One of the best games ever created is the maze. It's been played for years in many different varieties - from a well-crafted wooden box, to a puzzle drawn on a sheet of paper. It is often designed to test courage and intellect and, sometimes, one's magical ability to overcome imminent danger. Now, this game of skill and patience is available for the Apple iPhone and Android phones.

According to Greek mythology, the first labyrinth ever built was the Labyrinth of Crete. The underground maze of interconnected tunnels was designed by Athenian craftsman Daedalus for King Minos. It reportedly was so convoluted and confusing that once a person was incarcerated in this dungeon, he could never find his way out again. At that point, the prisoner would become prey to Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull that lived in the labyrinth.

Since that time, above-ground and underground mazes have been used to fight off enemies, decorate the great outdoors (the hedge-as-labyrinth flourished during the Renaissance period) and showcase indoor designs (look at floor tile mosaics, which are patterned after labyrinth designs). Even on a smaller scale, items such as pottery, baskets and textiles showcase maze patterns. And, how exciting would the Olympic sports of bobsled, luge and skeleton be if the courses were not based on the labyrinth? Like all good things that were made to last, it was only a matter of time before the labyrinth was utilized in the design of video games. Name a first-person shooter that doesn't incorporate the labyrinth into its game design and I'll show you a game that isn't any fun to play. From the first major first-person shooter, Goldeneye, to current popular games such as Call of Duty and Halo, the game survives on the protagonist winding their way through hallways and doorways. In fact, in this year's popular game Alan Wake, the protagonist finds himself in a labyrinthine maze and has to get out to survive.

But, to me, the greatest maze game ever created is Labyrinth. The wooden game of skill (the best one is made by Brio) is a classic in design and function. Using two wooden knobs to steer a steel ball through a maze without it dropping through one of the holes on the board, this simple but elegant game improves the player's concentration, coordination and perception skills while also heightening his fine motor skills. As a kid growing up, I played this game hundreds of times. And it's so well-designed, it stayed in my life for many years - from childhood to adulthood. In fact, I'd be playing it right now if my mom hadn't put it away when we all moved out of the house and then forgot where she put it! There's something so addicting about steering that little ball to its final resting place at the end of the route. While I sometimes grew so frustrated that I wanted to throw it out the window or stomp on it until it broke into a million little pieces, I never grew tired of it. Truly, there's no better game.

So, I was very happy indeed to discover that modern technology has given us electronic versions of this classic game. I just downloaded two versions of the game for my new, cool G2 Google-made Android phone and both work like a dream. The first, called Labyrinth Lite is made by Illusion Labs. The Lite version offers 10 fully playable levels and the option to create 10 additional levels from the game's Web site. The full version, available for $4.99, offers 1,000 levels.

The other version is developed by FridgeCat Software and is called aTilt 3D Labyrinth. This version emphasizes realistic physics, offers 3D graphics and comes with 224 levels. Like the Illusion Labs version, you can create your own levels. The free version is ad-supported but if you want to play without ads, download the ad-free version for $2.99. Both editions of the game - by Illusion and FridgeCat - have beautiful, smooth interfaces and offer excellent gaming experiences. While there are no knobs to twist and you can't see the platform moving up and down or side to side as the steel ball is moved around the barriers, you manipulate the "ball" by moving the phone from side to side. As you move the electronic ball around the wooden barriers, you still hear the same clunk of steel against wood. And, when you invariably lose and the ball falls into the hole, the sound it makes as it hits the "bottom" of the box is exactly the same sound you'd hear from the version made of wood. In other words, both versions replicate the playing experience almost entirely, with the exception of the knobs.

While purists will argue that there's nothing like the real thing, there are benefits to playing the electronic versions. Rather than playing the same course over and over again, the electronic labyrinths change. You can also select "Easy," "Medium" or "Difficult" levels so, whether you want a timewaster that lets you feel like the King of Labyrinths or you want to play something that challenges your focus and skill, there's a level to suit your mood. While the visceral feeling of turning the knobs and steering the steel ball is now gone, this application is just as - if not more - entertaining. The best part of playing the electronic version of Labyrinth? The game doesn't end if you lose the steel ball!

So, readers, how many of you love Labyrinth? Have you downloaded a version for your iPhone or Android phone? What do you think kof the electronic version vs. the actual wooden game? Let us know.