PixlBit

(Cross-posted on 1UP.com)

The Atari 8-bit line (the Atari 400, 800, XL, and XE computers) were the best gaming computers of their time, with some of the best graphics to be had outside of an arcade and sound that would be largely unmatched until the Super NES and its Sony-designed custom sound chip. It had all the staples that graced its rivals, the Apple ][ and the Commodore 64, only they generally looked, sounded, and played better on the Atari. And because the Atari 8-bit was architecturally similar to the Atari 5200, it was no trick at all for the lively Atari 8-bit hacking community to convert 5200 ROMs for use on the Atari 8-bit computers.

One of my favorite games of the 1980s was Boulder Dash, from First Star Software. When I first saw it, I thought it most closely resembled Namco's popular Dig-Dug arcade game. But where Dig-Dug was about defeating the hordes of Pookas and Fygars, Boulder Dash was a much more puzzle-oriented experience. A much closer predecessor to Boulder Dash was The Pit, an arcade game from Taito and Zilec.

In Boulder Dash, you are an intrepid diamond miner known as Rockford, and you are digging through underground caves in search of diamonds against a time limit. Naturally, there are hazards to getting these gems. The most common hazards are the eponymous boulders, which act as obstacles when they're at rest. When you remove the dirt from underneath them, they drop down, and if you happen to be under them, you're toast. One of the keys to success in Boulder Dash is to master the game's physics to avoid being crushed while gaining access to the valuable diamonds. Any boulders or diamonds immediately above a falling boulder will also drop, leading to an avalanche in some situations.

In addition the boulders, many levels contain special obstacles. The most common of these are fireflies, flashing rectangles that move through the tunnels Rockford has dug through the course, always in a clockwise pattern, that, when they touch boulders or amoebas, create explosions that clear out nine squares around them. Any boulders, walls, or dirt in the way are vaporized. Unfortunately, they also explode on contact with Rockford, vaporizing him. They are very dangerous but very necessary to remove walls and obstacles in certain mazes.

Butterflies travel in a counter-clockwise direction. They are as explosive as fireflies, but when they explode, they turn everything within a 9-square area into diamonds!  However, keep in mind they also explode on contact with Rockford.

Amoebas appear in two of the levels. These green blobs start out with one square but quickly grow. Only boulders stop their growth, and you can't dig through them. Butterflies and fireflies explode on contact with them. The longer you drag out the level, the more rapidly they grow. If you surround an amoeba completely with boulders, it turns into diamonds. If the amoeba comes in contact with a brick wall, it turns into boulders, generally rendering the level unwinnable.

Magic walls are walls that, when a boulder falls on them, are activated. Any boulders that fall upon them while they're active turn into diamonds and drop below the magic wall. They only remain active for ten seconds, so in order to get the most benefit from them, you'll need to make sure there are plenty of boulders to drop on them in a chain reaction before you activate them, and to make sure there's plenty of space beneath them open for the diamonds.

 

In the 8-bit original version of Boulder Dash I played, there are 80 levels - Screens A through P, each with 5 different variations. Naturally, the game gets much tougher at higher levels and requires greater puzzle-solving abilities.

I used to spend a lot of time playing this game with my cousins, and my mother used to play it a lot when we got our own Atari. It is surprisingly addictive, even today. First Star Software is still in business and continues to make updated versions of Boulder Dash for PCs and mobile platforms. Meanwhile, the C64 version of the original is available for download on the Wii's Virtual Console. If you have a chance, check out this charming little puzzler.