Play Tunnel Runner Online

Tunnel Runner came out in 1983 for the Atari 2600, developed by CBS Electronics. It was one of those games that tried to push the hardware a bit further, using a first person perspective to create a sense of depth in its maze corridors when many games were still strictly side view or top down.

You control an explorer moving screen by screen through a grid of tunnels, searching for a key to unlock the exit before time runs out. The main threats are the Zots, creatures that patrol the halls; you can't fight them, only avoid contact. Later levels remove your overhead map, forcing you to navigate from memory while the walls shift and warp. The pacing is tense, especially when you're lost and low on time. It feels like being trapped in an endless, disorienting labyrinth.