Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Lode Runner On-Line: The Mad Monks’ Revenge picks up where the original classic left off, putting you back in the boots of Jake Peril as he infiltrates the Evil Empire’s lairs. At its core, the game retains the signature ladder-and-platform puzzle structure fans know and love: you must gather scattered treasures while avoiding—or outsmarting—the Mad Monks bent on stopping you. Each screen unfolds like a miniature labyrinth, demanding careful timing and strategic digging to create escape routes or trap your pursuers.

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What sets this installment apart is the enormous jump in content and variety. The single-player mode offers the original levels plus thirty brand-new stages, each loaded with fresh hazards such as conveyor belts, disappearing blocks, and teleportation gates. These new obstacles enrich the mental challenge, forcing veterans to adapt long-familiar tactics to unexpected twists. You’ll find yourself experimenting with dig patterns and pathfinding more than ever before.

On the multiplayer front, The Mad Monks’ Revenge truly shines. With up to eight players online, you can compete in frantic races to collect treasure or collaborate to clear custom-made levels. The built-in lobby system makes matchmaking simple, and the game’s low latency ensures that even split-second digs and jumps feel responsive. Whether you’re battling friends or coordinating with strangers, the multiplayer modes breathe new life into the century-old formula.

Graphics

Visually, Lode Runner On-Line: The Mad Monks’ Revenge remains faithful to its retro roots, using crisp, block-based sprites and a bright, contrasting color palette. While it doesn’t utilize polygonal or 3D rendering, its updated EGA/VGA artwork brings clarity to each level’s layout. Platforms, ladders, and hazards are instantly recognizable, and the Mad Monks themselves sport varied animations that bring personality to each foe type.

One of the most impressive touches is the level-editor preview mode, which renders user-created stages with the same fidelity as the built-in screens. You’ll appreciate seeing how trapdoors, conveyor belts, and teleporters look before diving in. The editor’s intuitive interface employs drag-and-drop placement, making it easy for novices to craft devious puzzles without wading through menus.

Backgrounds are kept minimalistic on purpose—your focus should be on solving the puzzles, not gawking at scenery. Still, subtle details like flickering torches in dungeon levels or color shifts to indicate different “zones” help maintain visual interest over 150 stages. It’s a balance of form and function that echoes modern indie puzzle aesthetics.

Story

The narrative here is simple but effective: Jake Peril returns to thwart the Mad Monks’ plot to amass untold riches and power. There’s no lengthy cutscene drama; instead, brief text intros bookend the single-player campaign, explaining each new area of the Evil Empire’s lair. This concise approach respects players’ time and keeps the adrenaline flowing between levels.

Despite its minimal storytelling, the game fosters a sense of progression. As you advance, you move from dank dungeons into high-ceilinged cathedrals and finally to the Monks’ treasure vault. Each thematic shift feels earned, and the rising difficulty curve ensures that the stakes—both narrative and mechanical—climb steadily.

For multiplayer matches, the story backdrop becomes a lighthearted pretext: who can outwit the other in the Mad Monks’ domain? While narrative isn’t the primary draw here, the lore of Jake Peril’s exploits remains a charming through-line that ties the original release to this modern update.

Overall Experience

Lode Runner On-Line: The Mad Monks’ Revenge is a masterclass in updating a classic puzzle franchise. The core gameplay—digging holes to trap enemies, racing for treasure, and navigating intricate platform networks—is as addictive as ever. The addition of 30 new single-player levels, over a hundred multiplayer stages, and a robust level editor offers endless replayability.

Multiplayer transforms the game from a solitary puzzle challenge into a social showdown. Casual players can drop in for fun matches, while hardcore fans will spend hours refining strategies in custom levels. The netcode is smooth, making every dig or climb feel instantaneous—a crucial factor in a game where timing is everything.

Whether you’re a Lode Runner veteran or a newcomer seeking brain-teasing platform action, The Mad Monks’ Revenge delivers. Its blend of nostalgia, fresh content, and online features strikes a perfect balance. You’ll find yourself hooked by the elegant simplicity of its puzzles and the depth unlocked by multiplayer and user-created stages. In short, it’s a triumphant return for Jake Peril and a must-play for anyone who loves platform-puzzle games.

Retro Replay Score

6.2/10