You think this is all balderdash? No, this is Boulder Dash, and it’s soon to be celebrating its 40th Anniversary. Originally released in the ’80s, this franchise has developed an incredibly passionate fan base. BBG Entertainment is hoping to keep them just as enthralled with a new entry. I had a chance to chat with Stephan Berendsen, CEO of BBG Entertainment, about the changes coming to the latest iteration of Boulder Dash, and what fans both old and new can expect from this entry.Screenshot: BBG EntertainmentWhile the world of video games continues to evolve forward, we can’t help but sometimes look to the past for inspiration once again. ‘Boulder Dash’, a title originally released on Atari consoles back in the ’80s, is coming back. How did this come to be?There are few games that retain their appeal for decades, thanks to their fascinatinggameplay, and continue to appear on all new consoles. One such game is Boulder Dash,which now has dozens of official sequels and hundreds of unofficial versions. Boulder Dashhas always been one of the most important video games for me. I played it as a kid for hoursand days on my old home computer. And when I was asked in 2017 by the rights holder,who wanted to retire, if I would like to take over this brand and develop it further, I jumped atthe chance.Can fans of the original game look forward to being able to hop right back in? Or are there new features that they may need to learn?This is a very good point. Die-hard Boulder Dash fans are extremely picky when it comes toremakes of the old originals. Not only does everything have to look exactly the same, buteverything also has to play exactly the same — the speed, the scrolling, the physics. So, wewould never dare to change any of these elements. It was clear to us that we are committedto upholding the key values and pillars of the game. And because the focus is onplayability and functionality. This must not be disturbed by unnecessary graphic effects andgimmicks, and risky changes of the concept. So yes, they can hop right back in.Screenshot: BBG EntertainmentIs this a completely new entry in the ‘Boulder Dash’ franchise, or is this more a reimagining of the original game? If so, what have you done to keep the charm and joy of the original game alive in this version?We pursued two goals. Firstly, we wanted to bring the first three parts of Boulder Dash I, II, andIII to life as faithfully as possible on current machines. Secondly, we wanted to spice up theclassic gameplay with contemporary visuals and suitable new ideas such as growing walls,slime, an enemy generator, eggs, and other things. All in all, Boulder Dash 40th Anniversaryis certainly the most comprehensive game in the series of all time; The first three games inthe original Commodore and Atari look, hundreds of brand new levels in a new look, and alltested and approved by the best Boulder Dash players worldwide, and with music by ChrisHuelsbeck.Some folks may not have realized, but ‘Boulder Dash’ has been getting new games as recently as 2021. What can players, both old and new, expect in this revamped version of the classic game?We implemented plenty of new ideas into the new levels. Growing walls, enemy generator, and slime are the new elements that I like most. And of course, our new level editor, whichallows users to create, play, and share their own levels. We decided against a lot more newfeatures than we would have included at all. All of these new ideas would have significantlychanged the character of the game — because they were too focused on violence instead ofbrains.Screenshot: BBG EntertainmentCan fans expect to see more varied takes on the ‘Boulder Dash’ franchise in the future? Seeing as it’s a 2D collector game, do you think you could ever translate the fast-paced puzzle gameplay to a fully 3D space, for example?Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary marks a new beginning for the franchise and its characters.We have plenty of new products in our pipeline that are well-known. One game is evenfeaturing Rockford, our beloved Boulder-Dash-Hero. We are also working on several portsof popular hits from the ’80s. Stay tuned!Looking at previous ‘Boulder Dash’ games on Steam, I was genuinely surprised to see the amount of hours players happily put into these titles. What do you think gives them the long-lasting appeal that they have?In my opinion, it is the unusual combination of platform game and puzzle game that stillmakes Boulder Dash so appealing today. You have to skillfully steer Rockford through thelevels and at the same time use your brain to solve the puzzles. Boulder Dash never getsboring, the game concept is timeless.Screenshot: BBG EntertainmentThe team behind the 40th Anniversary of ‘Boulder Dash’ is surprisingly stacked. Peter Liepa created the original idea and game and is still working on this version, which is incredible to see. How did the original concept of ‘Boulder Dash’ come to be?The story of Boulder Dash began with Chris Gray, a young Canadian who, at the age of 14,started to work on a game called ‘PIT-FALL’, inspired by the 1982 arcade game ‘The Pit’,which incidentally had great similarities to the classic ‘Dig Dug’ that was released at thesame time. Chris wrote ‘PIT-FALL’ in BASIC, so it was quite slow. He showed the game to the owner of the Toronto area ‘Electronic Playworld’ shops. Which also sold Atari games atthe time.They saw potential in the game, but knew that it would have to be technically improved if they wanted to publish it under their own label, In-Home Software. Meanwhile, Peter Liepa, an experienced developer, approached them to discuss creating a game. They asked him if he could translate ‘PIT-FALL’ into machine language. He began the conversation but soon abandoned it to restart from scratch. Peter Liepa took over the complete development from this point on. They agreed that Chris Gray would be mentioned in the title screen and receive a share of the sales.It’s hard to keep a 40-year-old franchise feeling fresh and innovative. What has the team done to ensure this is fun and exciting for players of all types?We always want to take Boulder Dash further and create a game for both the old Boulder Dashfans and the new young generation. But you have to be very careful, because trueBoulder Dash fans are very particular. Therefore, we involved the best Boulder Dash playersworldwide in the development process. And also took feedback from all age groups into account. For example, we showed an early version at gamescom 2024 in Cologne. Where not only parents but also their children spent a lot of time at our computers.Screenshot: BBG EntertainmentWhere can eager fans jump into the fun with the 40th Anniversary Edition of ‘Boulder Dash’? Are there any special plans to celebrate a series running as long as this one has?We have indeed prepared a lot for the release of Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary, which isalready getting a lot of attention from all over the world. One highlight will be the first Boulder Dash World Championship, which we will hold on August 23, 2025, at gamescom. There will bevarious qualifying tournaments beforehand, such as the Master Challenge Warsaw at the Pixel Heaven Festival in June. We also want to enable users to easily share their own levels, bring Rockford back in another game, and much more…Are there any fun or memorable stories, either from the creation of the original or this new iteration, that you’d like to share with our readers? 40 years of memories have to lead to something exciting!The history of Boulder Dash is full of exciting anecdotes. I have already recounted how PeterLiepa came to be involved with the game, which was originally started by Chris Gray. HowBoulder Dash III came about is also quite remarkable. A Boulder Dash clone was created by“American Action”, a Swedish outfit, which they called Boulder Dash III. In an ill-advised deal, First Star Software, Inc. granted American Action an official license after being paid advance royalties.Things turned sour when the “space-themed” visuals American Action planned for led to a host of bugs. Making some levels impossible to complete; short-term commercial objectives seem to have rushed the developers. The game is not very popular with fans. Rightly so, in my opinion. We also think it’s particularly cool that Peter Liepa himself is supporting the promotion of Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary with a few videos. More than 40 years after working on the first game of the series.I would like to thank Stephan Berendsen, CEO of BBG Entertainment, for taking time out of his busy schedule to chat with me about Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary. The post Stephan Berendsen, CEO of BBG Entertainment Talks ‘Boulder Dash 40th Anniversary’, How the Game Stays Fun, and More (Interview) appeared first on VICE.