GON writes: "Lode Runner is often considered to be one of the best games of the home computing era, if not all time. The game and its sequels have reached more than 20 different computing platforms, but the main concept and goals always remain the same. For the series' 25th anniversary, Tozai Games and Southpeak Interactive got together to produce a new version for Xbox Live Arcade with fancy graphics, new modes and online play (though that wondrous Xbox Live Arcade certification process pushed the game out of its anniversary year). Lode Runner hasn't lost any of its lustre on the way to the 360, but the new visual style is out of place and price tag seems particularly high."
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.
