Atarimania Forum

Are you sure there was a release by First Star Software?

First Star Software web site suggests that it was only released (at least in the US) as part of Super Boulder Dash by ECA.

You know what? I've been trying to find evidence of such a release for the past thirty minutes and... nothing! You may well be right

There's just one thing that bothers me... Actually, all the cracked files of Boulder Dash II I've seen do NOT have the Electronic Arts logo on the title page. This would mean the pirated version circulating in the US was the European release!

--
Atari Frog
http://www.atarimania.com

That is a very good point, Frog.

So may be it was released for a very short time before the Super Boulder Dash release. But in such case it should be so rare that even First Star Software doesn't have a copy. If you look at their web site, you will see that the boxed scan is the Super Boulder Dash one.

And of course, if none of you at Atarimania ever saw a copy, then it should be very rare indeed.

The other possibility is that the crack was made from a pre-release, internal version that was never published (many cracks were made that way).

I'm 99% certain that BD2 wasn't released for the Atari (separately by First Star, I mean). Nearly completely confident, but alas, I have no proof except an aging memory.. FWIW, I've never seen it, and I've loved Boulder Dash on all platforms since 1984.

osgorth wrote:I'm 99% certain that BD2 wasn't released for the Atari (separately by First Star, I mean).

Interesting, you mean that it wasn't released for Atari, but yes for other platforms (such as C64). Or you don't know about other platforms?

FSS website suggests that it wasn't actually published for any platform. Unfortunately the wording is not clear or precise. But most C64 websites list BD2 as published by FSS. But no scanbox that I could see.

Sure, BD1, 2 and 3 were all published for the C64. And a new set of screens was a freebie with the Construction Kit, dubbed BD4 by some. They are all (c) by FSS.

I can't swear by the fact that they were published by First Star themselves, but they all originate from First Star, that's a fact. FSS didn't publish their own games in Europe (at least to my knowledge) but were rather licensed by other folks (such as Beyond, Prism Leisure, Monolith and probably others), so I can't swear by the fact that it was released in the US by themselves. It would surprise me if it wasn't though.

But well, reading up..

the second game, BOULDER DASH 2- “Rockford’s Revenge” ™ was combined with BOULDER DASH and published by Electronic Arts as SUPER BOULDER DASH™ on the C-64, Apple II, IBM-CGA and Atari 4/800 from 1986-87.

..could very well be that the US only saw the Super Boulder Dash combo? Certainly sounds like it.. What a shame! And no mention of BD3 at all on the web site, hmm?

Edit: I sent off an email to FSS, see if they can help us set the record straight. I'll post the reply if I get one.

I believe Boulder Dash III was only released in Europe but not on the Atari. I don't think First Star Software had anything to do with it...

Note that there is a Boulder Dash III on the Atari but it's just a set of screens made with the Boulder Dash Construction Kit.

Boulder Dash and Boulder Dash II were sold by a number of publishers in Europe: Beyond Software, Prism Leisure, Orpheus, Mirrorsoft, Databyte... Not all on the Atari though.

--
Atari Frog
http://www.atarimania.com

Wow, I got a very speedy reply from Dianne at FSS! Creds to her.

Right, down to business:

Boulder Dash(R) 2 WAS published separately outside North America; but to your question, I do not think it was sold here other than as part of Super Boulder Dash(R).

So, that confirms your theory ijor, no BD2 in the US!

And now on to BD3:

There WAS an official Boulder Dash(R) 3, and yu are right, it was not published in the States. It was NOT written by FSS, but one of our then foreign distribution partners American Action AB.

Now this is interesting, and amusing. American Action was a Swedish company, ha! We rock.

I also got to know that Peter Liepa is still around, but he's not making games these days. What a hero, eh?!

As a bonus, I also learned that they are interested in releasing Boulder Dash for the Mac.. Not more than that though:

Some day, we hope to get Boulder Dash(R) over to the Mac. It would be great!

Ahh, I can't wait, I can't wait!

Wow!

I guess that this helps to explain First Star's caginess about Andrew Davie's plans to make a 2600 Boulderdash game.