Eat Mine
| Developer: No One Inc. | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: M.W.B. | Sound: |
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| Year: 1989 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Boulder Dash | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 2 simultaneous | Rating: |
7/10 | |
The adaptation of Eat Boulder games 1 to 3 (the first dating from 1987), originating from the Commodore 64 and created by the No One Inc. group. This represents 48 levels (not counting the intermissions). I do not know the origin of the remaining 33 levels.
Following the model of Boulder Dash C64, a game engine specific to the Amiga was employed, which induces significant rule changes (larger levels, enemies can no longer be killed with diamonds, presence of sapphires, the amoeba no longer transforms…).
The main characteristic of the series was preserved, however: I have never seen a Boulder Dash clone as brutal! The enemies are countless, and you will need great dexterity to escape them. Most of the time, you will need to guide the butterflies towards the green amoeba to provoke chain explosions. Beware of diamond avalanches!
Advantages: the game is not linear (you will be led to restart a level dozens of times, but will remain free to change strategy) and the uninterrupted action is thrilling! (In my case, 102 attempts on the first level – but the training paid off on the ones that followed.)
Disadvantages: apart from a few exceptions, the 80 levels all look similar, and the difficulty is not progressive.
In short, if you reproached Boulder Dash for its lack of pace, Eat Mine is just what you need! On the other hand, puzzle game enthusiasts will probably prefer a Bond Mine or a Supaplex.
In 1994, the same levels were exported once again to a next-generation engine (that of Forgotten Mine by Ruppelware). The animation appears more fluid, and there are no more random delays when pushing rocks (insignificant given the relatively low representation of boulders in this game). This version is titled Eat Mine Update.
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