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Lode Runner

TitleLode Runner
First release1983
DeveloperDouglas E. Smith
PublishersBroderbund, Hudson Soft, Sega
PlatformsAmiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, Famicom Disk System, MSX, NES / Famicom, PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16, ZX Spectrum, ArcadeADB
Genresplatformer, puzzle video game
Also known asChampionship Lode Runner · チャンピオンシップロードランナー
Players1 player
Co-opNo
ESRB ratingE Everyone
Releases
DOS: 1983-06-23 (NTSC)
Commodore 64: 1983-12-01
NES / Famicom: 1984-07-31 (NTSC-J), 1987-09-01, 1987-09-01 (NTSC)
ZX Spectrum: 1984-08-01
MSX: 1985-01-01
Wikidata IDQ1197566

Drill through stone floors and barriers using a laser pistol to create new passageways and trap enemies. This puzzle-platformer requires collecting gold while jumping and climbing through complex environments. A two-player mode allows for cooperative or competitive play as you attempt to complete missions and evade pursuers throughout the levels.

Description: REG-Vault, CC BY-SA 4.0
View on WikidataRead on Wikipedia
Facts from Wikidata (CC0), gaps filled from REG-Vault and TheGamesDB and Arcade Database (ADB). Only retro platforms tracked by this site are listed; the year is the earliest release date recorded on Wikidata.
Sources
Wikidata (Q1197566) · last updated 2026-09-27 · CC0
REG-Vault (nes/lode-runner) · last updated 2026-10-25 · descriptions CC BY-SA 4.0
REG-Vault (zxspectrum/lode-runner) · last updated 2026-10-06 · descriptions CC BY-SA 4.0
REG-Vault (amstradcpc/lode-runner-2) · last updated 2026-10-19 · descriptions CC BY-SA 4.0
TheGamesDB (6747) · last updated 2026-07-18 · no licence stated · internal use only
TheGamesDB (116251) · last updated 2026-07-18 · no licence stated · internal use only
TheGamesDB (955,82719,108571) · last updated 2026-07-18 · no licence stated · internal use only
TheGamesDB (48635) · last updated 2026-07-18 · no licence stated · internal use only
TheGamesDB (35646,36499) · last updated 2026-07-18 · no licence stated · internal use only
Arcade Database (ADB) (ldrun) · last updated 2026-10-02 · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 · internal use only
Arcade Database ADB
MAME romsetldrun
Title at ADBLode Runner (set 1)
ManufacturerIrem (licensed from Broderbund)
Year1984
GenrePlatform / Run Jump
Players2
MAME driver statusIMPERFECT
Lode Runner – Flyer
Flyer
Lode Runner – Marquee
Marquee
Lode Runner – Cabinet
Cabinet
Lode Runner – Title
Title
Lode Runner – In-game
In-game
Artwork: ADB (Arcade Database); artwork © original manufacturer (Irem (licensed from Broderbund)); snaps by ProgettoSnaps via ADB. Non-free, internal use only (hotlinked, not downloaded).
Scraping using Arcade Database by motoschifo · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 · romset via Wikidata P2451 (wikidata-qid) · fetched 2026-10-02 16:19 UTC · filled here: platform
Lode Runner – box art (front)
Source: REG-Vault (upstream not stated) · © Broderbund · internal use only
1 / 23 Box art Box art (front) 1
Image credits
Box art, Screenshots, Logos, Artwork (11): Source: REG-Vault (upstream not stated) · © Broderbund · internal use only. REG-Vault page
Box art, Screenshots, Logos, Artwork (6): Source: TheGamesDB (user-uploaded) · © Broderbund · internal use only. TheGamesDB page
Screenshots (3): Source: libretro-thumbnails (upstream libretro-thumbnails (art by developers/publishers; see repo README)) · © Broderbund · internal use only.
Sprites (3): fan rips from sprite sites, credited per sheet (ripper, site, rights) in Sprites below; internal use only.
Sprites
NES / Famicom version · 3 sheets · Lode Runner on The Spriters Resource ↗ (3 sheets on the site; 3 stored here)
Characters sprite sheet (NES / Famicom)
Characters
Characters NES / Famicom · 192×80
Rip by Superjustinbros
View on The Spriters Resource ↗
#24138 · fetched 2026-10-03 17:26 UTC
Tileset sprite sheet (NES / Famicom)
Tileset
Other NES / Famicom · 176×96
Rip by Superjustinbros
View on The Spriters Resource ↗
#54719 · fetched 2026-10-03 17:26 UTC
Fruits sprite sheet (NES / Famicom)
Fruits
Other NES / Famicom · 168×83
Rip by TengaiDenjin
View on The Spriters Resource ↗
#548274 · fetched 2026-10-03 17:26 UTC
Sprite sheets are fan rips of copyrighted game graphics (© Brøderbund (Doug Smith)), credited to the ripper and linked to their page on the source site; internal use only. “Rip by” is the uploader credit shown on the site. Click a sheet to view it at full size (pixel-exact zoom). More: The Spriters Resource ↗ /
Videos
Lode Runner (NES) Playthrough
NintendoComplete · NES / Famicom version · longplay · 1:31:07auto-matched
Watch on YouTube ↗ · auto:channel-harvest, checked 2026-10-25 18:43 UTC
Commodore C64 - Lode Runner (1983)
The Video Game Museum · Commodore 64 version · gameplay · 3:07auto-matched
Watch on YouTube ↗ · auto:search, checked 2026-10-30 18:47 UTC
"Auto-matched" videos were found automatically (title + platform match via the YouTube Data API) and may occasionally be wrong. Videos are hosted by YouTube (embedded via youtube-nocookie.com; nothing loads from YouTube until you press play) and belong to their channels.
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