BOULDER DASH: The Complete History - SGR | Retro Gaming Documentary

Let's take a deep dive look back into the confusing history of one of home computers most impactful and replicated games ever created BOULDER DASH | Don't forget you can check out the original for free here... boulder-dash.com/
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Boulder Dash is easily one of my all time favourite classic home computer games, so when Stephan Berendsen asked if I would like to make a video based on the IP that BBG now owns... I jumped at the chance, especially as he gave me the contact details to plenty of people involved in the creation of this legendary game
Over the years Boulder dash has had more makeovers than Nintendo has had consoles! And because of that, the history can be a little confusing. In this video I go back and look at every release and speak about how and why they changed and what impact each release had on teh series as a whole.
As stated, a huge thanks to BBG who were incredibly involved in the creation of this video. If you wan't to find out more about the series or to play the original from 1984 you can do so right here boulder-dash.com/
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Massive shoput out to the following peeps for providing voice overs
The Retro Hour Podcast: ‪@TheRetroHourPodcast‬
Kim Justice: ‪@Kim_Justice‬
Gouldfish on Games: ‪@GouldFishOnGames‬
CTRL ALT REES: ‪@ctrlaltrees‬
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Also, make sure you check out these awesome artists who feature music in this video
‪@noisywan‬ • Boulder Dash title mus...
cOzmo • c0zmo - Boulder Dash R... / c0zmo64
Rauli Sulanko • Boulder Dash Funky Rem... remix.kwed.org...
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⌛ The Complete History Series…
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The ultimate in-depth documentary look at all your favourite gaming franchises such as... Metroid, Streets of Rage, Shinobi, Strider, Metal Slug, Parappa the Rapper, Toejam & Earl, Earthworm Jim. Space Harrier, Jet Set Radio, Crash Bandicoot, Grand Theft Auto, Final Fight and many many more
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⌛ The Kick-Scammer Series...
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Join us as we look into some of the very worst Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns ever!
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⌛ Random Video Games Fact Series…
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The Strangest Video Game Facts found on KZbin
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⌛ Quickshot Series...
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Random bite-sized gaming facts
#BoulderDash #Atari #TheCompleteHistory #SlopesGameRoom #RetroGaming #Atari800 #Commodore64

[@slopesgameroom]

Don't forget you can check out the original game from 1984 for free right here... boulder-dash.com/

[@mrmysterious8124]

Can you look at the History of Angry Birds🐖🔫🦅🐔🐦🦆

[@antdude]

@@mrmysterious8124 That's not retro. :P

[@mrmysterious8124]

@@antdude Okay how old does a Video Game have to be to be Reto🎮

[@Dwedit]

@@antdude It has been 14 years since Angry Birds was released. Compare that to Zero Wing, which was 10 years old at the time of "All Your Base" mania.

[@eldraque4556]

you could make a tune with the noises it makes when you play it

[@AnthonyFlack]

I've always admired what a solid, perfectly realised design Boulder Dash had. One of those rare home computer games, like Tetris, that could hold its own in an arcade.

[@gnome_inc]

Heya Slope, I was a really bad alcoholic for about 5 years and I had your videos on going through withdrawals pretty often. I finally stuck with it after having a seizure, and I'm going on a year and a half sober. I'd lost my old KZbin, and just recently found your channel again. Random, but your videos were a comfort in a horrible time for me, so thank you.

[@highscores8593]

Boulder Dash on c64 was a great part of my childhood. So much so if course I have other games in the series like the version for GBA and 3DS come to mind. Thanks for doing the video

[@michaelwaites6101]

Fantastic detailed video. I’m the creator of a game that ended up labelled as “based on” Boulderdash, so it is interesting to learn the backstory of how the IP protection came to be.

[@slopesgameroom]

That's awesome :D

[@dabanjo]

The theme song from the Atari 8 bit version is one of my favorite game themes of all time.

[@slopesgameroom]

It's really really good

[@GameHammerCG]

Brilliant documentary. I loved Boulder Dash as a kid and have recently gotten back into it, so this was a perfectly timed video for me. Loved it!

[@SlopesAdventures]

Appreciate it mate

[@StoolSamples]

I have been anxiously waiting on a new complete history video for months! Thank you for making my day DJ Slope! I needed this.

[@slopesgameroom]

I promise the next one will be a lot sooner

[@antdude]

@@slopesgameroom What game and when? ;)

[@StoolSamples]

@Slope's Game Room absolutely CAN'T WAIT MAN! Thank you!!

[@JordanHowellMusic]

Doing really great , slope. I didn’t even know about this game at all besides the title , but am watching your whole video because of your magnificent ability of hooking one into the story around any given subject. Thanks my brotha!

[@slopesgameroom]

Ahhhh thanks buddy

[@PSPMan]

I have no idea why I was so excited for this specific complete history but I was. this is one of those series that seems super iconic yet I think I've only played one of these games for like 10 minutes.

[@RemoWilliams1227]

Because you're a real game fan who's curious about all of gaming history. Cheers fellow nerd 🤓

[@James-gj8rn]

It's been a while since the last complete history video DJ Slope! This will be a fun one!

[@marksims3904]

The thing that really made Boulder Dash for me was the construction kit released in 1986, I was given that on my C64 for christmas that year and designed some pretty hellish caves that I swapped with friends. Sitting there smirking as a mate dies for the fifth time in a really nasty fashion always made me smile........I then showed him how to complete said level! Wonderful game and memories, so simple, so addictive, and SO brilliant!

[@snowypods9812]

I had all versions of Repton on the BBC, basically the same game and I absolutely loved them.

[@PnC_GameZnThingZ]

Creepy coincidence.. Lol.. I just recently acquired a box of Atari 800 games from a yard sale and this game was in it and looks like the only one in the box that means anything today

[@perfectfutures]

Fantastic documentary! I’ve always loved this game, played it endlessly on my C64. You’re reminding me of just what a great game it is. Seeing the rich, Tron-like colors on the Atari version is interesting, it reminds me of the bright colours arcade games used back then. This video makes me want to explore the Atari home computer games that I missed out on. The more sided and realistic colors of the C64 were an era in itself, just as the Spectrum’s palette defines it.

[@niemand7811]

Ah yes. Rockford. I had this on my home computer. The graphocs were charming and the difficulty was managable. Five worlds with different themes. The jungle adventurer, the cook who fights fastfood while collecting apples, the cowboy, the astronaut who must run from black holes and the doctor who must endure and eliminate sickness. Great stuff. And then came Boulder Dash for the NES, the best version of that game ever. Nice graphics, great music. It took all Boulder Dash levels and rewrapped them,, also lending it a world oriented approach. 6 worlds with 4 levels each. And when you mastered all 24 levels, you started all over on expanded difficulty, that meant more enemies, more jewls to collect and lesser time. In total you had to survive four levels of difficulty. And when you beat the game, you got a special ending too. The NES game was truly a journey.

[@trwijbenga]

What a great documentary! Thanks a lot for making this! So many memories

[@MazLad]

My lasting memory of this game is the world map music on the NES. What a jolly little ditty that is.

[@ChrisH0Y]

Wow, thanks for this video! I played Boulderdash ALOT on my C64 in my high school days. It was so fun, that I made several sheets of Boulderdash comic strips that I passed around class and shared with my friends. I STILL have the C64, the game, AND all the cartoons! Good times! Good times indeed.

[@lavernebennet7395]

As an American born in the 2000's, I'd never actually heard of these games, but this is really interesting! I gotta say, my favorite designs for Rockford are the ones where he's a weird little alien thing.

[@RichardWilliams-bm1qi]

A wonderful broadcast, thank you so much. Heard you on The Retro Hour podcast and have obviously subscribed to your channel. Played this on the Atari 800XL way back when and it's in my top two games of all time! :-)

[@AndreiNeacsu]

I played it mostly on a ZX Spectrum clone and a bit less on the PC. To this day, I abslutely love Boulderdash.

[@AcornElectron]

Saturday night Slopes? I’m pausing it, freeze chilling an IPA and getting a Chinese. Best thing on TV all day 👑 Back soon 😂

[@slopesgameroom]

Hahaha yeah, nothing else of importance today... What what

[@Gatorade69]

A Chinese ? A Chinese what ? A succulent Chinese meal ?

[@warrenroberts8658]

Hey DJ Slope I'm a Retro Gamer myself and I love watching your Complete History Series! Awesome Stuff!👍🕹🎮

[@slopesgameroom]

Huge thanks mate, as this had so many interviews involved it ended up taking a long time. I plan to do a lot more complete histories a lot sooner

[@retrorobbins]

Yet another fantastic excellent entertaining video, no doubt I will get the rest of this in a moment to watch later or just finishing one of my own ...

[@captainblood9616]

LOL Just as I was building up to a Repton rant you mentioned Repton.. well played Slope my friend, well played!

[@SimonSideburns]

I made a (admittedly quite basic) boulder dash inspired game in Microsoft Visual Basic some time in the 1990s. It was ok, nothing special, and most likely it would run far too fast nowadays, but I enjoyed the experience of designing it. Unfortunately I used a custom control in one of the configuration tabs (so it could be slowed down or sped up) and I don't have that control these days, so although it would still run, it wouldn't completely work. Stupidly, I didn't ever package it into an installer, which would have then included the control dll file. One great feature of it was that it used bitmap files for both the game graphics and levels. There's a pretty good chance it has been lost by now, but I may well still have a backup on a CDROM or floppy somewhere. I called it Simon's Boulder Game.

[@darkridearts]

The first time I ever played this was Boulder Dash on NES. I’ve since gone back and played other versions but still fond of that one.

[@MaaZeus]

First time I played this with my cousins Amstrad CPC and later I got the game myself for my C64. Very addicting and still fun to play which is something you cannot say about a lot of games of that era.

[@RedFoxRoaming]

Awesome game with amazing mechanics. Simply great. Loved the construction kit.

[@boxerblake1]

You're criminally under-subbed. Thanks for the great video.

[@slopesgameroom]

Cheers buddy :D

[@SchardtCinematic]

I loved playing this on my Commodore 64. But till now I never knew the games history. The history is great to learn about.

[@OeHomestead]

This nrings back good memories from the C64 and Amiga days. It's such a simple and timeless game. Just like Space invaders Donkey Kong and Tetris. Simple and yet entertaining.

[@BriceCapelle]

Grew up with the Apple 2e version. Very colorfull. Loved this game with Mr Do too. :D

[@andreasheiss8441]

What a fantastic documentary!!!! Thanks a lot!!!!!

[@OakCityGamers]

YES!!!! This was my FAVORITE GAME when I was a young child! Like 1988! Remember it in CGA graphics. Got that Commodore 64 mini because of it! Thanks for the video!

[@OakCityGamers]

AWE! Super Boulder Dash! That’s the one! 30:39

[@OakCityGamers]

Thanks again!

[@craigprocter1232]

I have seen THE PIT and it made such an impression with my mate and I (who played it for as long as our money lasted) we still reminisce about it some 40 years later.. the machine was at the end of the world, down in Hobart, Tasmania. So it may have been rare, but it did get around (the globe).

[@imqqmi]

One of my favorite games on the MSX1, though I also played the C64 many versions and the Amiga construction kit one. A shame there wasn't an MSX2 or MSX2+ version with smooth scrolling and more colors and maybe more game mechanics utilizing more memory or something. I remember I've recreated the square movement in Amiga Amos basic program. Good times! It was an ingenious game at the time, and it still is! Great documentary! Never knew there were so many versions, I was aware of the ones mentioned above and the PSP and java/mobile phone one but the rest, even the arcade versions I was completely unaware!

[@dolsthoo]

Amazing evergreen game! Boulder Dash and Lode Runner were my favorite puzzle-platform games on the Commodore 64.

[@slopesgameroom]

Both great titles

[@strain42]

It's very interesting to me how much they can change up the protagonist and still have it recognizably be Boulder Dash. Really shows how well the series stands the test of time. Platformer fighter game where every single fighter is one of the Rockford variations :P

[@leowic]

I would love to see a Complete history of Ultima going back to Akalabeth. Lots and lots of good drama in that story.

[@allwaizeright9705]

My DAD LOVED this game...Since I had the C64 in my room when I was in High School - He kept me up for HOURS on school nights...

[@slopesgameroom]

Hahaha. My parents did the same with galactic plague

[@faenethlorhalien]

Wow, that's a long documentary. Excellent research work there.

[@antdude]

I loved Boulder Dash on my Apple //c!

[@stefanswiss3760]

me too, I remember the colors on apple 2e being more vibrant and saturated than the videos I see on youtube (nostalgia bias?)

[@antdude]

@@stefanswiss3760 Yeah, but I was playing on green monochrome monitor. I did have a CRTTV connected so I saw its colors. I was jealous of my former neighbor's C64 version. Smoother and better audio!

[@OakCityGamers]

I played on an IBM 5155, it was a “Lugable” and we had a 5150 monitor connected to it. It was pretty smooth. I remember swapping from CGA, EGA, and VGA for all the different colors. The little monitor in the front of the computer was an amber display. Man what a time!

[@Gatorade69]

@@stefanswiss3760 I remember at school we had some IIs with a monochrome monitor but some had colored monitors and the colors were pretty vivid though simple. I also remember the colors being off on some of them though I didn't know much about technology at that time, maybe it was the monitors that made a difference ?

[@stefanswiss3760]

@@Gatorade69 I think I was playing boulder dash II, seeing the video in full, the graphics and levels of boulder 2 ring a bell :)

[@paulsixtus4926]

Great video,thank you, matey!👽🙏🫂🎶

[@Studeb]

The title page and weird music of the C64 version is something I have very nostalgic feelings for even though I didn't play the game for very long, since I was so bad at it.

[@slopesgameroom]

I was the same. However since making this video I have become rather good lol

[@JustWasted3HoursHere]

I came to this game from the C64 version. I have to admit that the theme song, though not the greatest from a _technical excellence_ point of view,* still holds a warm place in my heart. It always makes me smile. M.U.L.E.'s theme song is the same way. Kind of simple, but also genius. * Anything from Rob Hubbard, Ben Daglish, Martin Galway and some others. The music for Rambo and The Last Ninja are just incredible.

[@jaydensvhsarchive3.095]

Wow! I wish I went back in time and made Boulder Dash

[@design-flux]

Another amazing SGR doc! I had no experience with boulder dash, but I used to play a game called Crystal Mines by Color Dreams on the NES that looks like it was inspired by it. Thanks again for furthering my knowledge of video games!

[@slopesgameroom]

Cheers mate. I know this one is a little less known, but for the hardcore fans it's very well respected

[@8bit711]

It was after midnight game every friday with my Cuz on my C64 in the 80s. Thank you.

[@seanmcbay]

Not a series that ever really interested me but I think I’ll give it a shot.

[@buda3d2007]

Boulder Dash on c64 was a great tech demo for how good a title could be on the platform, working well within its own technical potential with a great game and overall design.

[@slopesgameroom]

Yeah, for sure, it's really interesting to hear how such a simply brilliant design came to be

[@stefanswiss3760]

This game is great and I love that it is almost abstract yet you see a personnality in a square that moves or butterflies. Combining abstract, puzzles, tempatation of greediness to obtain as much diamond as possible. Also it is one of the only game where I loved to "wait for the ennemy to pass me by protected by all the diamonds I just created as if I could build myself a safe house for a moment. I hate for an ennemy to have to wait for him to start or finish his pattern but in boulder dash, being protected and surround by diamons I didn't mind at all and could wait all the timenecessary

[@mikecally5720]

Wow. I played the original back in the day on the Commodore 64, and had no idea about all the sequels.

[@monkeymanbob]

Boulder Dash (first encountered by myself on the dear old Speccy ) has been a staple favourite of mine for near 40 years and along with Lode Runner I try and purchase every iteration.

[@RonnieBarzel]

So THAT’s why Boulder Dash 3 felt so different back when I played it in the ‘80s. Sad that they stopped adding new titles to the Wii eShop before they could add the rest of the C64 trilogy.

[@53xy83457]

Have some fond memories of this game. Actually Rocks 'n' Gems from the playstation magazine demo discs but whatever.

[@ZombiWorkshop]

Always had a soft spot for a good boulder-dash game, thanks to this vid - I've got a few more to check out. :)

[@jazzygeofferz]

I've got such fond memories of Boulder Dash on my C64. It used to load in 29 "seconds" on the timer on my C64 tape drive.

[@AstonsVintageTechnologyWorkshp]

The 1984 ZX Spectrum version was a huge success for first star software and stayed at no.1 for (what seemed like) forever.

[@RolandoRatas]

Chris Gray who I believe designed and coded the original Boulder Dash in my book is nothing short of a genius - he designed the most elegant videogame ever. I believe he went on to code a 3d application which was the predecessor to Audodesk's Maya which is the 3D animation tool used by the likes of Hollywood which I've used and it's great.

[@realmchat6665]

Way back in my childhood, this was a "hot new game", I have an arcade version on my multicade - still like a game on occasion. Thanks for the video, really like retro gaming history content - well done.

[@jeanlandron8744]

I actually did grow with Boulderdash but the version of remember playing the most was actually is the Game Boy Advance version and even one time I even did a replay of the ZX Spectrum version and even the bit of the DS Port as well and well it's already going to have his 40 anniversary oh man first Sonic and Megaman in Street Fighter and now boulder bash.

[@praiha]

There were also tons of unofficial numbered Boulder Dash games on C64, I guess made with the help of Construction Kit. Don Pedro made BD parts 5 to 11.

[@DenizTurkmen]

I can't believe official C64 releases were so few. I remember seeing tons of sequels released, I guess they were just created by 3rd parties with the Construction Kit.

[@ahmadollah_said]

best game ever made one day i was playing boulder dash on Atari 800xl in the 1980s i entered the home in the last pit of a second and i got 1000 points bonus , i think this has never happened to any player before i always wanted to know the hidden history behind this game thanks alot

[@chongtak]

I had this game on my CPC 464. Good memories indeed.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

lol...the coincidence of this video suggestion. This week I am trying to finish boulder dash (1) on my Atari 8bit

[@AnthonyFlack]

I don't know why everybody wanted to change Rockford into somebody else, especially when the new art usually ended up looking pretty awful. The ones with parallax scrolling make it look like you're walking in the sky. It's frustrating that the most recent iteration of Rockford STILL looks super fugly. Chris Gray seems to have done pretty well out of it, considering his only contribution was a dodgy imitation of The Pit written in BASIC.

[@davekennedy6315]

I used to play Repton on the Acorn Electron in around 1985. They are similar games but Repton being a calmer puzzle game. The creator of Repton based the game on a review in a magazine he saw of Boulder Dash. Looking at this footage they were very similar!

[@davekennedy6315]

I shoulda known you would mention Repton haha! Sorry I commented before finishing your vid.

[@slopesgameroom]

Hahaha no worries buddy. I was going to make a mini complete history inside this complete history based on repton... That was unil I saw that there are like 20 entries :S

[@davekennedy6315]

@@slopesgameroom I'd love a Repton episode but I'll watch literally ANY of your deep dives.

[@desertfish74]

I am currently making a Boulderdash clone for the Commander X16. It’s great to implement the algorithms again and I’m getting more and more respect for the original game.

[@slopesgameroom]

Ahhhh that's awesome news. Keep me posted as and when it's ready to be shared

[@desertfish74]

@@slopesgameroom great video btw! I really enjoyed learning about the dozens of remakes or clones !

[@fatherjack636]

I don’t know why, but as a kid I didn’t get it. I had Boulderdash IV with construction kit but I was merrr. Some one released a version where the whole level was on the whole screen and it clicked. What a game and I love them. Just don’t why I had no time for it in the beginning

[@SB-129]

"Excuse me, Excuse me. Will you step over here, please? Oh, don't be frightened. I'm a computer. But I'm a very friendly one...Now stop all the downloadin'..."

[@terryechoes3192]

Boulderdash EX was *amazing*.

[@maufotografia]

i think one of the best look-a-like/inspired games by Boulder Dash is Supaplex (1991) Digital Integration ltd. Everything is perfect, the puzzles, game design, graphic, concept and music. I would hope someone would expand on that game, a supaplex 2.0 :D

[@SendyTheEndless]

There's always time for Boulderdash.

[@commanderkruge]

Played it for ages on my C64 - truly a classic little game. :)

[@klankie1]

still remember playing this on the c64 when it had a time countdown, so your had to hurry to collect the diamonds

[@Lara1985]

What a fantastic documentary!

[@ahmad-murery]

I played boulder dash on MSX1 and it was good and enjoyable but after I see all of these new version I think it was great and I prefer the old versions. Thanks

[@r.a.w.talentart]

I played this on the C64 when I was 9. Had no idea what I was doing but I loved it

[@weaselwolf]

Had an old Atari PC when I was a kid and freaking loved boulderdash

[@slopesgameroom]

It's a great title

[@TravNash]

I used to have a MZ-800 and had to play Flappy, it was closest I could get to playing Boulder Dash after seeing it at a cousins house on C64.

[@VyceEcho]

Another gem by slope. Cheers

[@jmarra07]

This may have been the first video game I ever played. Loved it

[@BreadboxBitfall]

Truly an iconic game, still prefer the original C64 version. Great job finding all these historical details. I bet you had to turn over a few boulders ;) to find all this information.

[@praiha]

I think there was also a cart version for Spectravideo, where all the levels were only one screen sized. Like the bonus levels in the original version.

[@mrmysterious8124]

Can you look at the History of Mega Man🔫🤖

[@papaG6423]

I 100% agree with this 👍👍👍 (although Mega Man is a massive franchise. He might have to limit it to the classic series lol)

[@perpetualcollapse]

@@papaG6423 Fr lol

[@blakeblends]

Also Spiderman and Jurassic Park

[@Exuprince]

My first such game was "Supaplex" on PC. Still fun actually. Wonder why it was not mentioned.

[@wrmusic8736]

I played a lot of Boulder Dash (and its sequel) on ZX Spectrum way back when

[@GlennStubberfield]

I love the Arcadia system and the history behind it. Rockford remains one of those unearthed gems (hehe) that will hopefully see the light of day eventually...There is loads of cool history behind this failed Amiga based arcade system.

[@2097xl]

My favourite version of boulder dash is the PSX/Net Yaroze game Rocks N Gems

[@DIASTCartoons]

I don't think I've ever seen another character have that many drastically different designs for every game they appear in. I like the ant-like design of Rockford for the magazine ads the most.

[@slopesgameroom]

Yeah, it's crazy and I guarantee I missed loads from random game covers

[@mikerochburns4104]

I always preferred a side version called "Icicle Works" on the C16.

[@mrplant2006]

Great really enjoyed the history here! Love the detail!

[@sinjinhawke]

Just a few years ago this was officially ported to the Intellivision. I managed to get a boxed copy.

[@Alianger]

Can't go wrong with the NES or C64 versions, or Supaplex. Rocks looks cool though, mechanics-wise

[@thedeadpoolwhochuckles.6852]

37:53 i didn't know the diamonds could fall in you too.

[@x-rayed7066]

best game ever created, there is a german developer made a copy on pc and a ukrainian youtube channel is playing it everyday on youtube ,very underrated among vintage games , so smart and has endless possibilities like chess ,

[@ToomsDotDk]

as kid played boulder dash 16 on the C64 every day in the late 80ish, the version 16 was the king.... missing details about that in the video