Web site: (not active)
Category: Games
Sub-Category: Action, Platform
Platform: Famicom, Nintenfo NES
License: Proprietary
Interface: GUI
Wikipedia: 3-D Battles of WorldRunner
First release: March 12, 1987
3-D Battles of WorldRunner (Japanese: とびだせ大作戦) – a 3-D shooter and platformer video game developed by Square for the Family Computer Disk System and published on March 12, 1987. It has been released in Japan as Tobidase Daisakusen.
In the game, the player assumes the role of Jack WorldRunner, a wild “space cowboy” tasked with saving various planets from snake-like creatures. The player navigates through all three spatial dimensions, jumping chasms, destroying enemies, and collecting bonuses by crashing into cactus-like plants. There are also secret passages to bonus levels by grabbing balloons.
In total, the player must navigate four zones on each of eight planets within a time limit and battle a snake-like boss (with multiple bosses on later planets) that moves through all spatial dimensions. The player always runs forward, can jump, and move left or right, but cannot stop or move backwards, although they can slow down or speed up. The game described in this article is one of the earliest to feature 3D effects. 3D glasses were included with the game cartridge.
A sequel, JJ: Tobidase Daisakusen Part II, was released later in 1987 exclusively in Japan and features similar gameplay and objectives, but is more challenging: both the player and enemies move significantly faster.
