Lode Runner 3D

Lode Runner 3D

This week its back to the Nintendo 64 for yet another game I have no recollection of ever purchasing in another genre that we haven’t touched yet.  We have our first puzzle game and its a surprisingly good one.

First, a little bit about the Lode Runner series.  It goes all the way back to 1983, when the original game was released for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, VIC 20, Commodore 64 and PC.  It would soon find itself ported to the NES, making it one of the first third party games for the system.  The concept was simple: gather gold, avoid monsters, break blocks and reach the exit.  It was primitive and simple, but simple. It also featured a level editor, a major novelty at the time.

 

The game went on to spawn about 1.2 trillion sequels and spinoffs, mostly for the PC.  Most console games in the series were Japan exclusive, with this version appearing on the N64 in 1999.  The core premise is still the same, but its (obviously) in 3D.  The graphics are okay, nothing special but more than passable for the time.  The sound isn’t great and there aren’t too many tracks.  Also of note, the game defaults to having the FX way louder than the music, which can be jarring.  

Where the game really stands out is its gameplay. In a time where games were trying to become increasingly complicated, Lode Runner went simple.  You have unlimited time collect all the gold in the level and reach the exit.  The name of the game here is strategy, not speed or shooting everything that’s in your path.  You need to evaluate each level and its hazards, break the right blocks and use enemies to your advantage.  You can only blast away blocks in front of or behind you and you need to be careful about getting stuck.  It sounds simple, but believe me, it isn’t. 

The game has five worlds with 20 levels each.  That gives us a total of 100, so there’s a lot to do here.  You will blow through the first four or five within a few minutes, but you will quickly realize how tough this game is.  The levels are all well designed and they really make you think before you act.  However, they are also very fair.  I can’t think of any point where I when I discovered the solution to a level I thought to myself “who would ever think of that?”  That’s a big problem with a lot of puzzle games.

The game isn’t perfect by any means.  The controls are a little loose and that can become a problem when you have to make more precise movements.  The hit detection isn’t great either, which is frustrating in levels with lots of enemies.  The sound doesn’t change much and can be very droning, lulling you into a sort of fog.  The more I played it, the more I thought this was intentional.  The biggest problem here though is how badly the game punishes you for dying.  If you die at any point, you go back to the beginning of the level.  Some of these are pretty long and complex puzzles and it isn’t uncommon to complete one part, die and have to do it all over again.  I think a check point here or there would have been nice.

Overall, I think it was a great time, so why wasn’t this game more popular?  For one, gamers during this era were looking for that shiny new toy and games like this tended to get ignored.  It’s a sharp contrast to today, where people will go out of their way to play indie games that harken back to a simpler time.  Add in the fact that puzzle games tend to have a small audience and the fact that Lode Runner isn’t exactly a big name IP probably counted against it.  I found it fun, unique and challenging and recommend playing it if you get the chance.

8/10, Hidden Gem

Play this game if:

You like single screen puzzle games like Bubble Bobble

You like games that make you think

You are patient

Avoid if:

You don’t like games without buckets of blood

You need nonstop action

You aren’t patient