Strategy Elements
Basically if you memorize the level layouts in the early levels, you can do the same patterns. However, truck movement seems to be random, so you cannot repeat that part.
Seeds appear in the same spots, as do most mines. There is onscreen display at the top middle of the screen that shows how many seeds (up to 5) you have missed. Once you miss the fifth you lose a life.
There are safe pathways and obstacles that appear in the same spot,
so remember which way to go each time, and execute the same paths.
If you stay too long in one area, the screen will automatically scroll to the left, and push you in that direction. However, if you pick up a seed, you do have more time to stay on that area. If you execute this properly, you can get many tongue bonuses to increase your score.
Basic Strategy
Road Runner has you run from the right side of the screen to the left down a long, multi-screen road. Basically, you need to pick up the yellow birdseed located at different points along the screen. There is a meter with 5 seeds indicated at the top middle of the screen. If you miss one, the road runner moves to the left, and the indicator decreases by one. Once you miss 5, you faint and lose a life. There are many obstacles that you need to avoid. Trucks, falling rocks, dynamite, and cliffs can cause you to lose a life.
Running and rocket skates
Wile E. Coyote will track you constantly throughout the game. You can use this to your advantage to lure him into traps, and destroy him temporarily. Usually he will come after you in a straight path or the shortest distance to you. If there is a trap in the way, he will not avoid it in the early cycles. Later on, it will be much harder to get to him onto the traps. However, if you get too far ahead, he will speed up by using rocket skates. Around the 4th cycle, he will put on running shoes, and speed up also.
Riding a rocket
On the second level, he will ride a rocket briefly while you maneuver through a maze. Basically he travels in a straight line, so if you move up and down, and not stay in one place, you can avoid him. Learn the proper areas to pause, and you will get through this area easily. Later on there will be mines, and lemonade to make it more difficult.
Pogo stick
Later after the rocket stage, he will get onto a pogo stick. This lets him jump over several areas, he will usually target the area you last were, so keep moving. Later on it will be nearly impossible to avoid around the 4th cycle. Learn to avoid the lemonade and mines, and try to move vertically a lot.
Magnet
One last method is using a magnet. This only happens when you eat the birdseed with the steel shot in it.
Invisible Paint
Wile will also, in the later stages, acquire what the manual calls "invisible paint." This paint makes him faster, but you can stop him from collecting it by picking up the item yourself before he does.
Stage Warp
There is only one warp at the beginning of the game if you used a continue. Maneuver into the cave, and you will start at the last level you completed. You will also get one bonus life for continuing.
Stage breakdown
Here are the 4 main stages (and substages). The will continually repeat with more and more obstacles and traffic added through each cycle.
Level 1-Main Road (part 1)
Cycle 1 - Let coyote get close to you, and get as many tongue bonuses as possible, once you go under the first rock bridge, just run through the rest of the level. Avoid the few trucks that show up near the end. The seeds are always in the same spot, so learn to move near each one ahead of time.
Cycle 2 - A lot more trucks, and lemonade appear. If you have time drink the lemonade, otherwise lure Wile to drink it. There will be a lot of mines, so lure Wile onto those also. Sometimes birdseed will be right next to it. Lure Wile onto the mine first, and then grab the seed.
Cycle 3 - Steelshot appears in birdseed.
Cycle 4 - Invisible paint appears.
Level 1-Winding pathway (part 2)
Cycle 1 - Move through the winding pathway as quick as possible. Avoid the coyote. Do not waste time on this level.
Cycle 2 - A few mines show up. Learn where to jump them, or lure Wile onto them.
Level 2-Wile on a Rocket (part 1)
Cycle 1 - Run through the winding areas. Stopping as your reach safe areas and observe where Wile is on the rocket. Move once he reaches the left or right side to continue. The basic maze never changes.
Cycle 2 - Grab the seed in the open area. If you have time grab the lemonade also, otherwise just run through.
Level 2-Wile on Pogo Stick (part 2)
Cycle 1 - Again, move through the maze area. You can lure Wile to an area, by staying in one spot for a second or two. Immeadiately move to another area or you will be captured. Wile only speeds up once if you are too far off the screen.
Cycle 2 - Its very risky to drink the lemonade. Also start avoiding the mines. Wile starts speeding up more and more.
Level 2-Wile chasing through falling rocks (part 3)
Cycle 1 - The last area of level 2, you will run down a road with boulders falling continuously. Avoid the falling rocks, and lure Wile closer so they fall on him. This will stun him momentarily. It is possible to be captured and have a rock fall on Wile and escape.
Cycle 2 - Again mines show up near the birdseed, avoid them.
Level 3-Running through desert maze (part 1)
Cycle 1- Wile will chase you through a horizontal/vertical maze. It does not change, so memorize the layout so you wont get trapped. It is possible to double back in certain areas so you won't get trapped. Wile is allowed to move throughout the area, whereas you are restricted to road areas.
Cycle 2 - Mines and lemonade appear making it more difficult to go through.
Level 3-Avoiding cannons (part 2)
Cycle 1- At the end of the maze, there are is open area leading to a few restricted pathways. These pathways have cannons. The only way to destroy Wile is to get far ahead, so he is on a rocket skates.
Cycle 2 - Mines and lemonade appear.
Level 4-Running through glue/Wile on helicopter with dynamite (part 1)
Cycle 1- Run through the glue or hop over it.Pick up the seeds and avoid the coyote. Partway through Wile will stop chasing you and get into a helicopter and throw dynamite at you. Make abrupt direction changes, or circular moves to avoid.
Cycle 2 - Mines and lemonade appear.
Cycle 3 - Trucks appear in the glue area.
Level 4-Cliffs/Bridge/End stage (part 2)
Cycle 1- There are a few hops that you have to make over gaps. It is possible to lure Wile to fall off. However master the timing of the jumps. At the end you will see a brige that you need to get over. After this there a few more seeds. You DONT need to get all of them to complete the stage.
Cycle 2-Mines and lemonade appear.
