The 3-D Battles of World Runner is a pseudo-3D forward-scrolling action platformer for the NES, developed by Square and released in 1987. Known for its distinct visual style reminiscent of Sega’s Space Harrier, players control Jack the World Runner as he sprints continuously forward across alien worlds, dodging obstacles, leaping over bottomless pits, and fighting the serpent-like Serpentbeasts.
How to play
The game plays from a behind-the-character perspective where forward movement is constant. Your objective is to survive the treacherous run to the end of each stage before the timer expires. Use the D-pad (mapped to arrow keys) to steer left and right or to speed up and slow down. Press A (Z) to jump over gaps and enemies, and B (X) to fire missiles once you have collected a power-up.
Tips
- Master your momentum: You can adjust Jack’s trajectory in mid-air by steering left or right. This is essential for landing safely on narrow pillars or dodging enemies at the last second.
- Collect stars and items: Grab stars to increase your score and find the missile power-up to defend yourself against obstacles and bosses.
- 3-D mode: The game famously included an anaglyph 3D mode, which you can toggle on or off by pressing Select (Shift).
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