Lock
A young Archineer builder and the playable protagonist. He constructs defenses and fights to protect his home.
Documented for this version
Stylus | Select, place, repair, and interact with objects on the touch screen. |
|---|---|
D-pad | Move Lock around the battlefield. |
Some actions use the Nintendo DS touch screen together with the directional pad.
How it plays
The game uses a top-down, map-based perspective. During preparation, Lock gathers scrap and places walls, cannons, traps, and other defenses on designated build areas. Structures can be repaired, upgraded, or rearranged before the next attack.
During battles, waves of Clockworks assault the perimeter. Lock can move around the map, fight enemies, repair structures, and activate defensive equipment. The campaign advances through a sequence of story missions with new enemy types, buildings, weapons, and increasingly demanding layouts.
Plan your run
Use the preparation phase to create a layered defense rather than spending all scrap on a single strong position. Place durable barriers where enemies must turn or slow down, then cover those approaches with ranged defenses.
During an assault, repair critical structures before replacing less important ones and move Lock to threatened sections quickly. Save resources for later waves, study enemy routes, and upgrade defenses that cover several lanes instead of isolated installations.
Meet the cast
A young Archineer builder and the playable protagonist. He constructs defenses and fights to protect his home.
A major Clockwork commander and one of Lock's principal enemies.
Before you begin
Build a second defensive line so a breach does not immediately end the battle.
Keep Lock near vulnerable structures so repairs and direct attacks can be handled quickly.
Review enemy paths before placing expensive weapons.
Lock's Quest is a Nintendo DS strategy game developed by 5th Cell and published by THQ. It combines tower-defense planning with direct action in a steampunk conflict between the Clockwork armies and the rebellious Archineers. Players control Lock, a young builder who must design defensive structures, repair damage, and personally fight during incoming assaults. The campaign alternates between preparation phases and timed battles, making efficient use of limited resources essential. Its touch-screen construction system was widely recognized as a strong fit for the DS, while reviews generally praised the inventive mixture of genres, presentation, and amount of content. Some criticism focused on repetitive battles and occasionally awkward interface details.
Catalog entry maintained by EmuGamers Editorial Team
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