Lode Runner

• HIDDEN MESSAGE: Level 17 is comprised of the letters “ASC” (picture #1).  {German Gonzalez-Morris}

• HIDDEN MESSAGE: Level 44 is comprised of the words “LODE RUNNER” (picture #2).  {German Gonzalez-Morris}

• HIDDEN MESSAGE: Level 56 is comprised of the letters “UW”, for the University of Washington, where programmer Douglas E. Smith was an architect student and wrote the first prototype of this game (picture #3).  {German Gonzalez-Morris}

• HIDDEN MESSAGE: Level 71 is comprised of the letters “ERINC” (picture #4).  {German Gonzalez-Morris}

• HIDDEN MESSAGE: Level 81 is comprised of a formula (picture #5).  {German Gonzalez-Morris}

• HIDDEN MESSAGE: Level 86 is comprised of the letters “DGC”, for Douglas Gene Carlston, one of the founders and first CEO of Brøderbund Software (picture #6).  {German Gonzalez-Morris}

• HIDDEN MESSAGE: Level 114 is comprised of the letters “DES” for programmer Douglas E. Smith (picture #7).  {German Gonzalez-Morris}

• HIDDEN MESSAGE: Level 129 is comprised of 3 dollar signs ($) (picture #8).  {German Gonzalez-Morris}

• HIDDEN MESSAGE: Level 133 is comprised of the letters “DDL” (picture #9).  {German Gonzalez-Morris}

• At least 2 different versions exist.  The original is in high-resolution and relies on artifacting for color.  The other is already in full-color.

• BUG: The box for the Atari XE cart re-release states there’s 75 different levels, whereas the manual states there’s 150.  The original Brøderbund Software box and manual for the disk version state 150 as well.  This error is likely because if the cart is used on an 800, you’ll only have 75 levels.

• BUG: Both the box and manual state the cart only works with XL/XE models, but no mention of the 600XL, which only has 16K; the cartridge is 128K.

• BUG: The level counter rolls over at 255, after which you end up on level 000.  If you complete that, you start again at level 001 but it’s not the same screen as the very first one.