Boulder Dash (video game)

Boulder Dash
Boulder Dash
Developer(s)	Data East (1990 arcade); Beam Software (Game Boy);
Publisher(s)	NA: First Star Software; EU: Mirrorsoft;
Designer(s)	Peter Liepa; Chris Gray;
Programmer(s)	Kazunori Ishiguri; Toshiyuki Sakai; Hisatada Ohta (1990 arcade);
Composer(s)	Azusa Hara; Fuse (1990 arcade);
Platform(s)	Atari 8-bit, Acorn Electron, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Arcade, Atari 2600, BBC Micro, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, FM-7, Game Boy, IBM PC, Intellivision, iOS, MSX, NES, PC-88, PMD 85, Super Cassette Vision, ZX Spectrum
Release	March 1984 Atari 8-bit NA: March 1984; UK: August 1985; ; C64 NA: April 1984; UK: 1984; ; Apple II NA: October 1984; ; PC-88 JP: October 1984; ; FM-7 JP: November 1984; ; ColecoVision NA: December 1984; ; Arcade NA: 1984; JP: August 1985; JP: May 1990 (1990 arcade); ; IBM PC; 1984; ZX Spectrum UK: 1984; ; CPC UK: August 1985; ; MSX; 1985; Super Cassette Vision JP: 1985; ; BBC, Electron UK: 1988; ; NES JP: March 23, 1990; NA: June 1990; EU: 1990; ; Game Boy JP: September 21, 1990; EU: 1990; ; Atari 2600; June 2012; Intellivision NA: March 18, 2015; ;
Genre(s)	Puzzle, maze
Mode(s)	Single-player

Boulder Dash is a maze-based puzzle video game released in 1984 by First Star Software for Atari 8-bit computers.^[4] It was created by Canadian developers Peter Liepa and Chris Gray. The player controls Rockford, who tunnels through dirt to collect diamonds.^[5] Boulders and other objects remain fixed until the dirt beneath them is removed, then they fall and become a hazard. Puzzles are designed around collecting diamonds without being crushed and exploiting the interactions between objects (such as a butterfly turning into diamonds when hit with a falling rock). The game's name is a pun on balderdash.^[4]

Boulder Dash was ported to many 8-bit and 16-bit systems and turned into a coin-operated arcade video game. It was followed by multiple sequels and re-releases. Many games were influenced by Boulder Dash, such as Repton and direct clones like Emerald Mine, resulting in the sub-genre of rocks-and-diamonds games.

As of September 2017, BBG Entertainment owns the intellectual property rights to Boulder Dash.^[6]

^ ^a ^b "Year-End Index" (PDF). Computer Entertainer. Vol. 3, no. 10. January 1985. p. 156.
^ "Boulder Dash". First Star Software.
^ Cite error: The named reference CG1985 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Weber, Arno (November 2005). "Interview: Peter Liepa". Boulder-dash.nl. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
^ "Boulder Dash". The International Arcade Museum. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
^ "Boulder Dash is now owned by BBG Entertainment". BBG Entertainment. Munich. September 19, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2024.

[CE-1] "Year-End Index" (PDF). Computer Entertainer. Vol. 3, no. 10. January 1985. p. 156.

[2] "Boulder Dash". First Star Software.

[CG1985-3] Cite error: The named reference CG1985 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[weber2005-4] Weber, Arno (November 2005). "Interview: Peter Liepa". Boulder-dash.nl. Retrieved March 8, 2024.

[5] "Boulder Dash". The International Arcade Museum. Retrieved October 6, 2013.

[6] "Boulder Dash is now owned by BBG Entertainment". BBG Entertainment. Munich. September 19, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2024.

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Boulder Dash

Developer(s)	Data East (1990 arcade) Beam Software (Game Boy)
Publisher(s)	NA: First Star Software EU: Mirrorsoft
Designer(s)	Peter Liepa Chris Gray
Programmer(s)	Kazunori Ishiguri Toshiyuki Sakai Hisatada Ohta (1990 arcade)
Composer(s)	Azusa Hara Fuse (1990 arcade)
Platform(s)	Atari 8-bit, Acorn Electron, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Arcade, Atari 2600, BBC Micro, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, FM-7, Game Boy, IBM PC, Intellivision, iOS, MSX, NES, PC-88, PMD 85, Super Cassette Vision, ZX Spectrum^[2]
Release	March 1984 Atari 8-bit NA: March 1984^[1] UK: August 1985 C64 NA: April 1984 UK: 1984 Apple II NA: October 1984^[1] PC-88 JP: October 1984 FM-7 JP: November 1984 ColecoVision NA: December 1984 Arcade NA: 1984 JP: August 1985 JP: May 1990 (1990 arcade) IBM PC 1984 ZX Spectrum UK: 1984 CPC UK: August 1985 MSX 1985 Super Cassette Vision JP: 1985 BBC, Electron UK: 1988 NES JP: March 23, 1990 NA: June 1990 EU: 1990 Game Boy JP: September 21, 1990 EU: 1990 Atari 2600 June 2012 Intellivision NA: March 18, 2015
Genre(s)	Puzzle, maze^[3]
Mode(s)	Single-player