Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Developed by Exidy and released in arcades in 1982, Pepper II is a maze game that blends the chase elements of Pac-Man with the area-filling mechanics of Amidar. Its clever multi-screen design, brisk pace and distinctive zipper theme make it memorable, although limited variety and a steep difficulty curve prevent it from standing among the very best games of its era. Rating: 7.5/10.
Pepper II casts the player as an angel named Pepper who must “zip” closed the lines of a grid. Completing the boundary of any rectangle fills it with colour and awards points; backtracking over an unfinished path unzips it again. Each stage consists of four interconnected mazes linked by exits at the edges of the screen. All four must be completed before the player can advance, but the ability to move freely between them adds a strategic dimension rarely seen in contemporary maze games.
Two types of enemy pursue Pepper: roaming eyes that chase the player, and the Whippersnapper, which actively unzips incomplete trails. Closing certain boxes yields power-ups. A pitchfork temporarily transforms Pepper into a devil, allowing him to eat the eyes in classic Pac-Man fashion, while a halo can remove the Whippersnapper entirely. Occasional prizes provide further scoring opportunities. The result is a game that rewards precise planning and route selection as much as pure reaction speed.
The handling is responsive but unforgiving. Pepper moves quickly and tends to overshoot intersections, so successful play depends on learning the layouts and committing to clean lines. Later stages increase enemy speed and introduce further complications, such as temporarily invisible trails. Crashes simply cost momentum rather than lives, yet the aggressive AI means that a single mistake can quickly end a strong run. Extra lives are awarded at fixed point thresholds, but the difficulty escalates sharply enough that many players will struggle to progress far without significant practice.
Visually, Pepper II is clean and colourful in the typical early-1980s Exidy style. The geometric mazes and sudden bursts of pattern when a section is filled provide clear feedback, while the four-screen structure gives each stage a sense of scale. The soundtrack is sparse but distinctive, opening with an unlicensed version of Gounod’s “Funeral March of a Marionette” and punctuating completed screens with jaunty classical motifs. The overall presentation is functional rather than spectacular, yet it effectively supports the game’s emphasis on speed and spatial awareness.
With a relatively small number of distinct maze layouts and no multiplayer options beyond alternating play, repetition eventually sets in. The game also demands more memorisation and precision than more accessible titles of the period. Still, Pepper II succeeds at what it sets out to do. It delivers pure maze action with an inventive multi-screen structure, satisfying power-up moments and a strong sense of velocity, without relying on weapons or elaborate gimmicks. It remains one of the more interesting second-tier maze games of the early 1980s, and an early example of the quirky creativity that characterised much of Exidy’s output.
Developed by Exidy and released in arcades in 1982, Pepper II is a maze game that blends the chase elements of Pac-Man with the area-filling mechanics of Amidar. Its clever multi-screen design, brisk pace and distinctive zipper theme make it memorable, although limited variety and a steep difficulty curve prevent it from standing among the very best games of its era. Rating: 7.5/10.
Pepper II casts the player as an angel named Pepper who must “zip” closed the lines of a grid. Completing the boundary of any rectangle fills it with colour and awards points; backtracking over an unfinished path unzips it again. Each stage consists of four interconnected mazes linked by exits at the edges of the screen. All four must be completed before the player can advance, but the ability to move freely between them adds a strategic dimension rarely seen in contemporary maze games.
Two types of enemy pursue Pepper: roaming eyes that chase the player, and the Whippersnapper, which actively unzips incomplete trails. Closing certain boxes yields power-ups. A pitchfork temporarily transforms Pepper into a devil, allowing him to eat the eyes in classic Pac-Man fashion, while a halo can remove the Whippersnapper entirely. Occasional prizes provide further scoring opportunities. The result is a game that rewards precise planning and route selection as much as pure reaction speed.
The handling is responsive but unforgiving. Pepper moves quickly and tends to overshoot intersections, so successful play depends on learning the layouts and committing to clean lines. Later stages increase enemy speed and introduce further complications, such as temporarily invisible trails. Crashes simply cost momentum rather than lives, yet the aggressive AI means that a single mistake can quickly end a strong run. Extra lives are awarded at fixed point thresholds, but the difficulty escalates sharply enough that many players will struggle to progress far without significant practice.
Visually, Pepper II is clean and colourful in the typical early-1980s Exidy style. The geometric mazes and sudden bursts of pattern when a section is filled provide clear feedback, while the four-screen structure gives each stage a sense of scale. The soundtrack is sparse but distinctive, opening with an unlicensed version of Gounod’s “Funeral March of a Marionette” and punctuating completed screens with jaunty classical motifs. The overall presentation is functional rather than spectacular, yet it effectively supports the game’s emphasis on speed and spatial awareness.
With a relatively small number of distinct maze layouts and no multiplayer options beyond alternating play, repetition eventually sets in. The game also demands more memorisation and precision than more accessible titles of the period. Still, Pepper II succeeds at what it sets out to do. It delivers pure maze action with an inventive multi-screen structure, satisfying power-up moments and a strong sense of velocity, without relying on weapons or elaborate gimmicks. It remains one of the more interesting second-tier maze games of the early 1980s, and an early example of the quirky creativity that characterised much of Exidy’s output.
