Lode Runner
Lode Runner is a puzzle-platform game developed by Doug Smith and published by Broderbund in 1983. Its gameplay mechanics are similar to Space Panic from 1980. The player controls a character who must collect all the gold pieces in a level and reach the end while being chased by a number of enemies. It is one of the first games to include a level editor.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA, read 5 September 2026.
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- Released
- 1983
- Developer
- Douglas E. Smith
- Platforms
- 3 systems
- Critics
- Not scored
- Steam Deck
- Unknown
- Download
- Not stated
The record
| First released | 23 June 1983 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Douglas E. Smith |
| Publisher | Broderbund, Hudson Soft |
| Platforms | Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo DS, Steam Deck |
| Genres | Puzzle |
Source. Catalogue facts from Wikidata Q1197566, seeded 30 August 2026.
How long is Lode Runner? How long to beat it
Total play time for Lode Runner is about 4.4 hours to do everything, and around 2.4 hours to reach the end of the main story. These are player-submitted times from HowLongToBeat, not our own, shown with the number of players behind each.
| How you play | Hours | Players logged |
|---|---|---|
| Just the main story: straight through the critical path | 2.4h | 9 |
| Main + the extras: story plus the side content most people do | 2.8h | 3 |
| Completionist: everything: 100% the game | 4.4h | 3 |
Source: HowLongToBeat community submissions, read 2026-10-19.
Where Lode Runner sits on the grid
The grid places every game in the catalogue on measured axes rather than on an opinion. This is where Lode Runner lands on each map it has the data for, with the share of the catalogue it beats on each axis.
- Year
- 33ahead of 1% of the catalogue
- Reach
- 40ahead of 81% of the catalogue
Percentiles are against the games that carry a reading on that axis, not the whole catalogue: counting a game with no figure as a zero would flatter everything that has one. How the grid works.
What readers say about Lode Runner
Reviews written by people who have played it. These are separate from the GamingPickz Score and are never averaged into it: that score comes from thousands of Steam reviews with a sample-size correction, and a handful of unverified ratings would distort it rather than improve it.
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Where Lode Runner appears
The ranked lists and finder pages Lode Runner qualifies for, from its own genre and platform to what it takes to run.
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Common questions about Lode Runner
What platforms is Lode Runner on?
Lode Runner is available on Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo DS, Steam Deck. It first released in 1983.
Who made Lode Runner?
Lode Runner was developed by Douglas E. Smith and published by Broderbund, Hudson Soft.
How long does it take to beat Lode Runner?
about 2.4 hours for the main story, 2.8 hours with the main extras, 4.4 hours to complete everything, from HowLongToBeat's player-submitted times. These are community medians, so your own run may be shorter or longer.