Classic arcade thrills
Boulder Dash is a true legend of the video gaming industry, a fantastic mix of action and puzzling that still holds up well today and which has spawned any number of imitators. Starring the charismatic Rockford has he searches mines for diamonds, the series is still popular today and this compilation of the first two games in the series is the perfect introduction for newcomers or those brought up on the more recent versions. The first game introduced the core concepts of the franchise, namely running around mines looking for diamonds while avoiding or strategically causing rockfalls, before moving on to the next even more challenging level. The sequel didn't change anything radical but added in a few new elements to mix things up while maintaining the fiendishly clever level design and all-out entertainment value of the first game. The joy of Boulder Dash is the way that you can play it either one of two ways, namely speeding through levels without thinking too much about your actions and relying on reflexes alone or taking a more cautious approach and planning your strategy carefully, thinking about where each rock is going to fall. However you play though, you're guaranteed a great time as if played as an action game, Boulder Dash is superbly thrilling whereas played as a puzzler, it is immensely challenging and equally enjoyable. The visuals still retain their old-school charm and everything licks along at a fair old pace, so if you're looking to delve into video gaming history, then check this out along with Pitfall, Pacman and Space Invaders.
