Lode Runner on NES is one of those games that looks simple at first—just a little guy running around grabbing gold—but then the enemies start swarming, and suddenly you're sweating over every move. The controls are tight, and the digging mechanic (you can zap parts of the floor to trap enemies or make shortcuts) adds this weirdly satisfying layer of strategy.

First few levels ease you in, but by stage 5, you’ll be frantically digging holes to drop those creepy bald monks chasing you. The gold placement gets brutal later—some bits are practically bait for ambushes. And yeah, the music? Weirdly catchy for something that sounds like a robot humming.

If you dig this one, Hyper Lode Runner cranks up the chaos with faster enemies, and Power Lode Runner adds some wild new traps. Just don’t blame me when you’re stuck on one level for an hour.

Controls: Arrow keys to move, Z to dig left, X to dig right. That’s all you need… until it isn’t.