Boulder Dash is a remake of a old classic for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Originally published for home computers such as the Commodore 64, this puzzle game will have you clamoring for diamonds in perilous caves.
When you first open the app, you are given the option to: view your high score, begin a new game, continue a previous game, change your settings, view the instructions, or view the credits. Tapping on the instructions is the first step I always recommend, as there is much more detail covered by the creators of the game than I could ever provide. Tapping the "New Game" option will take you to a screen where you are given the ability to play with updated graphics or with the original graphics. The style you choose is entirely based upon your own personal preference and does not affect any other aspects of the game.
After choosing the graphic style you wish to play with, you are taken to a map selection screen. From here you can change the difficulty level, select which map you would like to play on, or reset the caves to their original settings. The caves that you can revisit or play on are highlighted in blue and the caves that you need to unlock are highlighted in gray. You can unlock more caves by completing a level. Changing the difficulty will reveal more caves for you to complete on.
Tapping on a cave will begin the game. You will spawn at a given place on the map and the timer will start to count down. With the default control configuration, moving up and down is achieved by tapping the circles on the left, and moving left and right is achieved by tapping the circles on the right. As you move, dirt is uncovered, which will affect the environment in different ways. Uncovering dirt underneath boulders will cause them to collapse or could instead release monsters from their trap. If you would like to uncover dirt without having to walk into it, you can tap and hold the hand and move in the direction that you would like to uncover. This can also be used for grabbing diamonds. If you are crushed by a boulder, or touched by one of the monsters, you will explode and have to restart the cave. Once you have collected enough diamonds, you can exit the cave usually by heading towards the far right.
The top status bar will allow you to see: how many more diamonds you need to collect in order to complete the level, the time you have left, the amount of points you have, and the "pause" option, which is represented by the blue gear. Tapping the "pause" option will not only pause the game, but allow you to: restart the cave, return to the cave selection screen, suspend the game to return to later, change the settings, or view the instructions.
The settings menu, which can be accessed from the main screen or by pausing the game, will allow you to change various options such as: the control scheme you wish to use, if you want to mirror the controls, toggle the OpenFeint Network on or off, or toggle the in-game vibration.
The OpenFeint network will allow you to post your high score or chat with other people playing games that use OpenFeint; such as Pocket God, or Radio Flare. You can access this network by tapping the "leaves" icon next to your high score on the main screen. You will be asked to log in with your Facebook or Twitter account. Because OpenFeint uses a technology called "OAuth", there is no need to worry about this app stealing your username and password; as the app never actually sees this information.
Because this game was created before my time, I do not have the same nostalgia that others may feel. Yet, I found myself enjoying this game more than I originally thought I would. The updated graphics are playful and cartoony, while the retro graphics share the same feel as though you were playing in an arcade. The music is catchy and I believe that it is a remix of the original song, but I could be wrong as I have never heard the original song for myself. With 80 levels to complete, and the OpenFeint network implementation, this app retains its replay value. Being that the price of this app is $4.99, you may feel a dent in your wallet. However, if you love retro titles, or love puzzle-like games, then this app is perfect for you.