Lode Runner

The object of the game is to collect all gold pieces from a maze of tunnels, ladders, ropes, and rooms. Persuing you is a number of monsters. The player navigates the maze with the joystick, climbing ladders, hanging from ropes, jumping off cliffs, or creating new tunnels with the blaster. Once all gold pieces are collected, an escape ladder appears. When the player gets to the top of it, he will move on to the next level -- a different maze. There are three levels per block. Each block has a different kind of monster.

There is also a timer for each level. If time expires before reaching the top of the escape ladder, the player dies. When the player loses a life, that level must be repeated from the start. When the level is finished, the remaining time is added to the score. If the level is finished in less than half of the allotted time, 2x of the remainder is awarded.

If a monster touches the player, he dies. The player has three lives with a one-time bonus life earned at 50000. The monsters can be delayed by blasting a hole in front of them. They fall in and are delayed by a few seconds. If a blasted hole fills in while the player or monster is in it, they will die. The monsters are recreated at the top of the screen so there is always the same number.

Monsters can carry gold. When they are carrying a gold piece, they will flash. They will randomly drop them. They will always drop them when they fall in a hole.

If a level is finished without entrapping a monster in a hole, the player will earn 20000 points. If monsters are entrapped but none are killed, 10000 points are awarded. Also, if all monsters are sealed into a room or pit permanently, 10000 points are earned.

A neat Easter egg: there is a hidden monster from the next block on every level where digging is allowed some levels have only stone, thus, the blaster cannot make holes. The monster can be uncovered by blasting the dirt that it is hiding in. Once it is uncovered, it will join in persuing the player. If it is entrapped, it will leave behind a bonus of 3000 to 8000 points. Its entrappment will not count against the 20000 entrappment bonus.

The sides of this game's cabinet are plain wood-grain.