One nasty trapped, having fallen down a gap of your creation. The block is regenerating, and it's looking grim for the bad guy...

Rumours that a future PlayStation version will be called 'Oh, it's skipping again. Bloody thing. Try sticking it upside-down Runner 3D' have been greatly exaggerated...
James Price

Most retro resurrections are mistaken in principle, and bland in execution. It's a shame, but there you go. Lode Runner 3D is a puzzle game and therefore has the virtue of being fairly novel. You might not have noticed, but they're a bit thin on the ground these days.

It's highly debatable as to whether the original Lode Runner is deserving of 'classic' status. It was compelling, yes. But could it be compared with Dig Dug, Asteroids or Galaxians? Possibly not. This late '90s reiteration adds a three-dimensional polygonal veneer. Behind that more agreeable façade, the same 'nearly' game resides.

For those unfamiliar with the old dog, here's a brief rundown of what Lode Runner involves. It is, to its core, an old-school puzzle game. Collecting gold coins is your raison d'être. Each level contains a number of different platforms but there is no jump button. Instead, you travel between levels by using lifts, or by dropping from clearly marked falling points (you can't simply step off the edge of any surface).

The Lode Runner (for you are he) is equipped with a gun. This can be fired at the ground at either side of him. Some platforms have 'soft' blocks that can be vaporised. Often, those desirous of a trip from point A to point B have to destroy a number of these weak points in order to get there. After a brief time limit, each block is regenerated.