Arcade / Arcade - Platformer (Single Screen) · 1987

Lode Runner

Published by Atari

atarimania.com — atari-400-800-xl-xe-games-lode-runner-18565

Information

Genre: Arcade - Platformer (Single Screen)
Language: Machine Language
Controls: Joystick, Keyboard
Players: 1, Demo
Programmer(s): Smith, Doug
Year: 1987
Publisher: Atari
Country: USA
License: Commercial
Medium: Cartridge
Rarity: 4
Serial: RX8082

Votes / Statistics

Rating: 8.1/10 · Votes: 105 · Downloads: 6,068 · Hits: 20,949

Additional Comments

Cartridge conversion by Chuck Peavey.

Screenshots (6)

Cover Art (3)

Book / Magazine Reviews (1)

Atari User · July, 1988 · Rating: 8 / 10

MANY years ago when I first got my Atari 800 and 810 disc drive I bought a game from America called Lode Runner. At the time it was a disc-only game, and I used to make my tape deck-owning friends go green with envy every time I played it. For me it is one of Broderbund's greatest games and now it has been released on ROM cartridge everybody can play it. The storyline involves your exploits as a highly trained Galactic Commando charged with returning a vast hoard of gold stolen by the power-hungry leaders of the repressive Bungeling Empire. You have just discovered the enemy's secret subterranean catacombs and you must make your way into them and recover the gold. It is stored in several locations ranging from the pockets of the guards who chase you to lying on the floor or buried in the walls. You will have to dig your way into the walls to get at it – but be careful, it's very easy to entomb yourself. You have been equipped with a laser drill pistol that allows you to dig holes in the floor in which to trap the guards. When they fall in they drop any gold they are carrying, allowing you to collect it. But be very careful, if you fall down your own hole they'll get you or cover you with earth. Once you have collected all the gold from a particular level you will hear a short tune and a ladder will appear leading to the top of the screen. Climb up it to the next level. The best part of the game is that you can create your own screens. This means the only restriction to the playability is your own imagination – the more you keep designing the longer the game goes on. If you want to keep your newly-created levels you must have a disc drive attached containing a blank, newly formatted disc. Even if you don't fancy designing your own screens the 150 levels which the game features will keep you occupied for a very long time. The packaging says there are only 75 but someone has miscounted. Your lode runner can be controlled by a joystick in port one or by the keyboard. I found the latter offers more control when you're in a tight situation. To change this option press CONTROL+L at any time. When you start the game you are given five lives but if you press CONTROL+F, it will increment this number to a maximum of 255 which is more than enough. You can also alter the speed of the game by pressing the cursor left or right keys. CONTROL+A will sacrifice a life if you are trapped, CONTROL+D will toggle which direction your drill works when you press fire and CONTROL+R will end a current game. If you press CONTROL+U, it will advance you one game level. The handiest feature can be accessed at the main title screen by pressing SELECT. This will move you into the Play Level select option where you can move the joystick up or down to play any of the 150 screens. The graphics and sound effects are average and the game's strength lies in its playability. Never have I been as addicted to a game as I was with Lode Runner. Addictiveness, playability and the option to design your own screens make it a winner in my books. If you like a challenge buy Lode Runner, you won't be disappointed. Sound: 5/10 Graphics: 7/10 Playability: 10/10 Value for money: 9/10 Overall: 8/10

Comments (7)

Carl V — 30 Aug 2022
Lode Runner was my prefered game on 800XL and kept me awake most of the nights for months!! Still played recently with my 13-year son on PC and he loved it. Some games are so good they never die.
rave.N — 21 Mar 2016
XEGS cartridge (128K) creates an excellent Low Resolution Color Conversion variation on this game. I copied the color values from the popular old non-cartridge LRCC game. The older version LRCC I could only find in compressed form, not desirable, and it had a glitch in the font character "1" number one. Looks like the high score list was removed from XEGS cart, and some graphics is different such as the ladders, no better no worse, just different. XEGS LOW RES COLOR CONVERSION Edit the Display List within the cartridge, from offset $1D195 thru $1D322 : change all $4F bytes to 4E, change all $0F to 0E, and change all $8F to 8E. There are hundreds of these bytes needing work. Now there are 10 color register bytes to edit, then you'll be done with the new program. 1 $1A037 from $50 to $0A 2 $1A03C from $7D to $92 3 $1A041 from $3F to $36 4 $1A048 from $C8 to $C7 5 $1A2C1 from $3F to $E8 6 $1A2C6 from $3B to $B8 7 $1A2DC from $50 to $0A 8 $1A2E1 from $7D to $92 9 $1FC57 from $50 to $00 0 $1FC6B from $7D to $00 _done! Comments on the 10 color changes 1 precautionary 2 precautionary 3 red people, barrels, ladders 4 set the aux, not the background 5 gold numbers 6 green words 7 white ropes and barrels 8 blue bricks 9 black, during init 0 black, during init
Monk — 12 Mar 2015
Eddie, why amazed? They are very different games, some people like the tighter gameplay, not being hurt by (constantly) falling, being able to melt holes instead of just running around and collecting things, and so on. What's there not to prefer? Of course this is a deeper game with more options and less nuisances, and this game really makes you use all of your mental power to figure out -how- a level can be beat, and then actually trying to -implement- your plan. You have to react very quickly, and although the game is merciless and brutal, it's also very rewarding, when you complete a difficult level. Jumpman is just more primitive, less engaging, and more annoying in many ways. A good game in its own right, of course, but just not quite up to the par set by Lode Runner. Though "Ultimate Wizard" is better than any Jumpman version (I don't know if Atari versions exist, though, but the C64 version is brilliant - beautiful hires graphics, amazing and humorous sound world, tight gameplay, all kinds of neat traps, devices and features, etc.), the Jumpman games have their own charms. Still, Lode Runner is an instant classic - this is almost pure gameplay, though the graphics are kind of cute, being nicely animated, perfect miniature graphics that provoke the imagination nicely. I can't really understand how anyone could NOT think Lode Runner is the better game.
Michael Allard — 1 Jan 2015
Not a bad game. Never played it before on any console or system so this was a new treat for me. I never made it past the sixth level, though. Not a bad game. I recommend it. I have the XE Cart version, though, so the disk version might be slightly different. Not sure about that though so don't quote me on it.
Eddie Munster — 14 Oct 2008
I am truly amazed that anyone could prefer this game over Jumpman.
Ben Combee — 24 Jan 2008
The cartridge version was released, although by Atari later in the system's life, not by Broderbund.
Yungstar 06 — 9 Jan 2008
a very addictive game made more so with the help of an editor. and joy of joy, it's coming to Xbox LIVE arcade.