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Boulder Dash: Game Guide, Developer and Facts

Boulder Dash — video game guide with key facts, developer and background.

By the Pop Culture Files editorial team3 min read✓ Fact-checked
Boulder Dash
Photographer: Ernst Krogtoft; License-Holder: BBG Entertainment GmbH via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

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). 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. As of September 2017, BBG Entertainment owns the intellectual property rights to Boulder Dash.

Quick facts about Boulder Dash

  • Title: Boulder Dash
  • Developer: First Star Software
  • Released: 1984
  • Type: Video game
  • Wikidata ID: Q55605

Compiled from public Wikipedia and Wikidata data. Details can change over time.

Frequently asked questions

What is Boulder Dash?

Boulder Dash is a maze-based puzzle video game released in 1984 by First Star Software for Atari 8-bit computers.

Who made Boulder Dash?

Boulder Dash is by First Star Software.

When was Boulder Dash released?

Boulder Dash was released in 1984.

Sources

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