Boulder Dash II, Commodore 64

Subtitled “Rockford’s Revenge“, Boulder Dash II was again designed and programmed by Peter Liepa and published in North America by Electronic Arts in 1985 as “Super Boulder Dash” (alongside a re-release of the first game). Boulder Dash II was published in Europe as a stand-alone game, though, by Beyond Software.

The sequel features sixteen new levels, and they are generally excellent, although they don’t really feature any new hazards or enemies. Some levels take a slow, methodical approach to clear, while others require urgency and a specific strategy.

I’ve seen a lot of reviews of Boulder Dash II, criticising the fact that it’s “just” sixteen new levels, but I’ve seen enough badly-designed Boulder Dash levels to know that well-designed levels are not easy to make, and original co-designer/programmer Peter Liepa is one of the best Boulder Dash designers around. His levels are interesting and challenging and he obviously puts a lot of thought into them.

While I would’ve welcomed a few new hazards, and maybe more levels, Boulder Dash II is still an excellent game that has stood the test of time well – unlike the next game in the series; Boulder Dash III.