Tunnel Runner box art

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Tunnel Runner

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Tunnel Runner

Dec 31, 1983

Main game

3.33 average rating based on 3 ratings

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Get a move on, TUNNEL RUNNER. Those monstrous Maze Zots have picked up your scent and there's only one item on their menu --- you! You've been running up and down tunnels like a rat for so long, you're starting to develop a taste for cheese. Oh sure, you can get out . . . you just haven't been able to find the Key to the right Escape Door, that's all. Wait! There it is! Quickly --- pick it up and start making tracks for that door! You can hear one of those Zots hot on your heels! No time … More
Get a move on, TUNNEL RUNNER. Those monstrous Maze Zots have picked up your scent and there's only one item on their menu --- you! You've been running up and down tunnels like a rat for so long, you're starting to develop a taste for cheese. Oh sure, you can get out . . . you just haven't been able to find the Key to the right Escape Door, that's all. Wait! There it is! Quickly --- pick it up and start making tracks for that door! You can hear one of those Zots hot on your heels! No time to check the map --- this better be the right way! There's a door up ahead. You did it! You're free! Sorry, Tunnel Runner, not quite... Less
Developers
CBS Electronics
Publishers
CBS Electronics
Platforms
Atari 2600
Genres
Puzzle
Themes
Action
Release Dates
1983 Full Release (North_America)
Atari 2600
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User Stats
12
In Collection
3
Wish Listed
0
Playing
4
Backlogged
How Long Is Tunnel Runner?
No playthrough data yet
scoopings
scoopings gave Feb 26, 2022
scoopings gave Feb 26, 2022
Impressive And Pretty Fun, But Not A Favorite Genre Or Game For Me
This review is for the Atari 2600 version

Look: 8/10 Love the Atari colors enter image description here

And great title screen, the usual changing-colors text enter image description here

Oh, and the instant teleport feature (can use once per level, hold the Fire button and move joystick in a circle when in a jam) has beautiful colors/animations. Well-done for such an early first-person 3d maze game, especially on a console.

Sound: 7/10 I mean, it gets kinda annoying, but I like the "song" that plays during the title screen animated text heh. The footsteps get tacky after a while, but I definitely like some of the occasional sounds like the teleport sound, etc. The usual Atari crunch heh.

Play: 7/10 I love that there are 2 game modes: one with pre-set mazes (so I could first approach the game), and the other with randomized mazes (so I could have some fun attempting to be a good gamer, then remembering that I'm bad at games). Biggest complaint for gameplay is the lack of clear turning animation (tho thank goodness for the arrows) that disorients me, and that with most 3d maze games, I don't much enjoy the navigation part. I dunno, it's exciting for a bit but I've never been huge into 3d maze games, I …

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Look: 8/10 Love the Atari colors enter image description here

And great title screen, the usual changing-colors text enter image description here

Oh, and the instant teleport feature (can use once per level, hold the Fire button and move joystick in a circle when in a jam) has beautiful colors/animations. Well-done for such an early first-person 3d maze game, especially on a console.

Sound: 7/10 I mean, it gets kinda annoying, but I like the "song" that plays during the title screen animated text heh. The footsteps get tacky after a while, but I definitely like some of the occasional sounds like the teleport sound, etc. The usual Atari crunch heh.

Play: 7/10 I love that there are 2 game modes: one with pre-set mazes (so I could first approach the game), and the other with randomized mazes (so I could have some fun attempting to be a good gamer, then remembering that I'm bad at games). Biggest complaint for gameplay is the lack of clear turning animation (tho thank goodness for the arrows) that disorients me, and that with most 3d maze games, I don't much enjoy the navigation part. I dunno, it's exciting for a bit but I've never been huge into 3d maze games, I wonder if my mind will change with Wolfenstein 3D and Doom etc coming up. Oh, and one other complaint is, I don't like how you move like Pac-Man style, making turning at corners a bit clunky. It'd be cool if it were like later games where you move step by step, tho I'm sure that would have been just as clunky. Thank goodness for the map feature! (Just press the Fire button.) It's fun when your character picks up speed fleeing, and it was fun for a bit getting used to checking the map to figure out where I was and how many more turns till I should turn etc. And how to avoid the Zots. Good game.

Feel: 6/10 It's fun running away from the enemies, but after 2 levels I just wasn't all that in to searching for the key, then the door, etc. etc. And according to online info/the manual, it gets even more elaborate (and difficult) with different kinds of doors, invisible walls and doors, etc. Not quite fun or striking enough to push through those challenges, especially when I'm so close to the era I've been looking forward to. Fascinating, innovative, well-done game--but moving on for my taste in games!

Attachment: 7/10 Again, I have a lot of respect for the game, and did have fun fleeing enemies ha. But solving the actual maze and door aspect got old pretty quickly, and I doubt I will be returning to it. Definitely will remember the game, both as a precursor to later important games and because I always used to love the 3d maze screensaver on the 90s Windows computers :-p

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