Lode Runner

Glorious, 1983 graphics

Released in 1983, Lode Runner was another game I never really got very far into when I first played it.  It was probably too hard at the time.  I remember getting the main idea but being unable to get past the first few levels.  I played through it this time on a C64 emulator and I was getting nostalgic before even leaving the boot screen.

Load"*",8,1

You play as a stick dude trying to avoid the guards (other stick dudes) while collecting the gold on each level.  Once you've collected them all you can escape the level.  The guards are fairly easy to outsmart, but you can easily become trapped.  They can also pick up any gold bars that they happen across, so sometimes you have to kill them to release it (or make them fall).  There are a lot of different versions out there but mine was the cassette version for the C64.

Are they supposed to be stick dudes?

Most of the levels require multiple attempts to find the pattern to beat them.  The guards are fairly predictable and you can manipulate them into going where you want to some extent.  Some of the harder puzzles really require you to think ahead, especially when you have to dig down.  You can dig to the sides of you, but not straight down, so you have to figure out where to start in order to get where you want to be.  Eventually, I managed to pass the 19 levels in my version of the game and was satisfied.  It probably took 3-4 days of playing to get that far.

Get that gold!

The game is straightforward, but challenging.  The graphics and sounds are very simple and there's no soundtrack to speak of.  The guts of the gameplay comes from the levels and how to solve each.  As such, it's got a lot of replay value, especially when you consider all the user-made levels.  It was one of the first games to include a level editor and there are, literally, hundreds of levels out there.  There are also a couple sequels if you're really interested.

Lots and lots of levels

My overall impressions of the game are fairly average.  The graphics are simple, but functional.  The sounds and music are very basic.  The core mechanics are solid, however, so it's still a playable, fun game.  The enemy AI is simple, but effective.  They don't just follow set patterns but follow you and home in on your location.  It makes things more difficult, but learning to manipulate them is one of the keys to beating the levels.  And speaking of levels, with the level editor and the dozens of official and unofficial level packs for this game, you could probably continue playing it for months.  If that's your thing, go for it... personally, I found the game entertaining for a while, but it got stale fairly quickly.  I got to level 19, which was the max for this version, and was already ready to call it a day.  Fun game, but nothing spectacular.

Bye, Lode Runner!