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Armchair Arcade -> Forums -> Videogame & Computer Reviews - Community

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Boulderdash - c64

Moderators: Bill Loguidice, David Torre, crcasey, Mark1970, deshrill

Author

Post

Mark1970

Fri Feb 25 2005, 03:30PM

Armchair Arcade Editor

Location: The Netherlands
posts 1860

Title: BOULDER DASH
Company: by Chris Gray and Peter Liepa
FIRST STAR SOFTWARE
22 East 41st St.
New York, NY 10017
Platform: c64, and many others (a800, Arcade, Spectrum, AppleII, MSX, Nes, Gameboy, PC, Amstrad CPC...)

[ 244_boulderdash_animation1.gif ]
Here's a couple of shots of the game on various platforms

I can honestly say I was addicted to the game when it came out somewhere around 1984. The simplicity of the game-rules but the o-so-hard gameplay on the more challenging levels made it a winner for me. I think this game is one of the best releases on the c64 and I still play it today. So what is this game all about? The main character is a wierd little critter with the name Rockford, he's a rather impatient person because as soon as you leave him be for a couple of seconds he starts tapping his feet and blinks at you repeatedly as if he wants to hurry you along. Like Sonic this Rockford character has a bit of cleptomanic tendencies, for Rockford it's diamonds.

Gameplay: 9 of 10
The gameplay is sort of a cross between digger and pacman, yet it is very original. You crawl around in the dirt, collect the gems, crush the butterflies, lock in the ooze to stop it from spreading and try to reach the end of the level with enough gems. This is not as easy as it seems, this game is a real puzzler.

Graphics:8.5 of 10
Easy on the eyes, clearcut and simple. Nice shading effect on the boulders, the gems are glimmering away, the ooze is oozing with an almost biological accuracy. It's hard to realize that the c64 can only display 16 colors, those screens are so bright and colorfull.

Sound:8 of 10
Right as is should be, crushing boulders, falling diamonds, Rockford shovelling dirt. The game's intro music is a nice and simple tune. Well worth checking out is this remix by Mahoney

The c64 version is my favourite, closely followed by the spectrum version. Both feature excellent gameplay.

[ Edited ]
[ Edited ]

Mark Vergeer - Editor / I(c)onizer

bytorx1

Sat Feb 26 2005, 01:37AM

Registered Member #193
Joined: Tue Mar 23 2004, 05:27PM
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
posts 107

The C=64 is my platform of choice for classic gaming beyond the arcade and Boulderdash is probably my favorite puzzle game of the golden era. The intro music was roughly around 30 secs long and repeated forever but it is as addictive as hell and will be bored into my skull forever.

One thing to note is a modern PC remake by the original company:

http://www.firststarsoftware.com/bdtp.htm

For what I played of it, I found it okay but would stick to the original personally.

davyK

Sat Feb 26 2005, 02:57AM

Registered Member #74
Joined: Mon Jan 19 2004, 07:40AM
Location: Belfast, N.Ireland
posts 902

I was initially introduced to this game on my neighbour's C64 and I was mesmerised by it. I loved the fact that events could be happening off-screen after shifting a few boulders.

I really got into the game on the NES which had a great version. Even managed to complete it.

[ Edited Mon Feb 28 2005, 01:35PM ]

Davy 'Grey Gamer' Kelly
Where's the retro of tomorrow ?

Mark1970

Sat Feb 26 2005, 03:11AM

Armchair Arcade Editor

Location: The Netherlands
posts 1860

My brother (2 years younger) always was better at it then I was. He could sit down and play all caves straight through and up the the next level and up to the next. He was so good at it that often he just stopped because he had been playing for hours on end.

Mark Vergeer - Editor / I(c)onizer

Fractalus!

Sat Feb 26 2005, 05:40AM

Registered Member #216
Joined: Fri Mar 26 2004, 10:41AM
Location: Montreal, Canada
posts 1790

One of my favorite game of all time (Atari 8bits). A perfect mix of action and strategy. Very addictive. There was also a Boulder Dash Construction Kit, if i remember correctly.

Here's the web site of the original author, Peter Liepa:
http://www.brainjam.ca/</a>

Boulder Dash people info:
http://www.elmerproductions.com/sp/peterb/</a>

Boulder Dash Database:
http://boulder.cl4.org/</a>

Bill Loguidice

Sat Feb 26 2005, 06:20AM

Armchair Arcade Co-Founder and Editor

Location: Central New Jersey, USA
posts 4817

It amazed when I found out a few years back that First Star was still operating after all these years. It's a true rarity in our industry...

Bill Loguidice - Armchair Arcade Editor
www.billandchristina.com (includes videogame & computer collection)
www.mythcore.com (creative development company)
www.armchairarcade.com (soliciting articles NOW!)

Mark1970

Sat Feb 26 2005, 09:27AM

Armchair Arcade Editor

Location: The Netherlands
posts 1860

The c64 version was very close to the atari800 version, the latter actually may have been the first incarnation.
[ Edited Sat Feb 26 2005, 10:31AM ]

Mark Vergeer - Editor / I(c)onizer

Mark1970

Sat Feb 26 2005, 09:28AM

Armchair Arcade Editor

Location: The Netherlands
posts 1860

Check out the wildknot page! it's amazing.
[ Edited Sat Feb 26 2005, 10:29AM ]

Mark Vergeer - Editor / I(c)onizer

Fractalus!

Sat Feb 26 2005, 10:05AM

Registered Member #216
Joined: Fri Mar 26 2004, 10:41AM
Location: Montreal, Canada
posts 1790

Even the music was good...

http://www.firefox.ch/main.html</a>

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