Wizard of Wor, an arcade game launched in 1980 by Midway, allows up to two players to battle together in a series of mazes filled with monsters. Players clear each maze by eliminating the creatures, and the game was adapted for the Atari 2600 by Roklan Corporation. The objective is for the players’ characters, known as Worriors, to defeat all monsters by shooting them. Player one controls yellow Worriors on the right, while player two controls blue Worriors on the left. In a two-player match, players can also shoot each other’s Worriors for bonus points, causing the opponent to lose a life. Team-oriented players can progress by positioning themselves back-to-back, such as in a corner, and shooting any approaching monsters.
Each dungeon features a single-screen rectangular grid with various wall and corridor formations. Both Worriors and monsters can move freely throughout the corridors. The dungeon contains doors on its left and right sides that connect, enabling the dungeon to wrap around. When a player or monster passes through a door, both doors deactivate temporarily, rendering them impassable. If the Worluk or Wizard is in the dungeon, a player exiting a door can immediately re-enter through it. A small radar display shows the locations of all active monsters.
As long as a player has at least one remaining life, a backup Worrior is situated in a small enclosed space at the respective bottom corner of the dungeon. If the current Worrior is defeated, the space opens, and the player has 10 seconds to move the backup Worrior into action before being automatically forced in.