That red thing can be something chasing you (just not that quickly), making you restart the level if you touch it.
Make a sprint button and link it to an energy bar so that it has a limited use, making you be able to outrun the enemy.
And make levels a bit longer, just let your creativity roam around, place random blocks and paths, maybe a few locked doors, portals, this could be a very nice maze game if you try hard.