Boulder Dash

Boulder Dash is a maze-based puzzle-action game where you control Rockford, a prospector digging through caves in search of diamonds. The objective in each level is to collect a required number of diamonds, which then opens an exit tunnel to the next cave. The environment is fully destructible—Rockford can tunnel through dirt, but removing the ground beneath boulders causes them to fall, creating an avalanche hazard that can crush him. Boulders roll and bounce, adding realistic physics. Later levels introduce fireflies, butterflies, and a growing amoeba that must be contained by dropping boulders on it. When crushed, creatures transform into diamonds. The game features 16 caves, each playable at five difficulty levels.

Commodore 64

Released in April 1984 by First Star Software, ported by Jeff Schneider and published by MicroLab. This is arguably the best-known version of the game. Graphics are basic and functional—Rockford resembles an insectoid figure rather than the human prospector on box art. Sound was converted from the Atari original: the amoeba received a bubbly, organic effect. The C64 port introduced minor glitches: Chris Gray is misspelled as "Chris Grey" in credits, and certain wall interactions cause slowdown. IGN noted it "still feels as fresh as it did in 1984." Two-player alternating mode is available, and extra lives are awarded every 500 points.