I still prefer Sierra's 1994 game Lode Runner: The Legend Returns. It had bombs and other tools, and teleporters. It made the levels more interesting and puzzle more elaborate than simply figuring out which blocks to zap in what order. Also had different worlds with different aesthetics.

I would recommend this game if you want a voxel-based iteration of basic Lode Runner. It will likely give you short spurts of fun. I don't think this game can be played for long periods of time and remain fun.
There is a 50 level adventure mode, 50 level puzzle mode (with leaderboards), and you can play player-made levels. The player made levels will probably be the source of most fun. I am disappointed with the lack of bombs, such as were in the Sierra version of the game, and how deaths look in general. Dying is almost like in Super Mario where he has a "ouch" frame before the screen cuts out, but that "ouch" frame is the only thing you get, nothing else. The death animation in this game feels like they took the lazy route.

For pricing, I would not have gotten the game at the current price of $15.99 if I knew bombs weren't in the game. With the perceived level of content I see, I would pay between $5 to $8.

If you can get the 1994 Sierra Lode Runner: The Legend Returns, I would personally stick with that one, as I feel there is more to enjoy there. If you want leaderboards and simple gameplay with a little puzzling challenge (but not as much as it could have been) then feel free to pick this up.

Did you play Lode Runner back in the 1980s? Did you like it? If so, you can stop reading now and just go ahead and buy the game now. The entire classic set of 150 levels are included and this is pretty much a perfect update to those levels. The graphics are significantly improved while retaining a retro/pixel-art feel. In addition, all the timing on the levels is retained, too.

In addition to that, there are plenty of new modes with different graphics and options that are also nice updates. And there's a 1st person perspective that you can play, too. The graphics on the new modes are super-nice, too. And, a staple of all Lode Runner games, a great level editor. Mix in leaderboards, community levels you can download, and you're looking at a loaded update that is truly an example of how to "remake" a retro game and do it right.

The game isn't perfect - the controls in the menus are a little wonky - but the gameplay is perfect and the game is a tremendous value. I give this my highest recommendation.

#Early Review - Adventure Mode - 22% / Classic - 3%

Loads of fun - with a few complaints.

Pros
- TONS of content. A full adventure mode and classic mode
- I like the art style. Very 3D Dot Heroes. Wouldnt have minded the 360 version art either. But hey, Not complaining.
- A good challenge
- Its fun!
- Make your own levels, characters, and items and download those from others.
----_Slight con here: There doesnt seem to be a menu to select WHICH downloaded treasure, etc to use? Unless I am missing something.

Cons
- With a controller connected, there is no way to navigate the menu with a mouse. WHY.
- Only 2 resolution settings and both are terrible on my monitor.
- Building is a fantastic idea, but the tools available are so barebones it hurts. More specifically:
----- You cant just paint an existing block, You can only add and delete. Which makes no sense.
----- There isnt any way to make the brush bigger or smaller.

If you're old enough to remember the original Lode Runner back when you were a kid, just go ahead and buy it for nostalgic reasons. I saw it and it took me about half a second to think about purchasing it. :)

What Lode Runner Legacy isn't: something new and innovative that focuses on adding new elements to that distant classic from the '80s. What Lode Runner Legacy is: the original game at its best, with added levels, a retro-friendly voxel art style that fits like a glove, and a level editor that raises the replay value sky high.

It's Lode Runner... looks alright, plays alright. A fine version, nothing I'm in love with. Don't bother if you prefer Legend Returns, none of the extra stuff is here. Downloading characters/items from the Workshop is a little pointless since (as far as I can tell) you can't "skin" the game; they can only be used when building custom levels.
Works fine with 360 pad, but buttons aren't rebindable.

A great new version of a classic game. Good tools for making new levels and characters. Though I wish classic mode were TRULY classic, instead of just imitating the style. I would like a quick restart that you could still hit after being killed, to save a step.

One of the best puzzle games of all time.

+ Huge amount of content variety. Adventure, extra, puzzle, classic, CO-OP modes.
+ Huge amount of content in general. Combined all modes there are 300 levels. That's a lot of hours of gameplay.
+ You craft your own levels and play levels made by other people.
+ Puzzles are truly hard and require a lot of thinking.
+ CO-OP is so difficult and involves so much of actual cooperation from your friends that it will probably ruin any friendship.

- No original theme music from NES port. The best you can do is play the theme in the background while playing the game to replicate the original NES experience at best. I know it's not based on NES port, but NES was the best version and its music was dope.
- Controls are pretty bad.


9/10

Bit too arcadey for Lode Runner.
But then they could have turned Lode Runner into a first person shooter so could have been worse.

Adventure mode allows you to keep the gold you have collected when you die so you could do a suicide run for each bit of gold and still complete the level.
It becomes too easy for someone who has played Lode Runner before, but could be a good introduction for a new comer.

But they have included all the classic levels so can’t complain too much.

It's fun, it's strange, and it's not for everyone, but I really enjoy Lode Runner Legacy. It's a platformer, but you can't jump, only climb ladders, dig through blocks, and fall; these mechanics allow for really engaging one-screen puzzles. I don't think I've really mastered this game yet, and I did die a lot during the later levels. The way this game scores the player, it seems like there's a desired level of play you're supposed to get to, but that level of play seems almost impossible, so I find myself stuck cheesing through a lot of levels by dying over and over again until I make a little bit of progress. Thankfully, puzzle mode doesn't seem to have this problem. I'm excited to try the user-created levels and characters and the classic Apple II-style levels!