Indie Nuggets #8

Sapphire Yours (2017)
By: Bence Sipka Genre: Puzzle / Action Players: 1 Difficulty: Medium
Featured Version: PC
Also Available For: Android, iOS

There were a number of classics I missed out on in my youth. Among them was Boulder Dash, the much-loved jewel-grabbing, debris-avoiding mazey action/puzzler. I'm still not quite sure how I managed to miss it since it was released on every format under the sun but I have of course now remedied my oversight. Just in case anyone else missed it, or perhaps wasn't even around in its heyday at all, it was brought back to grace our screens once again much more recently! Okay, it's not officially part of the series but it may as well be. The first version dates back to 2001 and was created by an Austrian (I think) developer called Reinhard Grafl while the version I've looked at here comes to us courtesy of Bence Sipka, a Hungarian (I think) indie developer who is presumably a fan of both First Star Software's iconic game as well as Mr. Grafl's unofficial follow-up, and whose own game is available to play for free. How generous of him!

I've actually had this review in the 'drafts' section of this very blog for years (not exaggerating!) without getting around to posting about it (nothing personal, it happens a lot with oafs like me), but for unknown reasons I've decided it's finally time to finish it. I have therefore been playing the game again lately, as I have several times on and off over the years since I first discovered it, and like the game on which it's based, it's simple and good fun. It's difficult to say how many stages there are to try here (though it's in the hundreds) as there have been several versions of the game, each with new examples on offer, and it comes with a level editor so you can make your own, or try some of the many, many examples that other players have made, but rest assured, there is plenty to keep you occupied here if it's the type of game you like the look/sound of.

Having said that, I think I've left it so long to play/post this that the community has gone tits-up, so I suppose many (or all) of those fan-made levels are history too. Oops! Never mind, I'm sure there are still more stages on offer than most people will ever get through. They can get pretty big too - several screens wide by several screens tall in many cases - and are filled with the kinds of hazards and obstacles you’d expect. Chief among them are, of course, the ever-present boulders which will gladly crush you into a pixelated paste if you dare stand beneath them, but there are millions of colourful jewels to grab too, as well as various other bits and pieces. There are also many terrifying creatures patrolling narrow corridors or open spaces alike, as well as collapsible terrain, and the usual switches, colour-coded keys, traps, and occasional devious surprises designed to keep you honest.

The objective is almost always the same – collect the aforementioned shinies and then find the exit – but the variety in layout and design is what keeps things interesting. Our little mining chap (who, for review purposes, we'll call Derek), is a nimble sort who can dig through soft dirt, push certain blocks, and perform the odd nifty manoeuvre when needed. The controls are responsive and simple enough to master, which is handy since many of the levels require quick thinking and quicker reflexes. It’s not a particularly punishing game – you can restart stages instantly and play them in any order for the most part – but it certainly offers a good challenge, especially once you get deeper into the more elaborate stages, with many leaning much more on puzzleyness than the original game. I even got stuck for a while on one of the earlier examples which was a bit embarrassing!

Visually it’s pretty much what you’d expect from a modern tribute to an '80s classic, though I'm not super keen on the style if I'm honest. It's all crisp, clean, and colourful, but also very minimal - there's nothing flashy and nor is there much in the way of character. Derek is little more than a stick figure with a hat, for example. The enemies are the most interesting aspect of the game, visually. They include some creepy beetles and angry orange Pac-Men, as you can see in the shots here. The sound is similarly stripped back, though there are a few half decent chiptune tracks and the familiar clinks, thuds, and crumbles that give the game its tactile feel. It’s the sort of thing that won’t blow anyone’s socks off, but for fans of the genre, it hits all the right nostalgic notes.

If there’s a downside, it's that the game (like its inspiration) can get a tad repetitive after a while – this isn’t a title that reinvents itself every few levels. But then, it’s not really meant to. It’s a lovingly made homage to a very specific kind of game, and in that respect it succeeds admirably. The fact that it’s free, has a built-in level editor, and (in its heyday at least) had a whole community around it, just makes it all the more appealing. Its audio/visuals might put some off, and it might not be a household name, but Sapphire Yours is a solid, enjoyable, and generous spiritual successor to Boulder Dash. Whether you're a long-time fan of the genre or just fancy a brain-teasing bit of diggy-avoidy action, there's a lot to like here. It may have slipped under the radar, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth digging up (chortle!). Sorry this post is a bit (few years) too late, in any case!

RKS Score: 7/10

Special Note:I couldn't find a trailer or an acceptable gameplay video but you can easily play the game for yourself. It's available for download here, or it can be played through your favourite browser here. In addition, the same guy(s) responsible for Sapphire Yours have another game (sequel?) available on Steam called Ruby Hunter which you can buy here.