Boulder Dash (NES, 1990)
Graphics-8 Sound-7.5 Control-8 Challenge-8
Level Design-8 Frustration-8.5 Fun-7.5 Originality-7
Overall Score-7.5
+
Innovative and interesting gameplay (the environment is both a tool and an enemy)
Adds a hub world and a couple of new mechanics to the formula
Good art direction
Fast paced
Destructible walls
Good puzzles overall
Password save
Unlockable hard mode/second quest
+/-
Tile-based movement
Pixel perfect timing required later in a stage
2-player mode is "take turns" only
-
Somewhat stiff controls
Steep difficulty curve
Trial & error (amoeba and transformation block mechanics, falling diamonds also kill you, no overview of the entire stage leads to some cheap moments later on, tedious/unintuitive second to last stage where you have to wait for over a minute standing in one place)
No bosses
No difficulty options
Notes:
-24 levels
Bugs:
-Enemy pathfinding glitch (enemies sometimes stop following the closest wall and start moving in circles)
Level Design-8 Frustration-8.5 Fun-7.5 Originality-7
Overall Score-7.5
+
Innovative and interesting gameplay (the environment is both a tool and an enemy)
Adds a hub world and a couple of new mechanics to the formula
Good art direction
Fast paced
Destructible walls
Good puzzles overall
Password save
Unlockable hard mode/second quest
+/-
Tile-based movement
Pixel perfect timing required later in a stage
2-player mode is "take turns" only
-
Somewhat stiff controls
Steep difficulty curve
Trial & error (amoeba and transformation block mechanics, falling diamonds also kill you, no overview of the entire stage leads to some cheap moments later on, tedious/unintuitive second to last stage where you have to wait for over a minute standing in one place)
No bosses
No difficulty options
Notes:
-24 levels
Bugs:
-Enemy pathfinding glitch (enemies sometimes stop following the closest wall and start moving in circles)