Lode Runner Classic
Step into the gaming world with Lode Runner Classic, one of the top $2.99 games in the App Store! Crafted with creativity and innovation by Tozai, Inc., this captivating Action game is bound to grab your attention. With its content rating of 4+, it caters to a wide audience. Ever since its release on 17th January 2013, it has been constantly updated, with the latest version rolled out on 20th June 2017.
Whether you have a liking for Action, Puzzle, or Entertainment games, Lode Runner Classic is sure to keep you hooked!
User Ratings
Join the crowd of 24 gamers who have given their verdict on Lode Runner Classic.
Ready to take on the adventure? Get Lode Runner Classic now from the APP STORE.
Dive into Lode Runner Classic
DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON FOOL’S GOLD
Play the authentic Lode Runner… this is the real deal!
AWARD WINNING GAMEPLAY
Lode Runner Classic combines the game play and all 150 levels of the award-winning Apple II original Lode Runner with graphics and features engineered for today’s advanced smartphones. The game’s frantic action takes place in maze-like, static levels, where a single player dodges enemies while running and climbing to reach and claim stacks of gold. No jumping is allowed. And shooting enemies is forbidden, but you can blast blocks to access lower platforms or trap pursuing enemies. Winding your way through ever-increasing levels of complexity makes for a superior challenge, but now you can choose to play any one of the 150 levels at any time.
EXCITING NEW FEATURES
Although the gameplay remains true to the original Apple II version, there are plenty of new features to enhance the experience. You can magnify the screen around the Runner, set the play speed, adjust the coloring of the art and compete for top spot on the worldwide leaderboards.
-150 puzzling levels – all unlocked and accessible
-Two game modes – Expedition and Time Attack
-New magnification effect – zoom the action around the Runner
-Multiple play speeds – super slow to superfast action
-Fully adjustable color palettes
-Worldwide leaderboards
-Multiple control schemes
-Illustrated How to Play section
"When the first Lode Runner came out on the Apple II, the last thing I expected was that the game would be alive and kicking on a platform as advanced as today’s smartphones more than 25 years later. It’s really gratifying to me that so many people are still interested in the game."
Douglas E. Smith, Original Creator
“In the early days, there was Lode Runner. I consider it a real puzzle game. That was my favorite for many, many years. It’s such a good combination of dynamic stuff, the finger-work, and real planning and puzzle-solving. Every level was a real puzzle with its own mechanics, its own dynamics, its own kind of solution. At the same time, it was an arcade game to play. This combination was done absolutely right. I can’t imagine any other game with such inventive and unusual design.”
Alexey Pajitnov, Tetris Creator
Interview with Edge Magazine
Tozai Games and Lode Runner are trademarks of Tozai, Inc. registered or protected in the US and other countries. Lode Runner is protected under US and international copyright laws ©1983-2017 Tozai, Inc. All rights reserved.
What’s Fresh in the Latest Update?
Discover what’s new in the recent update of Lode Runner Classic on 20th June 2017:
This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.
Bug Fixes
Hear from the Players – Lode Runner Classic Reviews
Find out what gamers are saying about Lode Runner Classic:
We saw several complaints about the controls in some of the reviews but they arent a problem for us! And Im using an iPhone SE with a really small screen. Which is just to say, hours of nostalgic good times are on their way!
This was the best game we ever played on the iPhone. There are no ads, no in app purchases, and you are given unlimited lives to complete all levels. We never completed all the levels on our Commodore 64 back in 1984, but was able to in this game. Controls were hard at first, but we got used to them in time. Well worth the $2.99 we spent.
UI is nowhere near authentic, gameplay feels remote by comparison. Nexons LodeRunner1 is a much more enjoyable choice, and free.
Hard to move the little guy around accurately and end up dying a lot because can move the guy some times. It does play exactly how we remember with all the loopholes the chasers had with the original. If the directional controller was better this would be awesome!!! Mildly disappointed as we’ve been looking for this game for years. Played it all the time as a kid. Bummer this isnt working very well for us.
App ran great on our iPad 2 Air. After install, it crashed every time! We deleted the app and reinstalled it fixing the problem but losing our history/achievements.
Never played Lode Runner before. But we love the gameplay, aside from some rough controls, solid port.
Lode runner was one of the best games computer games from the 80s combining arcade play along with puzzle solving. Glad to see this version that’s as fun to play as the original was 30 years ago.
We played this game on our computer as a kid and loved playing it again on our phone!
Just as we remembered it. Sure, not using keyboard, but the "D" pad works fine. Love the game and am so happy it is on the iPad. Thanks!! Ps: the price is well worth the play. 150 levels.
Just love this game. Really brings back memories of the Apple II :-)
Wondering if this game is available for OS X. While the mobile (iOS) version is convenient we find it difficult to play. Would much rather play on the bigger screen of our Mac.
Brings back classic game but controls need improvement. We remember playing this on Apple computer which took our time away from Louzy DOS PC hehe.
Iphone 5 set music to on but no music in game.
This game is exactly like the original we used to play as a kid. One problem is level 64 is currently impossible to pass because the board is missing a small rope. There might be 150 available levels but only the first 63 are passable.
Graphics and levels are just like we remember! Controls really bog it down. We uninstalled after level 11 where you really need a pad or joystick to have the feel needed to play effectively. Also, no way to disable sound?
This game could not have been any more insulting and less addictive than other ports (such as IBM and Commodore) and the Apple II version. GAMEPLAY (C-): Aye. It is a game with an addictive, customizable gameplay. We can alter the game’s speed for a better challenge. It is easily comparable to other ports, but what really questions us is that we can trap enemies by shooting at ground blocks upon which they are standing when one rule says that we could not dig such holes. It may be a bug, but we are fine with it. However, the game’s clunky controls make this game a complete repellent, and we would often have to train ourselves how to use them well. This may upset you fans of Lode Runner, but, unfortunately, there is no level editor, one of the most integral parts of game, which made it one of the first games to feature it back in 1983. We can only hope that they would integrate it in the future. GRAPHICS (B-) It is awesome that we can customize graphics in any way, but the problem with Tozai is that they may be trying to modernize this old classic too much. In other words, the text and the colors outside the game view are too flat, too boring, and too anti-nostalgic for an old classic. We wish that they seemed like the graphics for the Apple II and other ports with similar graphics.
Horrible controls, make a classic game almost unplayable. The fake D-pad control is awkward, often doesn’t register correctly when you try to use it. Also half of the screen is filled with controls, leaving a tiny area for the actual game play area.
Love this classic game but the controls are horrible. You have to be incredibly precise and constantly keep your eyes on the controls in order to play the game successfully. Then the buttons to shoot at the ground are finicky. Don’t always work. It’s really frustrating. Pushed through the irritating controls though and level 64 is unbeatable! Ugh! Someone fix this game…
Am a fan of Load Runner, but the controls make it impossible to play. Constant miscues with the thumb controls causes a lot of untimely deaths in the game. Bought it, just deleted it … Unfortunate.
If you can’t control an arcade game, then it doesn’t matter if the game is any good or not. The whole point is being able to play it. The controls on this game or so hopelessly broken, it’s as if the developers never tried them themselves or something. Amazing that it’s been 30+ years since the original game, and this version is far worse. Save your money, or just go play the original on an emulator. Whoever put this out should be embarrassed.
This game is just not good for use on iPhone. We tried using touch control and the accelerometer and neither function very well in controlling the runner and trying to blast the bricks. Pretty much a waste of $3 for this.
The controls are worse than expected. All of them.
Saw that Douglas Smith passed on Sept 7th, did a search and found this game. It is extremely well done. Keep improving it, y’all rock! Cheers.
We were stoked to find this in the App Store!!! We remember playing this game in elementary school. The only issue we’re having is that it’s hard to go in one direction (ie not diagonal). It’s not a huge deal, but it seems like it should be pretty easy to fix. Thank you!!!!
We love Lode Runner! Controls are great. We use Touch control. It works best for us.
We had this game as a kid. Loved it then and love it now. We dont agree with all the complaints about the controls. It obviously foesnt compare to the joy stick you used in the c64, but these controls work fine. We’ve played through about 70 levels so far. Great port. Just waiting for the additional levels from lode runner championship now. Great game!
To be honest we have ZERO comprehension as to why everyone else is complaining about the controls. We have an iPhone 5 and just downloaded this game like four weeks ago. We love it! This is probably the most played game on our phone! Totally brings us back to our childhood and provides quick entertainment when we’re bored. So stoked to have this!
Is true to the original and we really enjoy that we can adjust the game speed to our liking.
Our son told us reviews were terrible and not to buy. We waited 30 years to play and have enjoyed myself. If we can operate the controls, anyone can. We are a tech dummy.
This sure brings back memories of hours spent on our Macintosh in the 80’s. The game is very playable using the D-pad… Now if we can only get past level 109! Thank you for bringing it back.
But can you make it full screen for the iphone5?
First off, thank you guys so much for developing this game–one of our fave time passers as a kid that we have always hoped would end up on this type of platform. As other reviewers have mentioned, please make some updates with the control issues. We will brag and say we’re pretty darn good at this game, but nothing is more annoying than losing a round not of your own mistake but of the control when it gets stuck or stalls just at that moment when you were about to escape getting tagged. If it were not for this issue, it’d be five stars all the way!
No we don’t think the controls are great. They are good and without a keyboard (the old az / ., / space to drill) we can’t see them being better. It is very difficult to play on an iPhone, but on the ipad (zoom) it is really enjoyable. On that platform we loved this, took us right back to 1983 on our Apple ][+. It took us a day of play to get through the levels but no way could we do it on expedition mode as the controlling issue killed us. Very frustrating!!!! We could get through Championship Lode Runner with relative ease, but remember level 50 being very challenging and time critical. There is no way with the current controls we could complete it, but remember we have been searching for a Lode Runner replacement since we sold our Apple ][ in about ’85? This is without doubt the best rendition we have come across since then. Our mother had banned all computer games from the house. We brought home a pirated Lode Runner (couldn’t buy software like that in Australia in ’82!) and Mum started playing a game as we left for school at 7am. She was still playing the same game at 5:30pm when we got home. This is a fantastic game and has stood the test of time for us. The controls need to be improved, but it is very, very close to being perfect… Fix the controls (keys???) and bring on Championship Lode Runner!
Started playing this bad boy and memories flooded in of a mini-me in front of and old Macintosh computer hunkered down in our fathers office in Sacramento, CA. We would love to see this on the iPad.
We grew up playing with this game. This is one of our favorites. We’re glad they brought it back. But we have to agree with the others. The controls are atrocious in IPhone 3G (better on mini Ipad). Worse, the head phone jack interferes with the directional controls. And you can’t rotate the screens either. Ocassionally, the screen freezes then suddenly speeds up. We lost a considerable number of lives because of it. That’s why Im deducting one star.
We are not the only one who thinks this. The game would be awesome and even worth $2.99 for the purchase but if you can’t change the controls then this is not worth the money!! Please look at the reviews and learn from customer feedback. Well on the right track but if you don’t make the necessary changes then please refund our purchase!! Love to see classic games like this but needs help.
We played lots and lots of LodeRunner in the 80s so this is a nice trip down the memory lane. Unfortunately, the controls are terrible and greatly diminish an otherwise enjoyable game. Why is there no iPad version? It’s 2014 already.
Any immediate plans to support the new taller iPhone/iPod screens? Tired of thumbs going into dead zones when trying to execute quick maneuvers. App came out almost a year ago and only updated twice, hasn’t been updated since January. Highly disappointed.
We loved this game since Apple II and bought this to get back that old fun. But the control should be better adapted with the touch screen and small screen size of the phone. May we suggest that you add more options to change the way of control. One of which could be: – flip control knob so that right hand can control movement while left hand control digging left/ right. – digging can be 2 buttons on the left bottom of screen but movement should be done only by swiping up down left right directly on screen without buttons – the movement can be non stop until the next swipe changing direction we hope that these options can make the game easier to use and get more popular.
AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL Because when you want to go left you really want to go down. When you want to go up you really want to go right. When you go down you really just want to stop.
Can’t use this game until the controls are improved.
When we heard Lode Runner was finally available for iOS, we didn’t even bother checking reviews before opening up the App Store to buy this childhood favorite. Sadly, the game is basically unplayable due to the terrible controls. The useable area for the control pad must be a single pixel, and don’t dare press, say, ON THE GRAPHIC DEPICTING THE CONTROLLER, because that is apparently already outside the useable space. The result is that you will spend more time wondering why your guy isn’t moving than actually playing the game.
Ever since we played the original lode runner ten or so years ago we loved it. The first commodore system was amazing. Five or so years ago we found the game for computer. Two years ago we bought our first iPod and one day sought to find lode runner. Many remakes later we found myself discontent until we saw this game was being made. Patiently waiting we checked the site once or twice a day. Besides that brief info we would like to give an honest review. Above any other lode runner this remake out does the rest. The controls are great for both d-pad/touch and a little glitchy for accelerometer. If you have any questions refer to the help book provided. Customized colors. Never before have we seen this in a lode runner game and it is honestly pretty sweet. Any color you can make on the spectrum can be made for all the items in the game. Leader boards – bragging rights on Facebook and world wide stats allow you to see who is really the best. These seem to be inactive for us atm but we don’t see a big deal Gameplay – it is important to refer to how your controls work, because the fluidity of your digging is based on your controls. That being said the three modes are great at digging. Pertaining to ladders they are not 100% accurate with the d-pad, but hold a 97% accuracy (in our opinion). When we mentioned the accelerometer being laggy we now point to the ladders. Sometimes they work sometimes not. Honestly with all the options and gameplay it is a very solid a fluid game. We would recommend this game over and over for any wondering if it is really good. From what we have seen at this moment apple music does not seem to want to play, but it isn’t really that bad. Oh and those wanting full screen should go to the touch option, slightly more difficult then the d-pad, but not hard.
Awesome classic game. Controls are a but flakey. Maybe slide your finger in the direction you wanna go for the d-pad. Would really love to see icade support!
Can’t recall how many late nights we had pounding through levels on our Apple //e. Really glad to see this one on the app store. (Been following it for a while.) we took off one star simply because it’s not truly a faithful port. Gameplay and levels are there, but some of the details have been changed. The gold doesn’t look as it used to, nor do some of the animations, the way the bad guys stack onto each other, etc. It is a good recreation, but it’s not really a port. Still, if you liked Lode Runner, this is a must have. The controls are quite serviceable and, well, it’s Lode Runner. :)
Love the game, the background music and original sound effects, but the controls are terrible! D-pad is flakey like someone else said, the touch controls work horribly, and no matter how many times we calibrate for using the accelerometer, it keeps freezing up on us when we play. We sure wish they would add iCade integration, as that would be the perfect control setup. Until they fix their built-in controls or add iCade, this game will be collecting dust on our iPhone’s home screen. What a waste of $2.99! (I should have heeded all the bad reviews about the controls)
The game is fun but the controls can stick. It gets annoying when you lose a life over lag in the game.
Pretty fun game but after 5 levels it lost our save. We play with the accelerometer and it constantly would have to be reset as well (or else it wouldn’t work). Really low QA was performed. Could be so good. Instead, it’s poor and not worth playing unless they fix the problems.
Ok we did some testing, we played the original on our c64 and they added a full 5 seconds to how long a hole stays open. 5 seconds longer Than the original. This absolutely changes the difficulty so we can’t recommend this. This is not your granddads lode runner. The difficulty has been watered down. Pathetic. After playing on our c 64 we can’t play this thing as it is not faithful to the original and once you play them back to back, this thing is play school. Annoying.