New Sideways
Description
Everyone knows how this myth ends. Athens sends its tributes into the labyrinth, a hero follows, and the beast dies in the dark. This time, you're on the monster's side.
MinoTawrD is a roguelite tower defense set inside the labyrinth of Crete. You play Icarus, son of Daedalus, the architect who built it. Place your towers on the walls of an ever-shifting maze and keep the Minotaur alive as Athens sends tributes, then soldiers, then things that were never part of the story at all.
The tale is told by an old poet who can't quite remember it right. Every run is a new retelling, with a new maze, new cards and new mistakes. When the beast falls, the poet just shrugs:
"No, no… that's not how I remember it."
Features
- Defend the monsterThe Minotaur is not just a health bar. He fights in his den, cuts down whatever reaches him, and roars when the den is clear. Your job is to make sure not too many reach him at once.
-
Build on the wallsPlace tower contracts on the
labyrinth walls to raise towers. Each one uses a blueprint and
has its own niche:
- Automatic BallistaeFast shots down a corridor.
- PetrobolosBoulders into a crowd.
- Archimedes' Heat RayBurns everything in straight lines.
- Aeolus VentA slowing gale that stacks the queue.
- The SalpinxA war-trumpet blast that dazzles.
- The labyrinth shiftsBetween waves the maze mutates: walls sink and rise, corridors open and close, and the plan that worked last wave may be a disaster now.
- A myth that fights backTributes, hoplites and worse. And then the poet remembers someone who doesn't belong in this story at all. Do not meet her eyes.
- Roguelite progressionEvery run is seeded and generated fresh. Souls earned in battle go to Charon the Ferryman for stones that carry between runs.
- Three acts, thirty wavesThe full game follows Athens' escalating answer across three acts, and Theseus is waiting at the bottom of the labyrinth. The demo covers the opening six waves, ending with Medusa.
Screenshots
Logos & key art
History
MinoTawrD started in May 2026 as a solo project with a simple question: what if the Minotaur myth were played from inside the labyrinth, on the monster's side? The first public demo launches on itch.io on 31 October 2026. The full game is planned for Steam, with the release date to be announced, and mobile versions will follow.
FAQ
What is MinoTawrD?
MinoTawrD is a roguelite tower defense set inside the labyrinth of Crete. Instead of slaying the Minotaur, you defend him: you place towers on the walls of a labyrinth that shifts between waves and keep the beast alive as Athens sends tributes, soldiers and worse.
Is there a free demo?
Yes. The free MinoTawrD demo for Windows is on itch.io from 31 October 2026. It covers the opening six waves and ends with Medusa.
Which platforms is MinoTawrD on?
Windows PC. The full game is planned for Steam, and mobile versions are planned after the PC launch.
Does MinoTawrD use generative AI?
Yes. The music, sound effects, ambience, painted backdrops, portraits, interface art and the voxel models behind the sprites were created with generative AI tools (Suno, Ludo.ai, Google Lyria, GPT Image) under human direction; every asset was selected, edited and placed by hand. The game's design, rules, writing and code decisions are human. On itch.io the project is tagged as using generative AI.
Who is making MinoTawrD?
New Sideways, the one-person studio of game developer Emmanouil Georgiou in Thessaloniki, Greece.
How can I follow MinoTawrD?
Sign up for email news on this page (a few emails a year), follow @minotawrd on Instagram, or join the MinoTawrD Discord at newsideways.com/discord.
Team
- Emmanouil GeorgiouFounder · game design & development
Contact
For press, review keys, interviews or events:
[email protected]
Screenshots, trailer and logos on this page may be used freely in coverage of MinoTawrD.