Rod Land
A 1990 arcade platformer with a hidden sequel.
Rod Land is a 1990 platform video game developed and published by Jaleco for arcades, originally released in Japan in April 1990. It was later ported to various home consoles and personal computers, which were released internationally. The game is notable for its unique mechanics, including the inability to jump and the use of a custom ladder, and for including a hidden sequel within the arcade version.
- Developer
- Jaleco
- Publisher
- Jaleco
- Release Year
- 1990
- Platform
- Arcade (original)
- Genre
- Platform
- Notable Ports
- Amstrad CPC, Amiga, ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, NES, Game Boy
Lore & Background
Rod Land was developed and published by Jaleco for arcades, originally released in Japan in April 1990. The game was ported to many home systems, with the first being the Amstrad CPC version in 1990 and the last being the Nintendo Game Boy version in 1993. The home versions were created by The Sales Curve from their London development office. The Amiga and ST versions were coded by Ronald Pieket Weeserik and John Croudy, the Commodore 64 version by Steve Snake, the ZX Spectrum version by Jason McGann and Shaun McClure, and the NES version by Simon Pick, Jools Watsham, and Steve Snake. The NES version was only released in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and possibly Australia, but not in Japan.
Reader's Guide
Rod Land is significant as a platform game that diverged from genre conventions by removing the ability to jump, instead relying on ladders and a conjured custom ladder. Its arcade version includes a completely different sequel accessible via a secret joystick input, adding replay value. The Amiga port, developed by Random Access and published by Storm, was praised by Amiga Power as the 16th best game of all time. It corrected glitches from the arcade version, added hidden features and bonuses, and implemented unused enemy animations. The game's legacy includes a 1992 puzzle spin-off titled Soldam, and its arcade version was re-released by Hamster Corporation as part of the Arcade Archives series for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in January 2021.
Did You Know?
- The arcade version includes a hidden sequel that can be accessed by moving the joystick down three times between inserting a coin and pressing the 1P or 2P button.
- The Amiga version was ranked the 16th best game of all time by Amiga Power.
- The NES version of Rod Land was only released in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and possibly Australia, but not in Japan.
- The Amiga port corrected several glitches from the arcade version, such as enemies getting stuck at the top of ladders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rod Land?
Rod Land is a 1990 arcade platformer developed and published by Jaleco, first released in Japan in April 1990. It later received ports to numerous home consoles and personal computers worldwide.
What makes Rod Land's gameplay stand out?
The player character is completely unable to jump, so all vertical movement is handled through a custom-built ladder mechanic. This restriction gives the game a distinctly different feel from typical platformers of the era.
What platforms was Rod Land released on?
Beyond its original arcade cabinet, the game was ported to the NES, Game Boy, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum.
What is the hidden sequel in Rod Land?
The arcade version of Rod Land conceals a full sequel inside the game that players can uncover. This built-in expansion is one of the title's most talked-about curiosities among retro-gaming fans.
Who developed and published Rod Land?
Jaleco handled both the development and the publishing of the game, releasing it first in Japanese arcades before the international home-console ports followed.
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