{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]],"date-time":"2026-07-31T20:07:31Z","timestamp":1785528451470,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,10]],"date-time":"2024-09-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1725926400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Application of VR technology and neural networks in the field of computer security and digital forensics","award":["NPOO2024-1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NPOO2024-1"]}]},{"name":"Ministry of Science, Education, and Youth through EU funding (Recovery and Resilience Facility)","award":["NPOO2024-1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NPOO2024-1"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Algorithms"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study evaluates several maze generation algorithms applied to generate mazes in a game-based Android mobile application designed to support children in learning basic programming concepts and computational thinking. Each algorithm is assessed for its ability to generate solvable and educationally effective mazes, varying in complexity and size. Key findings indicate that Wilson\u2019s and Aldous\u2013Broder algorithms were identified as the most time inefficient. In comparison, Sidewinder and Binary Tree algorithms perform best for smaller mazes due to their straightforward traversal methods. The Hunt-and-Kill and Recursive backtracker algorithms maintain higher ratios of longest paths, making them suitable for the more complex maze generation required for advanced game levels. Additionally, the study explores various maze-solving algorithms, highlighting the efficiency of the recursive algorithm for simpler mazes and the reliability of Dijkstra\u2019s algorithm across diverse maze structures. This research underscores the importance of selecting appropriate maze generation and solving algorithms to balance generation speed, path complexity, and navigational characteristics. While the study demonstrates the practical applicability of these algorithms in a mobile educational application, it also identifies limitations and suggests directions for future research.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/a17090404","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,10]],"date-time":"2024-09-10T05:53:03Z","timestamp":1725947583000},"page":"404","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["A Comparative Study of Maze Generation Algorithms in a Game-Based Mobile Learning Application for Learning Basic Programming Concepts"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7262-7203","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mia","family":"\u010carapina","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Information Technology and Computing, Zagreb University of Applied Sciences, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ognjen","family":"Stani\u010di\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Information Technology and Computing, Zagreb University of Applied Sciences, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3005-9949","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ivica","family":"Dodig","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Information Technology and Computing, Zagreb University of Applied Sciences, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"},{"name":"Multimedia, Design and Application Department, University North, 42000 Vara\u017edin, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9105-6699","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Davor","family":"Cafuta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Information Technology and Computing, Zagreb University of Applied Sciences, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"},{"name":"Multimedia, Design and Application Department, University North, 42000 Vara\u017edin, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Matthews, W.H. 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