Super Lode Runner II

Famicom Disk System

Famicom Disk System

Irem created four Arcade versions of the original Lode Runner, each with a unique set of levels as well as added features like a co-operative mode for two players. For the FDS home versions, Irem compiled several levels from each of these Arcade versions onto one disk. Super Lode Runner II has fe...

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Developer
Tamtex

Released on
1987

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Famicom Disk System

Requirements
Nintendo Famicom Disk System

Downloads
Action

Publisher
Irem

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Cooperative
Yes

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Description

Irem created four Arcade versions of the original Lode Runner, each with a unique set of levels as well as added features like a co-operative mode for two players. For the FDS home versions, Irem compiled several levels from each of these Arcade versions onto one disk. Super Lode Runner II has fewer single-player levels than its predecessor, but contains more co-op levels to make up for it.

The gameplay is largely identical to that of the original Lode Runner: Players must collect all the gold on a stage and leave via a ladder. They must also avoid the enemies around the stage, which tend to home in on the player. In order to defend themselves, the player character can dig holes at their feet which can trap enemies and will also allow the protagonist to reach buried gold. Each level tends to have a specific strategy to it that the player must puzzle out if they intend to progress.

Super Lode Runner II

Overview & History

Released exclusively in Japan in 1987 by Hudson Soft for the Famicom Disk System, Super Lode Runner II builds directly on the maze-puzzle foundation of its predecessor. Taking advantage of the Disk System's rewritable media and expanded data capacity, this sequel serves as a punishingly difficult extension aimed squarely at hardcore puzzle enthusiasts. Unlike standard platformers of the era, the game dispenses with combat in favor of pure logistical navigation, forcing players to outwit relentless guard robots while systematically gathering piles of golden treasure. The storyline remains abstract yet charmingly retro: your runner must excavate blocks of terrain to manipulate the vertical space, dropping enemies into temporary traps while navigating collapsing platforms across intricately designed single-screen grids. Because of its targeted regional release and the unique hardware ecosystem of the Famicom Disk System, it stands as a sought-after relic of late-80s puzzle design.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The core gameplay revolves around environmental manipulation and grid-based movement. Unlike many platformers, your character cannot jump; instead, you must rely entirely on horizontal running, climbing ladders, shimmying across horizontal bars, and strategically digging holes into the floor tiles to your immediate left or right. When you dig a hole, the block instantly vanishes, opening a temporary pit that can swallow pursuing guards. However, these blocks regenerate after a few seconds, meaning precision timing is essential to avoid being crushed inside closing terrain or getting trapped by a respawning enemy. Guards that fall into your excavations will drop any gold they are currently carrying, and if they are caught when the blocks regenerate, they are temporarily neutralized and respawn at the top of the screen. Super Lode Runner II introduces fiercely labyrinthine stage designs that require absolute mastery of enemy pathfinding loops, making every level a cerebral puzzle box where one misplaced dig spells instant doom.