Classic NES Game Is Making a Comeback After 40 Years

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Classic NES Game Is Making a Comeback After 40 Years

Highlights

  • Boulder Dash, a classic maze puzzle game, will be returning in 2024, allowing players to guide Rockford through caves to collect diamonds.
  • The game’s rights were purchased in 2017, and a special 40th-anniversary edition will be released this fall/winter for Steam, Switch, Xbox, and PS
  • The game has inspired a subgenre of rocks-and-diamonds games, as well as modern reboots of other classic games like Astrosmash and Shark! Shark! at Gamescom.

As a seasoned gaming enthusiast with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the return of Boulder Dash is like finding a long-lost friend who has miraculously reappeared after all these years. This classic maze puzzle game was a staple in my childhood, and its 40th anniversary edition promises to bring back fond memories while offering a fresh take on the timeless gameplay.

Originally released for Atari 8-bit computers in 1984, the iconic game known as Boulder Dash is set to return towards the end of 2024. This intriguing maze puzzle, whose name is a nod to balderdash or foolish talk, swiftly found its way onto numerous classic gaming platforms that are now outdated. Throughout the years, it has been adapted and reintroduced through ports, rereleases, and remasters for systems like the Commodore 64, Atari 2600, ColecoVision, arcade machines, Game Boy, Nintendo Entertainment System, Switch, Xbox, and PC.

As an enthusiastic admirer, I’d say: “Boulder Dash sees me, as a player, delving into a sequence of subterranean caves, where my character, Rockford, is on a quest to gather precious diamonds. He chisels his way through diverse landscapes, causing boulders to roll and potentially putting himself in danger. To dodge being squashed, I need to be quick-witted, as I collect gems, power-ups, and intriguing trinkets along the way, as well as encounter a few adversaries. However, it’s only when I’ve amassed enough treasures that the entrance to the cave magically opens, allowing Rockford to make his escape.”

The intellectual property known as Boulder Dash, initially created by Peter Liepa and Chris Gray, is now under the ownership of BBG Entertainment. They obtained the rights from the original publisher, First Star Software, in 2017. To mark the 40th anniversary of this much-admired classic game, BBG will unveil Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary at Gamescom 2024 in the Retro Area between August 21st and 25th. Often referred to as the ancestor of all puzzle games, the 40th anniversary edition of Boulder Dash is set for release on Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 sometime during the fall or winter season this year.

BBG Will Present Boulder Dash and a Couple Other Classic Games

40 years ago, the timeless maze game sparked my imagination and paved the way for countless other titles, either directly or indirectly. Today, a distinct subgenre of games, affectionately referred to as “rocks-and-diamonds,” thrives, characterized by grid-based gameplay where gems are collected while dodging crushing obstacles. Even the hit 2023 puzzle platformer, “Humanity,” includes a trial named “Boulder Dash,” and who can forget the level in the original “Crash Bandicoot” titled “Boulder Dash,” which saw our furry friend embodying his inner Indiana Jones?

As a child of the ’80s, I fondly remember playing classic games like Astrosmash and Shark! Shark! on my Intellivision console. Now, decades later, it brings me immense joy to see these cherished titles making a comeback at Gamescom 2023. Having grown up with the thrill of Astrosmash’s meteor-blasting action and Shark! Shark!’s underwater adventure, I can’t wait to revisit these games on modern platforms like Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam. The nostalgia is strong with these modern reboots, but I have no doubt that they will appeal to both old-school gamers like myself and a whole new generation of players.

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2024-08-14 15:23