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NEC PC-Engine/SuperGrafx => PC Engine/SuperGrafx Discussion => Topic started by: vestcoat on March 15, 2007, 11:39:12 AM

Title: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: vestcoat on March 15, 2007, 11:39:12 AM
If I had a GT, this is what I'd be playing.
Turns out, I'm playing it anyway and it's just fine on a TV.
Pretty awesome game.  I just got it recently.
Too bad it never came out in the US; it seems kind of like Bomberman 93's long lost twin.  I was surprised Bomberman even makes an appearance!
I played through the first 10 levels of so last night.  It has a very gradual difficulty curve, not like Tricky Kick where I got stuck right away.
Are there any cool codes or things I should do with this game?  Is the original PCE Lode Runner any good?
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: esteban on March 15, 2007, 02:03:28 PM
If I had a GT, this is what I'd be playing.
Turns out, I'm playing it anyway and it's just fine on a TV.
Pretty awesome game.  I just got it recently.
Too bad it never came out in the US; it seems kind of like Bomberman 93's long lost twin.  I was surprised Bomberman even makes an appearance!
I played through the first 10 levels of so last night.  It has a very gradual difficulty curve, not like Tricky Kick where I got stuck right away.
Are there any cool codes or things I should do with this game?  Is the original PCE Lode Runner any good?
I don't get too excited about the PCE Lode Runner: it is a decent port, I suppose, but I think the Apple ][ absolutely stomps it. It's swift, whereas the PCE version struck me as kind of slow. After playing Battle Lode Runner, it will seem a bit dated.

That said, if you enjoy the Lode Runner formula, then you should definitely play any versions you can get (PCE included). I think it's a supremely classic game: it's damn fun and stands the test of time.

I'll admit that I'm an Apple ][ fan and I fell in love with Lode Runner on that machine. I spent only a little time with the HuCard version.
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: ParanoiaDragon on March 15, 2007, 02:53:51 PM
Steve, I could be wrong, but, it sounds like you're getting regular Load Runner, mixed up with Battle Load Runner, which are both on the PCE.  Maybe I'm wrong :-s
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: esteban on March 15, 2007, 03:28:16 PM
Steve, I could be wrong, but, it sounds like you're getting regular Load Runner, mixed up with Battle Load Runner, which are both on the PCE.  Maybe I'm wrong :-s
He asked if the PCE port of the orginal Lode Runner was worthwhile :).
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: ccovell on March 15, 2007, 03:49:04 PM
The first one is Lode Runner: Lost Labyrinth, by Pack-in Video.  'nuff said.

The second and superior one is Battle Lode Runner, by Hudson.
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: nat on March 15, 2007, 04:10:31 PM

I'll admit that I'm an Apple ][ fan and I fell in love with Lode Runner on that machine. I spent only a little time with the HuCard version.

Yeah! Apple ][ for life! The Apple ][ version of Lode Runner is the only one I will touch. Never even tried the PCE port. Maybe someday...
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: ParanoiaDragon on March 15, 2007, 08:37:47 PM
Steve, I could be wrong, but, it sounds like you're getting regular Load Runner, mixed up with Battle Load Runner, which are both on the PCE.  Maybe I'm wrong :-s
He asked if the PCE port of the orginal Lode Runner was worthwhile :).

Duh, I missed that part :roll:  Actually, I think the PCE one is ok, it delivers Load Runner in it's basic form, though, never thought about the Pack in Video angle of it :P
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: esteban on March 16, 2007, 02:42:28 AM
Steve, I could be wrong, but, it sounds like you're getting regular Load Runner, mixed up with Battle Load Runner, which are both on the PCE.  Maybe I'm wrong :-s
He asked if the PCE port of the orginal Lode Runner was worthwhile :).

Duh, I missed that part :roll:  Actually, I think the PCE one is ok, it delivers Load Runner in it's basic form, though, never thought about the Pack in Video angle of it :P
Yeah, I agree with you. I didn't think the PCE version was horrid. I just haven't played it recently enough (or long enough) to make a proper comparison to the other Lode Runner ports I've played.
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: vestcoat on March 16, 2007, 03:59:28 AM
I got Lode Runner 3D for the N64.
Probably not the best purchasing decision I've ever made.

BTW, is there a list of games made by Pack-in Video?
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: Tatsujin on March 16, 2007, 05:58:31 AM
did someone ever played the other modi in multiplaya? that's where the strength of that game lies.
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: Necromancer on March 16, 2007, 06:03:39 AM
I got Lode Runner 3D for the N64.
Probably not the best purchasing decision I've ever made.

BTW, is there a list of games made by Pack-in Video?

As taken from pcecp.com (Pack-in Video as distributer):

Die Hard
F1 Pilot You're King of Kings
Lode Runner Ushina wareta Meikyuu
Armed F
Aurora Quest Otaku No Seiza
Auto Crusher Palladium
Deep Blue Kaitei Shinwa
Gulclight TDF 2
Hawk F-123
Hihou Densetsu Kris No Bouken
Kawa No Nushizuri Shizenha
Knight Rider Special  <--  8)
KO Sekai Beast San Senshi Gaia Fukkatsu ...
Metal Angel
Metal Angel 2
Mine Sweeper
Nekketsu Legend Baseball
Power Gate
Road Spirits
Super Metal Crusher
Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?
Zipang
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: shubibiman on March 16, 2007, 08:05:21 AM
The reason why Bomberman makes an appearance in Battle Lode Runner is that Bomberman made his first appearance in...Lode Runner! Hudson was in charge of the famicom version of the game back in 1985 (that was, by the way, the first non-nintendo million-seller for the famciom) and the last boss was no less than Bomberman.
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: vestcoat on March 16, 2007, 10:23:56 AM
Thanks for the Pack-in list, Necro.  Can you search pcecp by distributor? 

The reason why Bomberman makes an appearance in Battle Lode Runner is that Bomberman made his first appearance in...Lode Runner! Hudson was in charge of the famicom version of the game back in 1985 (that was, by the way, the first non-nintendo million-seller for the famciom) and the last boss was no less than Bomberman.

Awesome, good to know.

Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: ParanoiaDragon on March 16, 2007, 02:40:15 PM
Hmm, actually, Pack in video does have a few decent games, but they're deffinitly not known for them!
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: Necromancer on March 16, 2007, 07:17:42 PM
Thanks for the Pack-in list, Necro.  Can you search pcecp by distributor? 

You sure can, under advanced search.  It looks like many of the better games distributed by pack-in video were published in conjunction with others.  That might explain the varied quality, but I don't know if the publishing partners had any input or if they just attached their name to the game (I can't begin to explain the relationship between all the companies that have their fingers in the pie).  It was disappointing when I saw 'canceled' was stamped over Battle Lode Runner in Duo World or some other magazine / catalog that came in the mail.  Almost as disappointing as the canceled King of Monsters blurb.  Does anybody know if any conversion work was started on King of Monsters?
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: ParanoiaDragon on March 16, 2007, 08:47:56 PM
From my understanding, of when I used to talk to one of the Shirley boys over at WD(Don or Leroy), King of the Monsters 2 was absolutly finished, as was World Heroes 1.  But, there's irony involved.  He told me, they weren't going to end up releasing World Heroes, since they thought TTI was for sure going to release the Arcade Card, & World Heroes 2, so they figured it wouldn't be profitable.  However, they could still do King of the Monsters 2.  Problem was, he stated that there was so much memory involved in that game, that they "required" the Arcade card to run it, otherwise, it would have to reload several times thruout a level.  I never did talk to him after that, but obviously it didn't get released, due to the fact that the Arcade card never got released ](*,)
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: esteban on March 17, 2007, 06:29:52 AM
The reason why Bomberman makes an appearance in Battle Lode Runner is that Bomberman made his first appearance in...Lode Runner! Hudson was in charge of the famicom version of the game back in 1985 (that was, by the way, the first non-nintendo million-seller for the famciom) and the last boss was no less than Bomberman.
Ha! I love it :). I didn't know that...
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: Necromancer on March 17, 2007, 06:31:40 PM
Thanks for filling me in ParanoiaDragon.  I didn't realize that WD was responsible for porting King of the Monsters; I had assumed that Hudson was porting it for the PCE.  That was a pretty ambitious endeavor compared to a translation, and it's too bad that WD couldn't cut a deal with Hudson to release the games anyway (in Japan and/or the US).  If all the heavy lifting was already done, the cost of pressing the discs would have been pretty low.  I'm sure that they would have been happy to recoup some of there costs, but they probably weren't too concerned after moving on to other projects.
Title: Re: Battle Lode Runner
Post by: ParanoiaDragon on March 18, 2007, 01:30:34 PM
Yeah, from what I recall, Victor was close to the head of SNK in the US at the time, so, they worked out a special deal with them.  I think SNK themselves made World Heroes 1 & King of the Monsters 2 for the Turbo, or maybe whatever company made the originals......Alpha System maybe?