3-D WorldRunner
Encyclopedia
is a third-person
rail shooter platform
video game developed by Square
in . In Japan
, the game was released on the Famicom Disk System
as Tobidase Daisakusen, and was published by DOG
, a now-defunct label of Square. The North America
n release, which was the first Square game to reach American shores, was published by Acclaim Entertainment, Inc.
for the Nintendo Entertainment System
.
In the game, the player assumes the role of WorldRunner (known in Japan as Jack), a wild "space cowboy" on a mission to save various planets overrun by serpent-like beasts. The game takes place in Solar System #517, which is being overrun by a race of aliens known as Serpentbeasts, who are led by the evil Grax. As WorldRunner, the player must battle through eight planets to destroy Grax. For its time, the game was technically advanced; the game's three-dimensional
scrolling effect is very similar to the linescroll effects used by Pole Position
and many racing game
s of the day as well as the forward-scrolling effect of Sega
's 1985 third-person rail shooter Space Harrier
. 3-D WorldRunner was an early forward-scrolling pseudo-3D
third-person platform-action game where players were free to move in any forward-scrolling direction and had to leap over obstacles and chasms. It was also notable for being one of the first stereoscopic 3-D games.
3-D WorldRunner was designed by Hironobu Sakaguchi
, Nobuo Uematsu
, and Nasir Gebelli
, all whom would later rise to fame as core members of the team behind the popular role-playing game
Final Fantasy
. The three also developed JJ
, the sequel to 3-D WorldRunner.
As WorldRunner, players make their way through eight worlds, battling hostile alien creatures and leaping over bottomless canyons. Each world is divided into different quadrants, and the player must pass through each quadrant before the time counter on the bottom of the game screen reaches zero. In each quadrant, the player can find pillar-like columns that house power-ups, objects that are beneficial or add extra abilities to the game character. At the end of each world's last quadrant is a serpent-like creature which must be defeated to advance. A status bar at the bottom of the screen displays the player's score, the time counter, the world number, the world quadrant, the number of bonus stars (items that increase the player's score count) collected by the player, and the number of lives, or continues, remaining.
's directional pad
, the player can speed up or slow down WorldRunner's pace. The player is also allowed a degree of limited horizontal movement. When fighting Serpentbeasts at the end of each world, the player is capable of moving WorldRunner freely in all directions.
WorldRunner's basic actions consist of jumping and firing missiles. Jumping is essential to leap over bottomless canyons and is also useful for dodging enemies. The player can execute a long jump by pressing the jump button and simultaneously holding up on the directional pad. Conversely, shorter jumps can be taken by holding down in conjunction with a jump. In addition to jumping, WorldRunner can also fire missiles to destroy enemies, provided that the player has obtained the missiles. By the time the player reaches the Serpentbeast at the end of any world, WorldRunner is armed with laser missiles regardless of whether the player had picked one up earlier.
All of the elements listed below appear in every world (the Cosmic Clock, Junior Jumper, and Super Jumper excepted), but not necessarily in every quadrant:
Each world has different enemies, but some types of enemies are consistent throughout each world. The second world, Toro, introduces the indestructible Hand Man, a new type of enemy that doesn't hurt WorldRunner, but attempts to block his progress by shadowing his movements. As the player advances, the enemies of each world become progressively more difficult. Serpentbeasts appear at the end of every world and must be defeated to advance to the next world. The number of incarnations of a given Serpentbeast increases from world to world. In the first world, for example, the player must defeat one Serpentbeast, but by the eighth and final world, the player must face no less than six incarnations of the same Serpentbeast.
Columns litter every world, and are important as they house items that benefit WorldRunner's progress (with the exception of the Magic Mushroom, which is lethal). Items in columns are obtained by crashing into them. Items include a Power Potion which allows to absorb one hit from the enemy; a Laser Missile; 1-up
s; "Atomic Power" which renders WorldRunner temporarily invincible; and the rare Cosmic Clock which resets the time counter. In addition, a Magic Mushroom is a negative item which kills WorldRunner on touch.
Super Stars are small items spread throughout each world that can be collected to increase the player's score count and Super Star count. When collected, each Super Star scores the player fifty points. The number of Super Stars accrues between each world's quadrant, but upon completion of each world the Super Stars are factored into the player's score count, divided at 200 points apiece. The Super Star count also resets upon death or game over.
Warp Balloons are spread throughout each world, generally consigned to one specific quadrant. When WorldRunner latches onto a Warp Balloon, he is transported to a bonus quadrant, denoted in each world as quadrant B. Bonus quadrants are filled with Super Stars and columns with helpful items.
Junior Jumpers are coiled springs
that first appear in the third world, Caverno. When stepped on, Junior Jumpers send WorldRunner high into the air, and are essential for crossing some of the wider canyons. Super Jumpers are flattened in appearance, and serve the same purpose as Junior Jumpers, except they send WorldRunner even higher into the air.
, the sequel to 3-D WorldRunner, and Rad Racer
). When the 3-D mode is selected, the game uses computer image processing techniques to combine images from two slightly different viewpoints into a single image, known as anaglyph image
s. The game was packaged with cardboard "anaglyph glasses," which use red and cyan color filters to moderate the light reaching each eye to create the illusion of a three dimensional image.
It is considered difficult to find a complete copy of 3-D WorldRunner today, presumably because the glasses packaged with the game ended up getting thrown away by players. Indeed, copies of the game sold on eBay
almost never include the glasses, even if the game's box, instruction manual, and dust jacket
are all intact.
, and is Uematsu's seventh work of video game music composition.
's Space Harrier
, first released as an arcade game
two years prior to 3-D WorldRunners debut. In an interview with NextGeneration Magazine, Sakaguchi admitted that he "liked Space Harrier," but said that the main reason his team made 3-D WorldRunner was to "show off" the 3D programming techniques of Nasir Gebelli. Commercially, the game was met with modest success, selling roughly 500,000 copies worldwide.
Although the game left no legacy, the main star of 3-D WorldRunner made an appearance in Square's Chocobo Racing
as the final secret character
. In the game, WorldRunner goes by his Japanese moniker "Jack."
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
rail shooter platform
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
video game developed by Square
Square Co.
was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...
in . In Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the game was released on the Famicom Disk System
Famicom Disk System
The was released on February 21, 1986 by Nintendo as a peripheral for the Family Computer console in Japan. It was a unit that used proprietary floppy disks for data storage. It was announced, but never released, for the North American Nintendo Entertainment System...
as Tobidase Daisakusen, and was published by DOG
Square Co.
was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...
, a now-defunct label of Square. The North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n release, which was the first Square game to reach American shores, was published by Acclaim Entertainment, Inc.
Acclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment was an American video game developer and publisher. It developed, published, marketed and distributed interactive entertainment software for a variety of hardware platforms, including Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, and Game Gear, Nintendo's NES, SNES, Nintendo...
for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
.
In the game, the player assumes the role of WorldRunner (known in Japan as Jack), a wild "space cowboy" on a mission to save various planets overrun by serpent-like beasts. The game takes place in Solar System #517, which is being overrun by a race of aliens known as Serpentbeasts, who are led by the evil Grax. As WorldRunner, the player must battle through eight planets to destroy Grax. For its time, the game was technically advanced; the game's three-dimensional
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
scrolling effect is very similar to the linescroll effects used by Pole Position
Pole Position
Pole Position is a racing video game released in 1982 by Namco. It was published by Namco in Japan and by Atari, Inc. in the United States...
and many racing game
Racing game
A racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first-person or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...
s of the day as well as the forward-scrolling effect of Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's 1985 third-person rail shooter Space Harrier
Space Harrier
is a third-person rail shooter game, released by Sega in 1985. It was produced by Yu Suzuki, responsible for many popular Sega games. It spawned several sequels: Space Harrier 3-D , Space Harrier II , and the spin-off Planet Harriers ....
. 3-D WorldRunner was an early forward-scrolling pseudo-3D
2.5D
2.5D , 3/4 perspective and pseudo-3D are terms used to describe either:* 2D graphical projections and techniques which cause a series of images or scenes to fake or appear to be three-dimensional when in fact they are not, or* gameplay in an otherwise three-dimensional video game that is...
third-person platform-action game where players were free to move in any forward-scrolling direction and had to leap over obstacles and chasms. It was also notable for being one of the first stereoscopic 3-D games.
3-D WorldRunner was designed by Hironobu Sakaguchi
Hironobu Sakaguchi
is a Japanese game designer, game director and game producer. He is world famous as the creator of the Final Fantasy series, and has had a long career in gaming with over 100 million units of video games sold worldwide...
, Nobuo Uematsu
Nobuo Uematsu
is a Japanese video game composer, best known for scoring the majority of titles in the Final Fantasy series. He is considered as one of the most famous and respected composers in the video game community...
, and Nasir Gebelli
Nasir Gebelli
Nasir Gebelli is an Iranian-American programmer and video game developer. Gebelli co-founded Sirius Software, created his own company Gebelli Software, and worked for Square .-Sirius Software:...
, all whom would later rise to fame as core members of the team behind the popular role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy (video game)
is a fantasy role-playing video game created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, developed and first published in Japan by Square in 1987. It is the first game in Square's Final Fantasy series...
. The three also developed JJ
JJ (video game)
is a video game developed and published by Square for the Nintendo Family Computer in 1987. In English, it is sometimes referred to by its long form, Jumpin' Jack, or by its subtitle, Tobidase Daisakusen Part II...
, the sequel to 3-D WorldRunner.
Gameplay
3-D WorldRunner features many elements that are typical of a forward-scrolling rail shooter game, where the player focuses on destroying or dodging onscreen enemies against a scrolling background. 3-D WorldRunner incorporates a distinct third-person view, where the camera angle is positioned behind the main character.As WorldRunner, players make their way through eight worlds, battling hostile alien creatures and leaping over bottomless canyons. Each world is divided into different quadrants, and the player must pass through each quadrant before the time counter on the bottom of the game screen reaches zero. In each quadrant, the player can find pillar-like columns that house power-ups, objects that are beneficial or add extra abilities to the game character. At the end of each world's last quadrant is a serpent-like creature which must be defeated to advance. A status bar at the bottom of the screen displays the player's score, the time counter, the world number, the world quadrant, the number of bonus stars (items that increase the player's score count) collected by the player, and the number of lives, or continues, remaining.
Basic controls
Because the game is set against a constantly scrolling screen, WorldRunner's movement cannot be stopped, but using the game controllerGame controller
A game controller is a device used with games or entertainment systems used to control a playable character or object, or otherwise provide input in a computer game. A controller is typically connected to a game console or computer by means of a wire, cord or nowadays, by means of wireless connection...
's directional pad
D-pad
A D-pad is a flat, usually thumb-operated directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern video game console gamepads, game controllers, on the remote control units of some television and DVD players, and smart phones...
, the player can speed up or slow down WorldRunner's pace. The player is also allowed a degree of limited horizontal movement. When fighting Serpentbeasts at the end of each world, the player is capable of moving WorldRunner freely in all directions.
WorldRunner's basic actions consist of jumping and firing missiles. Jumping is essential to leap over bottomless canyons and is also useful for dodging enemies. The player can execute a long jump by pressing the jump button and simultaneously holding up on the directional pad. Conversely, shorter jumps can be taken by holding down in conjunction with a jump. In addition to jumping, WorldRunner can also fire missiles to destroy enemies, provided that the player has obtained the missiles. By the time the player reaches the Serpentbeast at the end of any world, WorldRunner is armed with laser missiles regardless of whether the player had picked one up earlier.
Tasks, aids, and obstacles
In each world, the player is free to travel in any forward-moving direction. The worlds are filled with enemies that attack WorldRunner or block his progress, but also contain items that are helpful; most of these items can be found in ancient columns spread throughout each world. Canyons, which WorldRunner must leap over, are also present in each world, and at the end of each world is a Serpentbeast the player must defeat. None of the elements, items, or enemies in WorldRunner are randomized; instead, they are defined in set locations.All of the elements listed below appear in every world (the Cosmic Clock, Junior Jumper, and Super Jumper excepted), but not necessarily in every quadrant:
Each world has different enemies, but some types of enemies are consistent throughout each world. The second world, Toro, introduces the indestructible Hand Man, a new type of enemy that doesn't hurt WorldRunner, but attempts to block his progress by shadowing his movements. As the player advances, the enemies of each world become progressively more difficult. Serpentbeasts appear at the end of every world and must be defeated to advance to the next world. The number of incarnations of a given Serpentbeast increases from world to world. In the first world, for example, the player must defeat one Serpentbeast, but by the eighth and final world, the player must face no less than six incarnations of the same Serpentbeast.
Columns litter every world, and are important as they house items that benefit WorldRunner's progress (with the exception of the Magic Mushroom, which is lethal). Items in columns are obtained by crashing into them. Items include a Power Potion which allows to absorb one hit from the enemy; a Laser Missile; 1-up
1-up
1-up , pronounced "one up", is a term in console video gaming that commonly refers to an item that gives the player an extra life, to complete the game. In certain games, it is possible to receive multiple extra lives at once...
s; "Atomic Power" which renders WorldRunner temporarily invincible; and the rare Cosmic Clock which resets the time counter. In addition, a Magic Mushroom is a negative item which kills WorldRunner on touch.
Super Stars are small items spread throughout each world that can be collected to increase the player's score count and Super Star count. When collected, each Super Star scores the player fifty points. The number of Super Stars accrues between each world's quadrant, but upon completion of each world the Super Stars are factored into the player's score count, divided at 200 points apiece. The Super Star count also resets upon death or game over.
Warp Balloons are spread throughout each world, generally consigned to one specific quadrant. When WorldRunner latches onto a Warp Balloon, he is transported to a bonus quadrant, denoted in each world as quadrant B. Bonus quadrants are filled with Super Stars and columns with helpful items.
Junior Jumpers are coiled springs
Coil spring
A Coil spring, also known as a helical spring, is a mechanical device, which is typically used to store energy and subsequently release it, to absorb shock, or to maintain a force between contacting surfaces...
that first appear in the third world, Caverno. When stepped on, Junior Jumpers send WorldRunner high into the air, and are essential for crossing some of the wider canyons. Super Jumpers are flattened in appearance, and serve the same purpose as Junior Jumpers, except they send WorldRunner even higher into the air.
3-D mode
Part of the appeal and selling point of 3-D WorldRunner was its "3-D mode," and it was the first of three games by Square to feature such an option (the other two being JJJJ (video game)
is a video game developed and published by Square for the Nintendo Family Computer in 1987. In English, it is sometimes referred to by its long form, Jumpin' Jack, or by its subtitle, Tobidase Daisakusen Part II...
, the sequel to 3-D WorldRunner, and Rad Racer
Rad Racer
Rad Racer, known in Japan as , is a racing game developed and published by Square for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987. It was programmed by Nasir Gebelli, designed and supervised by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and featured music by Nobuo Uematsu, all of whom later contributed to Final Fantasy in...
). When the 3-D mode is selected, the game uses computer image processing techniques to combine images from two slightly different viewpoints into a single image, known as anaglyph image
Anaglyph image
Anaglyph images are used to provide a stereoscopic 3D effect, when viewed with glasses where the two lenses are different colors, such as red and cyan. Images are made up of two color layers, superimposed, but offset with respect to each other to produce a depth effect...
s. The game was packaged with cardboard "anaglyph glasses," which use red and cyan color filters to moderate the light reaching each eye to create the illusion of a three dimensional image.
It is considered difficult to find a complete copy of 3-D WorldRunner today, presumably because the glasses packaged with the game ended up getting thrown away by players. Indeed, copies of the game sold on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
almost never include the glasses, even if the game's box, instruction manual, and dust jacket
Dust jacket
The dust jacket of a book is the detachable outer cover, usually made of paper and printed with text and illustrations. This outer cover has folded flaps that hold it to the front and back book covers...
are all intact.
Audio
3-D WorldRunners soundtrack consists of eight tracks. The game was scored by Nobuo UematsuNobuo Uematsu
is a Japanese video game composer, best known for scoring the majority of titles in the Final Fantasy series. He is considered as one of the most famous and respected composers in the video game community...
, and is Uematsu's seventh work of video game music composition.
Reception
Reviews for 3-D WorldRunner are generally positive. The game's graphics are widely praised as impressive, while the 3-D mode is generally considered a nice addition to a fun and simple game. The game is sometimes criticized, however, as a ripoff of SegaSega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's Space Harrier
Space Harrier
is a third-person rail shooter game, released by Sega in 1985. It was produced by Yu Suzuki, responsible for many popular Sega games. It spawned several sequels: Space Harrier 3-D , Space Harrier II , and the spin-off Planet Harriers ....
, first released as an arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
two years prior to 3-D WorldRunners debut. In an interview with NextGeneration Magazine, Sakaguchi admitted that he "liked Space Harrier," but said that the main reason his team made 3-D WorldRunner was to "show off" the 3D programming techniques of Nasir Gebelli. Commercially, the game was met with modest success, selling roughly 500,000 copies worldwide.
Although the game left no legacy, the main star of 3-D WorldRunner made an appearance in Square's Chocobo Racing
Chocobo Racing
Chocobo Racing, known in Japan as is a racing game for the PlayStation game console. The game was developed by Square Co., creators of the Final Fantasy series of video games. The game was first released in Japan in March 1999...
as the final secret character
Secret character
A secret character can be a player character or a non-player character in a video game that must be unlocked by completing a goal within the game...
. In the game, WorldRunner goes by his Japanese moniker "Jack."