Metro-Cross

About

Metro-Cross is a 1985 Namco game where you guide a runner through obstacle-filled tracks to collect cans and avoid hazards. The player controls movement and speed but can’t stop the runner, who races forward automatically. Each of the 32 rounds gives a time limit, with leftover seconds adding to your score and carrying over every fourth stage. Miss the deadline and you get electrocuted, game over. The challenge balances reflexes and timing, as you dodge traps and grab cans to stretch your window. The game uses modified Pac-Land hardware with a 2048-color palette, giving it a punchy retro look. Its simplicity and punishing time limits made it a curious standout on 8-bit systems. With a chill community vibe and just one vote, it’s a forgotten title from an arcade era obsessed with high-stakes precision. Released across platforms from Wii U to ZX Spectrum, its legacy lives in niche circles of hardware enthusiasts and speed-focused retro fans.