Blackout is a text-based game. This genre was mostly present during the ’70s and ‘80s when technology was limited. The level design features labyrinths/mazes as the principal gameplay element. Download the game for free by clicking on the button below.

Players are given a certain amount of input options to direct the character in the direction they want to go. Levels are played out in a dungeon like-map, where you can move North, South, East, or West. A textual description of the room you are currently in will be displayed on the screen. Read the text carefully to either solve a puzzle or move to an adjacent room.

Interact with particular objects by inputting commands. Write verbs such as TAKE, USE, EXAMINE, and writing down the NOUN you want to interact with. You can also write INVENTORY or to view what items you currently have. Type GO accompanied by North, East, South, or West to head in that direction. Press ESC to open the Menu to either Resume, Restart, or Quit Lights Out.

The way to play is by paying attention to the text displayed and creating mental maps. It’s a simple and slightly challenging game suited for all ages. You can complete Lights Out in less than five minutes, but it can take you thirty minutes to one hour to solve if you’re not familiar with video games.

Text-based games were most prominent during the ’70s and ‘80s when technology and animation were limited. During that time, writers purchase a computer and program their own stories into text-based games. People who enjoyed reading could now take their entertainment to the next level by playing interactive novels.

Are you good at finding your way around a city, or do you get lost when driving? Spatial intelligence is “the ability to generate, retain, retrieve, and transform well-structured visual images.” It’s what we do when we visualize shapes in our “mind’s eye.”

Text-based games improve your spatial intelligence by creating mental maps of a level layout. If you have difficulty understanding the underlying architecture of a video game, text-based games are among the best places to start. Users are stripped of any visual imagery and must use their imagination. You also enhance your skills in linguistics, grammar, and problem-solving.

Blackout is the first game I, Edward Ota, ever programmed. Help me become a better game designer by downloading Blackout and letting me know what you think about it. You can also find a map for the level design provided in the link below.