C U B I C

C U B I C
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FAQ Version 0.3

--- 0. INTRODUCTION -----------------------------------------------------------

Cubic Lode Runner is the first release in Hudson's new range of budget-priced
updates of classic games. The game is based on the classic NES version of Lode
Runner, but this update is in full 3D with new stages and features. The
gameplay has been updated to take advantage of the extra dimension, and the
player can now move in 3D and can dig in all four directions. The game is,
therefore, more than just the NES port that many previews suggested.

Information on the game is a little hard to come by, so I've put together this
quick FAQ to cover the main elements of the game. The game is only available
in Japan, but is thankfully mostly in English so it's easy to play for those of
us who don't speak Japanese. I'll cover the few bits of Japanese text in this
FAQ.

For anybody thinking of importing the game, I've tested it using Freeloader on
both PAL and NTSC Gamecube systems and it appears to work flawlessly.

Currently, the FAQ doesn't give any level walkthroughs but I may start to add
them if there's enough interest. I do, however, list the medal requirements
for every level so you can easily look up the times and fruits required to get
each medal.

This guide is mostly lacking information on Gift Box options, which I'm adding
as I unlock new stuff.

--- 1. CONTENTS ---------------------------------------------------------------

0. Introduction

1. Contents

2. Controls

2.1 In-game Controls
2.2 In-game Options
2.3 Edit Mode Controls
2.4 Edit Mode Options

3. Gameplay

3.1 Basic Gameplay
3.2 Scoring

4. Extras

4.1 Medals
4.2 Gift Box

5. The End Bit

5.1 Contact Details
5.2 Version History
5.3 Legal Stuff
5.4 Acknowledgements

--- 2. CONTROLS ---------------------------------------------------------------

2.1 - IN-GAME CONTROLS

Stick/D-Pad: Move character
C-Stick up/down: Move camera up and down
C-Stick left/right: Reset camera height (zoom in slice mode)
B/X/A/Y: Dig to the character's left/right/front/back
Z: Drop down from rails
L/R: Rotate map 90 degrees left/right
Start: Pause/Menu

2.2 - IN-GAME OPTIONS

The following options are available in the pause menu:

Slice: Pauses the game and allows you to move the camera around to get a good
look at the level. Pushing up on the stick will peel away layers of blocks
so you can see how the level is built up. This can be very useful on the more
complex stages. Press start to return to the game.

Play: Returns you to the game.

Speed: Controls the speed of the player and the enemies. The left-hand option
(the default) is fast and the right-hand option is slow. You might want to try
the slow option if you're having trouble with a stage.

Retry: Restarts the level. You can use this if you mess up. Select the left
option in the confirmation dialog box to restart.

Exit: Returns to the stage select screen. Again, the left option confirms that
you want to exit.

2.3 - EDIT MODE CONTROLS

Stick: Move cursor left/right and in and out of the screen
D-Pad: Move cursor left/right/up/down
C-Stick up/down: Move camera up and down
C-Stick left/right: Zoom camera in and out
Y/X: Cycle through pieces
Z: Select piece type that's currently under the cursor
A: Place currently selected piece at cursor position
B: Delete block that's under cursor
Start: Menu

2.4 - EDIT MODE OPTIONS

The following options are available in the edit mode menu:

Slice Edit: Changes to slice edit mode. In this mode, layers of blocks between
the cursor and the camera are hidden. Tilting the camera with the C-Stick will
change between slicing off the front blocks and the top ones.

Normal Edit: The regular edit mode where all blocks are visible.

Floor Set: If this is set to ON, then the level will have a floor that cannot
be fallen through. If it's set to OFF, then there's no floor and the player
will be able to drop out of the map.

Clear Data: Deletes the current map. Choose the left option to confirm or the
right option to cancel.

Save Data: Saves the current map to the memory card. Choose the left option to
confirm or the right option to cancel.

Test Play: Lets you test out the current map. As a bare minimum you must have
placed down a player start point in order to select this option.

Exit: Go back to the main menu. You'll be asked to confirm your choice, then
asked if you wish to save. Select the left option for yes and the right for no
in both cases.

--- 3. GAMEPLAY ---------------------------------------------------------------

3.1 BASIC GAMEPLAY

The aim of Lode Runner is to work through the game's 60 levels avoiding the bad
guys and collecting gold.

To complete a level, you must collect all the gold and then climb the ladder to
get to the exit. Each level will have a number of enemies on it who will do
their best to stop you collecting the gold. Your only weapon in the game is
your gun, which you can use to blast away pieces of the brick walls that make
up the levels. You can drop through the holes you make in order to get to
otherwise-inaccessible areas. Enemies can also drop into the holes, and will
get stuck for a short while as they try to free themselves. While an enemy is
stuck, you can walk on its head as if there was a section of wall there.

Blocks that have been shot away will fill themselves in again after a few
seconds. Any enemies caught in a block that fills itself in will be killed.
You can also die yourself if you get trapped like this, so be careful.

There are a few different types of obstacles you'll find in the game:

Brick Walls: These are the standard building blocks that the stages are built
from. You can use your gun to dig through these blocks.

False Bricks: These look the same as regular blocks, but you'll fall straight
through them if you stand on them. You'll need to learn where these are in
each level.

Unbreakable Blocks: These blocks cannot be destroyed.

Ladders: Run into these to climb up them. Once all the gold in a stage has
been collected, a new ladder will appear that you can use to exit the level.

Rails: You can climb along these. Use the Z button to drop off a rail.

Enemy Robots: These will chase you through the level. Dig traps to slow them
down and kill them. A destroyed robot will be replaced by a new one after a
few seconds.

3.2 SCORING

For the most part, the scoring in the game is very simple. You get 100 points
for each pile of gold you pick up, and 100 points for each enemy you kill.

In addition, when you pick up the last pile of gold, a piece of fruit may
appear. Collecting this before you leave the level will give you additional
bonus points, and may also get you a fruit medal (see medals section below).

In order for fruit to appear, you must kill at least five enemies before
collecting the final piece of gold. The fruit will appear in the location of
the first pile of gold you collected after killing the fifth enemy. Note that
the fruit will not appear if the first pile of gold you collect after killing
five enemies is also the last pile of gold on the level (so you need to have
killed at least five enemies whilst there are still two or more piles of gold
left in order to collect the fruit bonus).

The type of fruit that appear is determined by the time taken to collect the
final pile of gold. The fruit only lasts for a few seconds, so you need to
plan your route carfully in order to be able to collect it before it vanishes.

Points and time limits for each type of fruit are given here:

+------------+-------------------+----------+
| Fruit | Time limit | Points |
+------------+-------------------+----------+
| Peach | 0.00.00 - 0.59.99 | 2500 Pts |
| Strawberry | 1.00.00 - 1.29.99 | 2000 Pts |
| Cherry | 1.30.00 - 1.59.99 | 1500 Pts |
| Watermelon | 2.00.00 - 2.29.99 | 1200 Pts |
| Grape | 2.30.00 - 2.59.99 | 800 Pts |
| Banana | 3.00.00 - 3.29.99 | 400 Pts |
| Orange | 3.30.00 - 3.59.99 | 200 Pts |
| Apple | 4.00.00 -> | 100 Pts |
+------------+-------------------+----------+

--- 4. EXTRAS -----------------------------------------------------------------

4.1 MEDALS

In addition to just clearing the stages, there are two extra challenges
available on each level. These are the Time Attack and the, erm, Fruit Attack.

For each stage you will get a medal for completing the stage within a certain
time limit, then you can get a second medal for completing it having collected
the correct fruit bonus. Unfortunately, the game doesn't list the requirements
for the medals up-front, so here is a table which gives you the time and fruit
requirements for every level:

+-------+------+---------------+
| Stage | Time | Fruit |
+-------+------+---------------+
| 01 | 0:20 | Peach |
| 02 | 0:30 | Peach |
| 03 | 0:45 | Strawberry |
| 04 | 0:25 | Peach |
| 05 | 1:00 | Strawberry |
| 06 | 0:35 | Strawberry |
| 07 | 0:30 | Peach |
| 08 | 0:35 | Peach |
| 09 | 0:50 | Strawberry |
| 10 | 0:25 | Strawberry |
| 11 | 1:10 | Watermelon |
| 12 | 0:40 | Peach |
| 13 | 1:10 | Grape |
| 14 | 0:35 | Peach |
| 15 | 0:40 | Strawberry |
| 16 | 0:50 | Strawberry |
| 17 | 1:00 | Strawberry |
| 18 | 1:05 | Strawberry |
| 19 | 1:00 | Cherry |
| 20 | 0:50 | Cherry |
| 21 | 0:45 | Peach |
| 22 | 0:45 | Peach |
| 23 | 0:40 | Cherry |
| 24 | 1:10 | Grape |
| 25 | 0:40 | Peach |
| 26 | 1:00 | Watermelon |
| 27 | 1:10 | Watermelon |
| 28 | 1:00 | Cherry |
| 29 | 1:10 | Strawberry |
| 30 | 0:50 | Cherry |
| 31 | 1:00 | Watermelon |
| 32 | 1:00 | Watermelon |
| 33 | 1:00 | Cherry |
| 34 | 0:30 | Watermelon |
| 35 | 1:40 | Watermelon |
| 36 | 0:40 | Strawberry |
| 37 | 1:00 | Peach |
| 38 | 1:15 | Strawberry |
| 39 | 1:25 | Strawberry |
| 40 | 1:05 | Strawberry |
| 41 | 0:45 | Peach |
| 42 | 1:10 | Cherry |
| 43 | 1:00 | Strawberry |
| 44 | 0:55 | Strawberry |
| 45 | 0:50 | Strawberry |
| 46 | 1:15 | Cherry |
| 47 | 1:20 | Cherry |
| 48 | 1:15 | Strawberry |
| 49 | 1:05 | Strawberry |
| 50 | 0:45 | Peach |
| 51 | 1:25 | Watermelon |
| 52 | 1:10 | Watermelon |
| 53 | 1:25 | Cherry |
| 54 | 0:35 | Peach |
| 55 | 1:00 | Cherry |
| 56 | 1:30 | Watermelon |
| 57 | 1:00 | Strawberry |
| 58 | 1:45 | Cherry |
| 59 | 2:10 | Watermelon |
| 60 | 0:55 | Peach |
+-------+------+---------------+

4.2 GIFT BOX

By playing through the game, you will unlock the Gift Box option in the main
menu. This contains additional content and options for you to play around
with.

I intend to list all the Gift Box options here as I get them. The options I
know about so far are:

Sound (Clear 15 stages): This gives you a choice between GC Mode and FC Mode
for the music and sound effects in the game. GC Mode is the default, and FC
(Famicom) Mode replaces the sound and music with the original NES versions.

Wallpaper (Clear 20 stages): This gives you three additional backdrops for
the game. You can use these as alternatives to the standard blue or black
backgrounds.

Wallpaper (Clear 25 stages): Another set of backdrops.

Movie (Clear 30 stages): This gives you two of the original Japanese adverts
for the NES/Famicom version of Lode Runner to watch.

Wallpaper (Clear 35 stages): Another set of backdrops.

Movie (Clear 40 stages): Two more movies. This time, they're for Bomberman
and Binary Land on the Famicom.

Wallpaper (Clear 45 stages): Another set of backdrops.

Movie (Clear 50 stages): Gives you an advert for "Takahashi Meijin no Bouken
Jima" (Adventure Island in the west) on the Famicom.

Wallpaper (Clear 55 stages): The final set of backdrops.

Credit (Clear 60 stages): Show the end credits for the game. Clearing the
first 60 stages also opens up 20 more stages to try.

--- 5. THE END BIT ------------------------------------------------------------

5.1 CONTACT DETAILS

If you have anything to add to this FAQ, or any questions or corrections, then
please email me using [email protected]

Even if you don't have anything to add, then drop me a mail anyway, so that I
know that the FAQ has been of some use.

The latest version of the FAQ will always be found at GameFAQs.

5.2 VERSION HISTORY

Version 0.3 - Added more Gift Box unlockables.

Version 0.2 - Added a number of unlockable Gift Box options, plus an
explanation of how the fruit bonus works.

Version 0.1 - Created first release.

5.3 LEGAL STUFF

This FAQ is Copyright 2003 by James Sutherland. No part of this document may
be reproduced for sale, profit, or commercial purposes without the express
permission of the author. All rights reserved. All trademarks herein are
acknowledged as the property of their respective owners.

5.4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Husdon Soft and Douglas E Smith for creating Lode Runner.

Some of the information used to create this FAQ was learned from Hudson's
Japanese Lode Runner Cubic web site ( see: http://www.hudson.co.jp/ ).

Thanks also to Babelfish for helping to translate a lot of the information
about the game from Hudson's site.