The classic puzzle-action series Boulder Dash is making its return with a brand new entry, Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary, launching for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on July 24th. This new title celebrates the franchise’s four-decade history with a host of new content and features.
What’s New for 2025
The anniversary edition, priced at £16.74 / $19.99 on the Xbox Store, includes 180 completely new levels. While built on a modern engine, the game aims to preserve the look and feel of the 1984 classic. It introduces new gameplay mechanics like growing walls and slime, alongside nine different worlds to explore. For the first time, players can also choose between three different playable characters. As a bonus, this edition will also include emulated versions of the first three original Boulder Dash titles.
The game’s music is composed by Chris Huelsbeck, a veteran video game composer known for his work on titles like Turrican and Giana Sisters.
A Look Back: The Original Boulder Dash
First released in 1984, the original Boulder Dash was created by Peter Liepa and Chris Gray for Atari 8-bit computers. It quickly became a sensation and was ported to nearly every home computer and console of the era.
The gameplay was a unique blend of puzzle-solving and quick reflexes. Players controlled the protagonist, Rockford, through a series of underground caves. The objective was to collect a specific number of diamonds to open an exit portal before a timer ran out. Players had to dig through dirt while strategically avoiding falling boulders and hostile creatures. The game was lauded for its simple-to-understand but hard-to-master physics, where boulders could be used as weapons against enemies or could just as easily trap and crush the player, demanding careful planning. Its success spawned numerous sequels and inspired a whole sub-genre of “digging” puzzle games.
Create and Share Your Own Levels
A significant feature in the new Xbox release is the inclusion of a level editor. This tool will allow players to design and build their own challenging caves and then share them online with the wider community. Players will also be able to download and play levels created by others, offering a potentially endless stream of new content.
Looking Ahead
With its blend of classic remastered content and a wealth of new challenges, Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary is positioned to be a comprehensive package for puzzle-action fans on Xbox. The inclusion of powerful creation tools alongside its core campaign offers a robust mix of nostalgia and modern gameplay for veterans and newcomers alike when it arrives on the digital storefront on July 24th.
