This is one of those classic franchises that are trotted out with every new generation, but Southend put the effort in to make this a really nice package for fans. All the bases are covered: single-player missions, competitive and cooperative multiplayer, puzzle stages, survival mode, and an extensive level editor. Southend can't take credit for the enduring appeal of Lode Runner, but it is emerging as one of the most able developers working on XBLA thanks to the care it puts into its projects.
Presentation - 8.5
Graphics - 7.0
Sound - 5.5
Gameplay - 8.0
Lasting Appeal - 8.5
Overall -
Before Super Mario Maker, there was this 1983 personal computer classic.
I remember playing this on the VIC-20. Fun game but I never did finish it though.
A great game. There was a cool remake by Sierra in 1994 for Windows and Macs (also released on PS1 and Saturn) which had nicely detailed animation and environmental sounds. I remember being sucked into that one for hours as a kid, creating fiendish levels my friends didn't want to play.
NLife:
"Broderbund's Lode Runner is a challenging puzzler that, unfortunately, hasn't aged particularly gracefully. Originally released in 1983 on computers like the Apple II and the Commodore 64, Lode Runner feels dated, even for an NES game. It's easy to see the reason Lode Runner was released on so many different platforms over the years — there's a wealth of gameplay with clever level design and a level editor — but there's nothing here that offers anything that today's gamers haven't seen before. Games like Spelunky have expanded greatly on Lode Runner's gameplay; as such, this is only recommended for gamers who want to take a trip back in time to see what we've learned from the classics."
Douglas E. Smith, creator of Lode Runner, has regrettably passed away.
