Tag Archives: cute

Enix, Produce!, Super Nintendo

Mystic Ark, Super Nintendo

1 Comment

Developed by Produce! and published by Enix in 1995, Mystic Ark was only ever released in Japan for the Super Famicom, although an English fan translation does exist, making the game playable to Western audiences. And it is a very good RPG, well worth playing now.

Mystic Ark has been described by some as “The 7th Saga II“, and while it does share some similarities with The 7th Saga (by having a circular monster radar and also featuring some of the same monsters) it is not really a sequel as it plays quite differently.

Continue reading Mystic Ark, Super Nintendo →

Amiga, Rainbow Arts, Time Warp Productions

The Great Giana Sisters, Amiga

Leave a comment

Developed by Time Warp Productions and published by Rainbow Arts in 1988, the Amiga version of The Great Giana Sisters is maybe the best-looking and most playable version of this infamous and arguably overrated platform game, but it isn’t anything special.

Continue reading The Great Giana Sisters, Amiga →

Celebration, First Star

Boulder Dash Special

22 Comments

Boulder Dash is a very special game. It is a simple idea, with cute graphics and devious gameplay that combine to make an addictive combination of arcade-style action, survival and puzzle-solving.

Continue reading Boulder Dash Special →

10tacle, Nintendo DS

Boulder Dash: Rocks!, Nintendo DS

1 Comment

Boulder Dash: Rocks! was developed and published by German company 10tacle and released in Europe and Australia in 2007. It is a dual-screen remake of the classic action/puzzle game, Boulder Dash.

Continue reading Boulder Dash: Rocks!, Nintendo DS →

First Star, Game Boy Advance, KEMCO, Vision Works

Boulder Dash EX, Game Boy Advance

1 Comment

Boulder Dash EX is an updated version of the classic Boulder Dash, developed by Vision Works and published by KEMCO in 2002. And it’s not bad at all.

Continue reading Boulder Dash EX, Game Boy Advance →

American Action AB, Commodore 64

Boulder Dash III, Commodore 64

2 Comments

Boulder Dash III was developed and published in Europe only by a Swedish company called American Action AB in 1986 (it wasn’t released in North America at all). It was the first game in the Boulder Dash series not to be designed and programmed by original co-creator Peter Liepa, and it suffers as a result of that.

Continue reading Boulder Dash III, Commodore 64 →

First Star, Prism Leisure, ZX Spectrum

Boulder Dash II, ZX Spectrum

2 Comments

It’s not clear who converted the ZX Spectrum version of Boulder Dash II, but the game was published by Prism Leisure in 1985.

Continue reading Boulder Dash II, ZX Spectrum →

Databyte, First Star, MSX, Orpheus

Boulder Dash II, MSX

1 Comment

The MSX version of Boulder Dash II is subtitled “Rockford’s Riot“, which is different to the Commodore 64 version (which is subtitled “Rockford’s Revenge“). It was ported by Orpheus and published by Databyte in 1985.

Continue reading Boulder Dash II, MSX →

Beyond Software, Commodore 64, Electronic Arts, First Star

Boulder Dash II, Commodore 64

2 Comments

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.

Continue reading Boulder Dash II, Commodore 64 →

Atari 8-bit, Electronic Arts, First Star

Boulder Dash II, Atari 8-bit

2 Comments

Boulder Dash co-creator Peter Liepa created Boulder Dash II on Atari 8-bit machines first, before converting it to the Commodore 64. He’s said openly in interviews that he prefers Atari‘s machine when it comes to programming games, so it should come as no surprise to find arguably the best version of Boulder Dash II on the Atari 8-bit.

As far as I know, though, it was only released in North America as part of the “Super Boulder Dash” package from Electronic Arts (alongside a re-release of the first Boulder Dash). The Atari 8-bit version was never released as a stand-alone game. At least not by First Star Software.

Continue reading Boulder Dash II, Atari 8-bit →