Lode Runner Legacy for Nintendo Switch is a modern day take on a classic series that has changed little since its introduction 35 years ago. This isn’t a bad thing- when you have a winning formula that spans generations, you don’t need to switch up your core game play at all. Many legendary titles such as Pacman, Space Invaders, Centipede, Tetris, and Frogger have stuck true to this formula, and Lode Runner has followed suit, albeit on a much quieter path. While the series has seen releases across multiple platforms at least once per generation since its debut, none have had as much content, nor been as pretty.
Playability
The Lode Runner series has always been an interesting platformer game in that you cannot jump. You have the ability to dig out blocks to your left or right (using the Y and A buttons, respectively), and there are ladders and bars placed around the level to help you get around and over. Not being able to jump really lets the level design shine, and not allowing you to dig straight down presents many opportunities for you to have to stop and really think about what you’re trying to accomplish and how to go about doing it. While it is necessary for you to play through a few levels of the adventure mode (or possibly collect enough stars), I actually recommend that you play Puzzle Mode as soon as you unlock it. Puzzle Mode doesn’t have enemies, so you get a lot better with planning out your routes through broken bricks without needing to worry about getting killed by an enemy. Broken bricks return after a short amount of time, so make sure you’re not standing in their place when they rematerialize, otherwise you are crushed to death. You will still have collected all of the gold that you had up to that point, but it will cost you a two stars once you’ve completed the level. Sometimes enemies will pick up gold and carry it, or they have gold to begin with. To get it back, you need to open a pit for them to fall into while they chase you, but you must be at least two bricks in front of them for this to work out. If you try to dig out a brick as they run on top of it, they will reform the brick using cheating computer magic (??). Once they’re in a hole, you can run across their head without dying. Otherwise, you have one hit knockouts from any contact with the enemies. Once you’ve collected all of the gold pieces on the level, a ladder/ladders will appear where there wasn’t before and you climb off-screen.
Lode Runner Legacy has five game modes with one and two player options, and also offers a crafting mode in which you can make your own items, characters, or even levels! One player mode has an Adventure Mode where you work way across 50 levels snatching gold back from the evil empire. There is Extra Mode that has 20 levels with new enemies to face, Puzzle Mode has 50 levels to complete, none of which have enemies. Classic Mode gives you the full original game with 150 levels, and then there is the option to play World Levels, which are levels created by other users and uploaded online. You must play through adventure mode to unlock the other modes, but I wasn’t quite sure if these modes were unlocked by completing a certain amount of levels, or if they were unlocked based on the amount of stars that you earn during the level. Two Player Mode is 30 levels of co-op action where you absolutely need someone working alongside you to figure out the puzzles presented to you. I had my casual gamer wife play alongside me, and she quickly figured out how to control the game, and was able to figure out the puzzles easily enough that a few levels in she was telling me how horrible I must be (she’s really good, I’m probably a little above average ;D), and issuing commands for how to overcome whatever challenge we were facing at the moment. This can all be done with separate Joy-Con, which is always a nice little feature for two-player Nintendo Switch games.
Lode Runner Legacy has a three-star system for each level, and the conditions for which you can achieve each star is listed on the level select screen. Generally speaking, you are awarded one star when you complete the level, a second star for completing it without deaths, and three stars when you complete the level without dying and achieving a minimum score. Every level has online leaderboards that is displayed alongside the level, and you can view each of these leader boards by your ranking against the rest of the world, a list of you and your friends’ rankings, and just a display of the top rankings.
If you’re the creative type, Lode Runner Legacy offers a Craft Mode. In the craft mode, you can craft your own items to be placed around the level for collection. As with the character creation mode, you’ll be working with a set of blocks and colors, pixel by pixel. I didn’t delve too far into character or item creation myself, but that was because it was hard to pull myself away from level creation. While the game offers a tutorial that explains the basics pretty well, I initially ignored it and just tried to figure it out as I went, and it wasn’t too difficult without the tutorial. I am still not clear on how to place different enemies on the same level, and I feel like there was a huge opportunity missed with not integrating touchscreen controls into the level editor, at least. Even without touchscreen, level creation itself is pretty easy to do. You need to have a runner placed, and at least one each of a piece of gold and a ladder to make your escape. Everything else is completely up to your imagination, and you can choose between a basic small level layout, medium, large, or extra large. Make sure you can reach all of your gold, and test it out to make sure you haven’t set up traps or blocks in such a way that you can’t escape mistakes somehow. The main game puts you in certain situations where you have no option to restart, and it is the least fun aspect of it.
Conclusion
Lode Runner Legacy for Nintendo Switch presents an amazing value for gamers that are longtime fans and newcomers to the series. There are over 200 levels in the primary game alone, in addition to the ability to create your own and play those levels created by others all over the world. The controls are simple and intuitive, and the game is just full of wonderful design, clever puzzles, and fun couch co-op. I highly recommend picking it up immediately if you’re a fan of great level design and love games that are easy to learn, but difficult to master.
