The legend returns!
The original Lode Runner is one of the true classics of the early days, standing comfortably alongside Boulder Dash and Donkey Kong as legends of gaming. This updated version manages to stick to the spirit of the original but adds to it in ways that make it more than simply a cynical re-hash and which shows that retro classics can survive the modern update treatment. As with the best games, the concept here is simple enough and requires you to control our hero Jake Peril through a series of single screen platform levels, collecting treasure and avoiding bad guys and traps. It's not exactly complex stuff but it's the sheer skill and attention to detail in the level design which makes this a classic and it's lost none of its appeal today. This new version has all the original levels plus thirty more, all with updated graphics, and with a few new traps added to catch out the unwary. There's also a multiplayer mode added in which makes the fun even more entertaining, and which is just the icing on the cake. Lode Runner is a classic and fortunately it's one which has aged very well. The updated graphics here might not be to everyone's taste, but the animation is smooth and slick, while the backgrounds are pleasing to the eye. Some might say that everything is a bit too small, and while this is true to a certain extent, it doesn't really get in the way of the entertainment. The old levels feel refreshed thanks to the new traps, so if you are a veteran you'll still find much to interest you here, while if you're a newcomer who still loves that old-school vibe, you're also in for a great time.
