Single Screen Platform Games #17

Lode Runner (1984)
By: Broderbund / Irem Genre: Platform / Puzzle Players: 1 Difficulty: Medium-Hard
Featured Version: Arcade First Day Score: ???,???
Also Available For: NES, Game Boy, SG-1000, PC Engine, PC, Apple Mac, Apple II, Amiga, Atari ST, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, Vic 20, Amstrad CPC, MSX, BBC Micro, ZX Spectrum, Pravetz 82/82M
Download For: Wii Vitual Console, Xbox Lives Arcade, PlayStation Network, Android, iOS

I've been reviewing games here for a long time now, and a good few of them have been platform games as they're one of my favourite genres, perhaps my very favourite, but I don't think I've ever come across a game that was ported to more systems than this one. Just look at that list - I haven't even heard of one of them! Despite this, however, I never really encountered it in its day (I was still largely-dependent on my parents for new games back then, or even magazines to let me know about the games), but I still keep hearing its name after all this time so I figured it was finally time to give it a proper once-over. I had assumed the arcade version would've been the first, as it usually is, so I got stuck in to that version only to find out the game actually debuted on several American home micros first. Oops! Oh well, too late now!

The first stage is about as simple as it gets...

Systems like the Atari 8-bit, Vic 20, and Apple II were among the first to see Lode Runner back in 1983, the year before it was ported to the arcades, so it's not surprising to find that it initially appears to be a very simple game - it doesn't get much more basic than platforms and ladders after all! Stages are a single-screen in size and home to varying arrangements of them, with each also featuring several gold bars as well as some enemies. In a shocking deviation from the norm, it is your job as a nameless guy who looks like a spaceman or something (we'll call him Gianfranco for the purposes of this review) to collect all the gold whilst avoiding the terrible creatures. It's here, however, that the game reveals that it isn't quite as simple as it first appeared. This is mainly due to one... umm, simple omission, no less - Gianfranco is unable to jump!

The two buffoons at the bottom are doomed (temporarily)!

This means that, given the often-intricate design of each stage, it can be a significant challenge to get around them safely! Some do also have handrails which can help, but it's still not easy. Not only do the enemies obviously take poor Gianfranco's lives with little effort, but due to his strangely unspringy legs he can even get trapped in some parts of some stages which basically has the same effect since you then have to restart the stage. Some forward thinking along with a bit of trial and error are the order of the day here then. It's perhaps not quite as tough as I might now have made it seem though, as our spacey hero does have one means of defence. No, it isn't a ray-gun sadly, but some sort of digging implement which allows him to dig holes that enemies can fall into, much like with Space Panic - the original platform game!

Look - there's an oaf trapped at the bottom - tee hee!

As in Universal's underappreciated classic, these holes are filled-in again after a short while. Enemies that stay too long are killed before quickly respawning at the top of the stage, but just as often they'll climb out of the hole before that happens. Considering you can fall into your own holes and cannot climb out, this seems a trifle unfair! It also means they are always on your tail. They can use the ladders and handrails as you can and they are actually quite intelligent too, frequently trying to pre-empt your route through the stage and cut you off, with your location and/or direction of travel determining where they go. This can be used to your advantage, however. They might be able to climb out of the holes you've dug but they can't jump, so you can manipulate them into trapping themselves. You even get a bonus if you trap all of them! Sometimes they will snatch a piece of gold though, so be careful all are accounted for.

I can't even remember how I did this stage now...

Suffice to say, for a simple platform and ladders game, especially one of its age, it's surprisingly complex and actually requires some thought and experimentation to succeed at, especially if you're going to try and get through the whole game which consists of 24 stages. That's way less than the 150 stages the home versions have but it's still plenty for an arcade game, especially when most of them require such precise planning and timing. The controls are fine which helps, but it's still pretty tough going. Graphically it's neat and tidy but only three very similar colour-schemes are cycled through, and the music is catchy though also repetitive, but it's not a game that needs to wow you in that way. It's the challenge of 'solving' each stage that draws you in here and it's very addictive and satisfying in that regard. It has taken me way too long find that out though!

RKS Score: 8/10

Gameplay Video: here's a video of the whole game being played by one of the talented fellows at Old Classics of Retro Gaming (check out their great channel here). Oh, and don't watch if you want to avoid spoilers!