Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.
The collection features original Boulder Dash levels and C64 and Atari 400/800 graphics, along with new visuals and challenges.
Almost a year after it was announced, a release date has been confirmed for the Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary collection. Featuring music from Turrican maestro Chris Huelsbeck, this collection of 180 levels, derived from the classic games, fans, and the new dev team, the game is coming on July 24th, 2025.
While the collection sports an updated new look, the levels from Boulder Dash, Boulder Dash 2, and Boulder Dash 3 can be played with original sound and graphics from the Commodore 64 and Atari400/800 versions. That accounts for the first 60 levels.
There’s a nice look at the game and sample of the soundtrack in this new preview video.
More Bounder Dash levels
The next 60 levels have been developed by hardcore Boulder Dash fans Arno Weber, Andreas Voigt and William Black. Meanwhile, a further 60 have been created by the team behind this collection, although most of those are by Boulder Dash expert Pawel.
Here is the synopsis for this new release:
The original million seller from way back in 1984 is a true pioneering genre marker, with its simplistic ideas, that has gamers hooked from the moment they load up the game. Immerse yourself in 40 years of video game history and experience the classic BOULDER DASH® in an epic anniversary edition! Now, the iconic title returns with a completely new, faithful game engine and 180 new levels. A treat for long-time fans and newcomers alike.
Your task: Collect enough diamonds in a cave filled with treacherous enemies and falling rocks to open the door to the exit. Here, you not only have to be skillful and quick to react, but also develop a suitable strategy more than once in order to survive. And once you’ve completed all 180 levels, you can use an editor to not only design new levels, but also download and play content from the worldwide Boulder Dash community for free. Never before has Boulder Dash looked better or sounded more spectacular!
This collection is something I have been looking forward to. I never played Boulder Dash the first time around, coming to it via one of the sequels a few years later. It’s a game I enjoyed, but never found myself deeply embedded in. But with 180 levels, retro design for a third of them, and a Chris Huelsbeck soundtrack, this is now on my wishlist.
It’s intriguing to learn that the 60 levels from the 8-bit era were rebuilt in the modern game engine. This is something I’d like to see more of in retro revival collections. It’s nice to find there’s a construction kit, too. Boulder Dash Construction Kit always seemed like a great title, and I think it was the first time I became aware that games could be customized.
The collection features
Here’s a run-down of everything you can expect from this collection:
- 6 new, never-before-seen worlds
- 3 new worlds created by hardcore the fans
- 120 completely new, balanced, and refined levels
- Variety of new and unique items, including growing walls, slime, enemy generator, eggs, plus more
- Construction kit to create, share, or download other players’ levels
- Distinctive visual style that aims to blend original color schemes with contemporary themes
- Option to select and play for one of the three main heroes, each crafted in line with the game’s original vision
- Music and sounds composed by Germany’s most famous video game musician Chris Huelsbeck (The Giana Sisters, Turrican, Star Wars Rogue Squadron, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate and many more)
There is quite a bit of buzz around it, too. The Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary won the Retro Roots category at the Pixel Awards Europe in June, nicely timed ahead of the collection’s launch. Meanwhile, the Boulder Dash World Championship (it’s a thing!) is taking place at gamescom in Cologne on August 23rd. Among the competitors is Adam Strzelczyk, who won the Boulder Dash Master Challenge at the Pixel Awards.
So, where can you get the Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary collection? It’s coming out on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC (on Steam) and even Mac! Learn more at boulder-dash.com, and if you can’t wait until July, there is a playable demo on Steam.
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Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.
