I got another nibble of sticks done.
Boulderdash needed some time. I put a small sellection on the stick. It’s a fab concept but most versions do something wrong (level design, balancing, timer, music, interludes, collision detection … ). Some offer a level editor but, hey, sometimes you just want to play.
What’s the best Boulderdash you know?
I’ve played Boulderdash in the 90s for the last time, but as far as I remember, the first C64 version was the best.
You refer only the the original “Boulderdash” series? I remember there were/are a lot of (good) clones (for example Emerald Mine).
I’m fine with everything as long as it gives you a good Boulderdash experience.
The C64 version is clean (also included in the GBA version) but the timers are very strict for today (this is what makes Captain Cowboy such a relaxed experience [apart from a few control issues ]). In a short level, you can use the timer, in a long one, it should be more about the exploration and solving the puzzle of the level design, rather than playing it like 42 times for 5 minutes before your run out of time again (* adapting to a learning curve). Boulderdash II for the Amiga is a good one but it’s too hard, you need to alter the timer (don’t worry, you’ll still die).
Yes, that’s true. I haven’t played the other (and later) versions, so I can’t compare them. I’ve played Emerald Mine but never liked it. But maybe this is again the “the first version I played is the one I most remember” thing. 
Emerald Mine’s sounds and controls weren’t good, the gfx was meh and its collision detection was annoying (there was no Jumpman tolerance.) You might want to give the Boulderdash 2 version from Skippy (Amiga) a try. It feels like a nice basis. It lacks reasonable timers and a good building up level design. If you beat the first level, you’ll feel like hero.
Making a game which involves elements from Boulderdash could be worth putting some time into.
This one is the only one I know: Rockford: The Arcade Game
I wasn’t very good at playing this game, too much stress.
DOS version - EGA:
Ja, the title pictures … I remember this one now from the Amiga. Not as hard as the one I’ve mentioned but it also felt, like it wanted to punish the player (and it was clunky).
Das ist so schlimm: Boulder Dash - 30th Anniversary.
Btw. the Amiga version of Rockford already had a 3D look in 1988!
(contrary to the other platforms this game was released on)
Supaplex?
With such animations, only a black (or a very discrete) background works (and you want it to be connected to the earth/dirt), otherwise it looks, like the character is flying around in a weird way. Boulderdash 2 on the Amiga could be more forgiving but I like the colours, the butterflies and how the character’s hair is moving when you’re running.
The Nintendo version shows that the timer should be tight or it feels rather useless (utalise it in a better way), but, as Boulderdash 3D for the Amiga illustrates, you can do worse (although the city).
I never dug this deep into Boulderdash, there exist many games.
Arno Dash 21 has some nice (but also hard) levels.
Moving on …
Bomberman also offers a variety of versions. It’s interesting to see how it ‘evolved’ from a great simple idea (like in Dynablaster) to sometimes very unfocused implementations (with lots of annoying sounds). Knights of Bytes did a clone with Bomb Mania too. It’s fun, but I’m also glad, that not every game needs this much attention.
Oh, yes! I used to play one Bomberman version with my brother - but can’t remember which one it was…
People nowadays seem to underestimate a good couch co-op something that mostly seems to be a thing of the past. But back then we had the SNES and a four controller adapter and with that you could play the 4 player versus mode of Bomber Man 2. We had so much fun.
I always thought I have played a clone but as it turns out Dyna Blaster is actually the very same game:
One of the best versions may be Saturn Bomberman:
Bomberman = multiplayer, I don’t get the single player modes. Dynablaster = Bomberman 2 (EU), and there is Atomic Punk too.
@Supaplex
Nice menu, hmm, Chip’s Challenge (TQKB), Sachs’s AmigaDemo1, fixing the modem in Facility 47, SpeedDos … pling plang plong
$54 Portal (Amiga)
$53 Impossible Mission (C64)
$52 The Dig
$51 Brogue
$50 Shanghai (Amiga)
$4F Gates of Zendocon (Lynx)
$4E The Bard’s Tale III - The Thief of Fate (C64)
$4D Boulder Dash (I [C64], II [Amiga], Boulder Remake)
$4C Exile’s End
$4B Gorogoa
$4A Costume Quest 2
$49 Paradroid - Heavy Metal Edition (C64)
$48 A Vampyre’s Story
$47 Desktop Dungeons
$46 Dead Space
$45 Portal 2
$44 ▊
Really? 
Why?
I like the colors, the style, the turning robots, the structure and design, it’s solid for its scope. It combines a platformer with exploration and puzzles in a simple but decent and unique way.
