CHOMPBOT

Eat every bolt. Outsmart four bugs. Whatever you do, don't get caught!

The maze is full of bolts, the bugs are on the hunt, and CHOMPBOT has one job: eat everything and escape!

CHOMPBOT is a fast-paced maze-chase arcade game for the ZX Spectrum Next, featuring three original mazes, four distinct pursuers and plenty of retro-inspired action.

Four Bugs. Four Hunting Strategies.

They're not all after you in the same way!

• SPARK (red): Comes straight for you. No subtlety, just pursuit.
• BYTE (pink): Aims for the spot four cells ahead of you. Keep moving, or it'll cut you off.
• QUIRK (cyan): Tries to get around to the far side of you from SPARK, working with the red bug to box you in.
• FUZZ (orange): Hunts from a distance, then heads toward its own corner when it gets close.

The bugs also break off their chase at intervals to return to their own corners. Use those moments to make your escape — but don't get too comfortable!

Turn the Tables!

Grab a flashing energy cell in one of the four corners to turn the bugs blue and send them running.

While they're blue, you can eat them for escalating scores: 200, 400, 800 and 1,600 points. But the effect doesn't last forever. The bugs flash white when their courage returns, so make every second count!

When a bug is eaten, its eyes race back to the den, where it reappears as a fresh threat.

Three Mazes. Increasing Danger.

Explore three different settings:

• The Workshop
• The Warehouse
• The Server Room

Each maze has two levels before the game cycles around again with new wall colours. The bugs get faster, and energy cells protect you for less time as the difficulty rises.

Bonus items appear during each level, from bolts and batteries to gears, computer chips, floppy discs, joysticks, cassettes and the elusive golden horn. Collect them for bigger scores and track your achievements along the side of the screen.

Can You Clear the Maze?

Eat every bolt to finish the level. Use the wraparound tunnel to shake off the bugs, keep moving, and remember: if you stop eating for too long, another bug may leave the den to join the hunt.

You start with three lives and earn an extra one at 10,000 points.

The bolts won't eat themselves. Get moving!

Game Information

Platform: ZX Spectrum Next
Genre: Maze Chase / Arcade
Players: 1
Written in: NTC BASIC
Frame rate: 50 FPS in emulator testing

Developed by Cyborg Unicorn Pty Ltd.

(c) 2026 Cyborg Unicorn Pty Ltd