing every tile. Ask for walls and gates to use distinct patterns so the rule does not rely on colour alone. Keep the first maze short enough to demonstrate one gate crossing and one optional detour.
Original concept prompt: “Create a small top-down maze where the player moves one tile per tap toward a lighthouse. Blue gates open only on alternating turns; show the current turn colour beside the player. Put three shells on optional detours and ensure every level has a route to the exit without collecting them all.” This is a recipe for an idea, not a claim that this exact game is already playable.
Play, observe and refine one thing at a time
Try to plan a route before moving and count the turns through a gate. Check whether the displayed turn colour updates at the right moment and whether the shell detour is genuinely optional. If the player can become trapped by entering a corridor, provide a restart or an undo and make it clear what the action resets.
Difficulty can come from longer routes or gates that require timing, but introduce one change at a time. If the shortest path is always obvious, place an optional reward where it requires a small detour. If players wander because the map is hard to parse, increase contrast between walls, floor and gate states rather than making the maze smaller.
Do not add a timer before players can understand the navigation rule. Time pressure turns a calm route puzzle into a reflex test. If you want urgency, let a gate cycle create a modest wait; preserve the ability to observe and plan before taking the next step.
Playable reference for this prompt: Tide Trail. A paper boat drifts on its own through a canal network; tap junction switches in real time to route it past rocks, lock gates, whirlpools, tides, ferries and lightning to the lighthouse, collecting shells for stars across an 18-level journey map. Use this example to compare the proposed rules with a game you can try now. For your version, use this check: Should optional collectibles block the exit?
Questions about maze game prompt
Should optional collectibles block the exit?
The proposed shells are detours. Request a route to the lighthouse without collecting every shell, then verify that the exit still accepts that shorter solution.
What should alternating gates show?
Display the current turn state and clarify whether a gate changes before or after movement. Test approaching a gate on both possible states.