I have been granted access to a review release of Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary Edition. All opinions in this review are my own and have not been influenced or altered in any way by the developers.
As someone who grew up guiding Rockford through dirt and danger on both MS DOS and the Commodore 64, Boulder Dash has always held a special place in my gaming heart. It was a simple premise: dig through the earth, collect gems, and avoid being crushed by boulders, but it hooked me for hours on end. Now, four decades later, the 40th Anniversary Edition brings that same charm back with a polished coat of modern paint and I could not be happier with the result.
Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary Edition will be available on August 21, 2025 for PC and Mac via Steam, as well as on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox with Play Anywhere support.
Faithful to the Original Yet Fresh
The moment I booted up the game, I was greeted with the familiar tension of digging just one tile too far under a rock, hoping it would not tumble down. The classic mechanics remain intact, keeping the same mix of speed, strategy and timing that made Boulder Dash such an addictive puzzle action hybrid.
This is not just a visual upgrade of the old games. The 40th Anniversary Edition includes sixty classic levels from Boulder Dash I, II and III along with one hundred and eighty brand new stages. The new worlds add clever twists such as growing walls, acid eating boulders and diamonds, enemy generators and even surprise eggs, giving the game more depth without losing the spirit of the original.
A Level Editor for the Community
One of the biggest new features is the level editor. While it is a welcome addition and certainly a cool feature, I am not the biggest fan of how it currently plays out. It has a noticeable learning curve to master and feels somewhat like an afterthought compared to the rest of the package. That said, it has potential, and with future updates it could become a much more compelling part of the game. For players who enjoy building and experimenting, it still offers a lot of creative freedom.
Presentation and Music
Visually, the game strikes a nice balance by offering modernized graphics while keeping the retro feel. Rockford and the environments are sharp and colorful yet still feel true to the original series.
The soundtrack is another highlight. Chris Huelsbeck, the legendary composer behind classics such as Turrican, delivers music that blends nostalgic charm with new energy. It perfectly matches the combination of pressure and puzzle solving that defines Boulder Dash.
Final Thoughts
Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary Edition manages to be both a faithful remake and a meaningful update. It celebrates everything that made the original games great while giving both newcomers and veterans plenty of reasons to keep playing.
If you grew up with Boulder Dash, this edition will feel like meeting an old friend who has aged gracefully and learned some new tricks. If you are new to the series, you will quickly understand why it has been loved for forty years.
Score: ★★★★☆ A rock solid revival of a timeless classic.
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