Pathfinder

About this board game

Pathfinder is a two-player maze-battleships game that takes about 20 minutes to play. Released in 1974, it challenges each player to navigate an opponent’s hidden maze using memory, deduction, and carefully called-out movement.

The game unfolds in two phases: setup and play. During setup, each player uses a hidden board to create a maze from small rectangular plastic walls, then places a sitting man figure somewhere inside it. The maze is concealed from the opponent, turning the board into a puzzle that must be explored blindly.

On a turn, a player calls out steps along the other player’s maze. Movement continues until the figure bumps into a wall, revealing useful information about the hidden layout. Each player has a duplicate board for recording what they learn, gradually mapping the opposing maze as the game progresses.

• For exactly two players
• Approximately 20 minutes of play
• Hidden maze construction with small rectangular plastic walls
• Blind movement and deduction
• Duplicate boards for tracking discoveries

Pathfinder also stands out for its practical presentation. The game comes in a distinctive plastic case that closes into a suitcase, making the set convenient to store and transport.

The original German version, Sniff, included several variants. One of these added treasures protected by ditches and guard dogs, offering a different way to develop the hidden-maze concept. Whether played in its core form or explored through those historical variants, Pathfinder centers on the suspense of finding a route through an unseen maze one call at a time.