Gold Runner Classic 1.1

The gameplay mechanics are centered around the objective of collecting all gold chests within each scene. Completion of this task allows the player to ascend a ladder and progress to subsequent levels. The primary tool used is a laser drill pistol, which facilitates drilling through fissured brick floors to create passageways or pits. It is important to note that drilling through solid surfaces is not permitted; holes must be drilled completely through to be effective.

When a guard falls into a pit and becomes trapped, it temporarily renders the area safe for the player to traverse. Trapped guards will release any gold they carry, which can then be collected. The game’s environment is dynamic; drilled holes will fill in over time, and guards caught within refilling holes will perish, subsequently being replaced by new guards at the top of the screen. Guards can also escape pits that do not fully close around them, while the player's character cannot climb out of pits and will die if trapped in a narrow, single-brick-wide hole. Although the player can sometimes survive in seemingly no-win scenarios without immediate death, levels can only be reset by pausing and reloading.

Gold carried by guards becomes invisible once they are defeated or fall into pits. To fulfill level objectives when only some gold remains visible, players must trap guards carrying gold in pits and retrieve their loot. If a guard carrying gold falls into an unreachable dead end, level restart is necessary.

The level design includes trapdoors that cause players and guards to fall through. The player is restricted from digging directly beneath their position; holes can only be dug laterally. Strategically, when digging deep holes ("x" bricks deep), players must first create a wide enough gap at least "x" spaces across to continue digging downward, as available space diminishes with each layer. Exceptions exist when the player digs from standing on a ladder or hanging from a bar, which allows continuous downward digging and movement—a crucial tactic for solving certain levels.

The character’s falling does not result in injury; however, the player cannot jump and may trap themselves in pits with no escape other than restarting the level—which costs a life. Contact with guards occurs when feet touch their heads—this interaction allows the player to walk over temporarily trapped guards or make contact during free fall due to different falling speeds. Such interactions are often integral to solving levels, sometimes involving liberating or using guards as bridges by digging beneath or near them and moving swiftly afterward. Caution must be exercised: initiating downward movement while standing on a guard’s head or during brief contact can be fatal.

Level strategies include deliberately trapping guards, luring them into inaccessible zones, or freeing them by digging. Certain levels require exploiting guard behavior to reach otherwise inaccessible areas or collect elusive gold chests.

Control

• Joystick/D-Pad: Move the player character
• A: Dig a hole on the right side
• B: Dig a hole on the left side

Features

• 201 fully unlocked levels designed for challenging gameplay
• Retro-style graphics and sound effects that evoke nostalgic gaming experiences