Boulder Dash (video game)

Did You Know?

• The game's name is a pun on balderdash.
• A limited edition of 250 copies was released for the Atari 2600 in 2011.

Development

Peter Liepa, an aspiring game developer, contacted local publisher Inhome Software, who connected him with Chris Gray. Gray had submitted a BASIC game based on the 1982 arcade game The Pit, which was not commercially viable but showed potential. Liepa expanded the concept, adding more dynamics, and wrote the new version in Forth over about six months. When the game proved worth releasing, he rewrote it in 6502 assembly language. Dissatisfied with Inhome Software's lack of contact, Liepa found a new publisher in First Star Software, which was happy to publish the game.

Ports

First Star converted Liepa's original Atari 8-bit version to many consoles and computers. The initial 1984 releases were based on the Atari code and are very similar aside from sound and graphics differences. Exidy licensed the game for their Max-A-Flex arcade cabinet in 1984, allowing 30 seconds of game time per play, making it the first home computer game converted to an arcade cabinet. A 1990 NES version, developed by Data East and published by JVC in North America, features more cartoony graphics, additional music, an overworld map, and lower difficulty than the original.

Reception

Critics were quick to heap praise on Boulder Dash. II Computing highlighted its bright, colorful animation and lighthearted story, calling it more than a quick distraction. Computer Games magazine compared it to Dig Dug but found it faster and more thrilling, labeling it an incredibly addictive maze game. Ahoy! described the Commodore 64 version as fascinating and an entertainment classic, with excellent graphics, sound, and many delightful touches. Mean Machines awarded the Game Boy port a 90% score, hailing it as one of the finest video games ever written and praising its faithfulness to the original Commodore 64 version. The same magazine gave the NES version a 92% rating, calling it extremely impressive and one of the greatest games ever written. The ZX Spectrum version received a positive review from Computer and Video Games, which noted adequate sounds and graphics despite slow screen scrolling, but praised its incredible playability and addictive nature. That version also placed ninth in Stuart Campbell's Your Sinclair Top 100 Speccy Games Of All Time. In 1993, Commodore Force ranked it 17th on its top 100 Commodore 64 games list. IGN reviewed the Virtual Console release of the Commodore 64 version, acknowledging dated graphics and sound but stating the game still feels as fresh as in 1984, concluding that "Boulder Dash rocks." Germany's C't Magazin included it in the top 30 Commodore 64 games. By August 1994, the game had sold over 500,000 copies.

Legacy

Boulder Dash was the first in a long series of games. An arcade version was released in 1985 on Data East's DECO Cassette System with improved graphics but a reduced display grid. Boulder Dash II (1985) was published under titles such as Rockford's Riot on the MSX and Rockford's Revenge on the C64; the Japanese release was titled Champion Boulder Dash but is not a port of the western game. Boulder Dash 3 (1986) featured monochrome space-themed graphics and poorly designed levels, making it a critical failure. Super Boulder Dash (1986) was a compilation of the first two games published by Electronic Arts. Rockford (1988) was a licensed arcade game by Arcadia Systems later converted to home computers. Boulder Dash Part 2 (1990) was an arcade release. The Game Boy and NES versions both appeared in 1990. Boulder Dash EX (2002) for Game Boy Advance added an EX mode and a Classic mode that is a direct port of the 1984 PC version. Other releases include Boulder Dash Xmas 2002 Edition (2002), GemJam Gold (2003), Boulder Dash – Treasure Pleasure (2003), Boulder Dash: Rocks! (2007), Boulder Dash Vol. 1 (2009), Boulder Dash-XL (2011), Boulder Dash - The Collection! (2011), a limited edition for Atari 2600 (2011), and Boulder Dash 30th Anniversary (2014) co-published by TapStar Interactive and First Star Software with worlds designed by Peter Liepa and Chris Gray.