Boulder Dash is a maze-based puzzle video game released in 1984 by First Star Software for Atari 8-bit computers. It was created by Canadian developers Peter Liepa and Chris Gray. The player controls Rockford, who tunnels through dirt to collect diamonds. 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).
Boulder Dash (NES)
The game's name is a pun on balderdash.
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.
Boulder Dash takes place in a series of caves, each of which is laid out as rectangular grid of blocks. The player guides the player character, Rockford, with a joystick or arrow keys. In each cave, Rockford has to collect a set number of diamonds within a time limit. Player has to avoid falling rocks and other obstacles, including amoeba, butterflies, and fireflies. When enough diamonds have been collected, the exit door opens, and going through this exit door completes the cave.
As an aspiring game developer, Peter Liepa reached out to a local publisher called Inhome Software. They put him in touch with a young man—Chris Gray—who had submitted a game programmed in BASIC that was not commercial quality, but had potential. The project began with the intention of converting this game to machine language and releasing it through Inhome, but according to Liepa, the game was very primitive. He decided to expand the concept and add more interesting dynamics, and he wrote the new version in Forth in about six months. When it became clear that the game was worth releasing, Liepa rewrote Boulder Dash in 6502 assembly language. Dissatisfied with the lack of a contact from Inhome Software, Liepa searched for a new publisher. He settled on First Star Software, which, according to him, was very happy to publish the game.
The game was licensed by Exidy for use with their Max-A-Flex arcade cabinet. Released in 1984, it allows buying 30 seconds of game time. This was the first home computer game to be converted to an arcade console.
More details about this game can be found on
Wikipedia.org.
Find digital download of this game on
GOG
or
Steam.
Game controls:
The NES version of Boulder Dash was originally controlled via the NES controller with a cross-shaped joypad and two action buttons. The basic description of game controls is summarized in the table below. Detailed description of how to play this game can be found a in the attached game manual. Please note that individual
gamepad buttons are emulated by different keys on your PC keyboard depending on the settings of your online emulator (see the table next to the game).
Use the D-pad to move Rockford up, down, left or right.
If you use the D-pad while you're pressing the A or B button, you can dig mud or pick up one diamond next to you without moving in that direction. You can also push a boulder away from you, without moving, using this technique. Hold down A and B button at the same time for more than one second to escape from trap and return to the entrance of the World you are now in. But you will lose one life when you do this.
The same function as button A.
Press SELECT on the title screen menu to select between a one or two player game.
Press Start button to start a new game, or if you need to pause running game.
Videogame Console:
This version of Boulder Dash was designed for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), which was an eight-bit video game console manufactured
by Nintendo in the years 1983 - 2003. In that time, it was the best-selling video game console for which more than 700 licensed games and a number of non-licensed
games were created. Worldwide, approximately 62 million units of this console were sold at approximately price $ 100 per unit. More information about the
NES console can be found here.
Recommended Game Controllers:
You can control this game easily by using the keyboard of your PC (see the table next to the game). However, for maximum gaming enjoyment, we strongly recommend using a USB gamepad that you simply plug into the USB port of your computer. If you do not have a gamepad, buy a suitable USB controller on Amazon or AliExpress or in some of your favorite online stores.
Available online emulators:
6 different online emulators are available for Boulder Dash. These emulators differ not only in the technology they use to emulate old games, but also in support of various game controllers, multiplayer mode, mobile phone touchscreen, emulation speed, absence or presence of embedded ads and in many other parameters. For
maximum gaming enjoyment, it's important to choose the right emulator, because on each PC and in different Internet browsers, the individual emulators behave differently. The basic
features of each emulator available for this game Boulder Dash are summarized in the following table:
If you like Boulder Dash you'll probably like also some of the similar games in the overview below. The games you see here
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This version of Boulder Dash was designed for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), which was an eight-bit video game console manufactured
by Nintendo in the years 1983 - 2003. In that time, it was the best-selling video game console for which more than 700 licensed games and a number of non-licensed
games were created. Worldwide, approximately 62 million units of this console were sold at approximately price $ 100 per unit. More information about the
NES console can be found 
