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.
Return to Blacktooth: A Head Over Heels Adventure, is a sequel almost 40 years in the making, and it’s coming to Amiga and Atari ST!
In news that has dropped without any warning at all, Thalamus Digital has announced Return to Blacktooth: A Head Over Heels Adventure. This is, unsurprisingly, a sequel to Head Over Heels, and most interestingly, it’s coming out on the Amiga and Atari ST, the two popular 16-bit home computers of the late 1980s and 1990s.
Here’s how it was improbably announced last night on social media:
Published under license from Atari Interactive, Inc., and developed by original programmer Colin Porch, it seems the game has been in development for almost 40 years!
“You simply cannot believe how excited I am,” explains Porch. “Since working on the original game back in the ‘80s, this sequel has been an enormous part of my life. Over the last 30+ years, I’ve added a host of new features to give a new edge to the gameplay while retaining the core ‘feel’ of the original. It’s definitely my sort of game, with logical puzzles that challenge your brain rather than your reflexes. Devious? Certainly! But fair, too. Let battle commence!”
What is Head Over Heels?
If you were distracted by plumbers or hedgehogs, Head Over Heels might seem unfamiliar. Originally released in 1987 by Ocean on C64, ZX Spectrum, Atari 8-bit, Amiga, Atari ST, and countless others since, Head Over Heels used 3D isometric graphics, and has long been considered to be one of the best games of the 8-bit era.
Porch has added new rooms, levels, and gameplay mechanics in the sequel, which will no doubt rely on the dual character puzzle solving mechanic (seen more recently in games like Millie and Mollie).
Thalamus founder Andy Roberts tells us that he is “incredibly grateful that Atari shared our passion for the project from the outset – it’s been a privilege to work with their team to bring the game to fruition.”
When can you get Return to Blacktooth?
Set to boast 350+ screens, five game worlds, and a host of enemies and challenges, the game is expected to launch towards the end of 2025.
While it will launch on Amiga and Atari ST, Thalamus Digital is planning to release Return to Blacktooth: A Head Over Heels Adventure on other platforms, so we might see versions on the Atari Jaguar, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and ZX Spectrum Next. PC and console versions are also expected.
Keep an eye on the Thalamus Digital socials and website for updates.
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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.
