TIGSource: A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder

A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder

Derek Yu — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 08:51:00 +0000

I love games that put you in control of unlikely protagonists. Games are so perfect for that. Take Death Worm, for instance. In no other medium could you so effectively capture what it’s like to be a giant sand worm!

Petri Purho, best known for his great, “under a week” experimental games like Crayon Physics, has made a game that puts you in the shoes (er, dirt?) of a giant rolling boulder trap, ala Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. In the game you are charged with defending two golden idols from the hoards of filthy archaeologists trying to defile them.

But they’ll run from you. Oh, how they’ll run. These are some of the fastest fucking archaeologists I’ve ever seen. Screw gold idols… these guys could be winning gold medals. (Zing!)

Fortunately, you can do one thing that the original rolling boulder couldn’t – namely, jump. This will let you get to the upper parts of the temple, which is still not an easy task, due to how small and unwieldy the platforms are at the higher levels. In fact, getting to the platform in the upper right corner can be downright infuriating!

But man, is it fun to slam a group of brownhats and send them flying and screaming. Ragdoll physics for the win! This is a highly inventive and entertaining game.

And, of course, here’s the obligatory video of someone completely and utterly destroying the game.

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by Petri Purho

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 04:57:01 +0000

I was thinking about adding hotseat multiplayer mode when I coded the game. But then I totally forgot about it.

If I have enough free time (not very likely) I’ll try to implement the hotseat for boulder.

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by Derek

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 03:09:12 +0000

Petri, I just realized that this game really needs a hotseat multiplayer mode!

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by Shih Tzu

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 10:12:18 +0000

Noted! Actually I looked it up on urbandictionary.com afterwards.

This game looks neat. I’ll try to look at it when I get time.

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by fish

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 07:00:21 +0000

For The Mother Fucking Win.

gosh!

nervermind. take 2:

Petri is great!

there.

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by Petri Purho

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 03:12:47 +0000

“FTMFW? Does that mean “female-to-male transsexual looking for woman”?”

Sorry Phil, I can’t help you there either.

And thanks for blog post. It’s nice to know that there are at least some people who dig the boulder.

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by Ryan

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 01:53:08 +0000

I absolutely love the ragdoll effects on the archaeologists, as well as the crunchy audio sound effects when you are rolling around the boulder. Neat game :)

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by Chris L

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 01:45:20 +0000

Will someone please make a game where we get to play AS the well that ate Timmy?

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by the2bears

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 22:35:15 +0000

I thought Timmy was down the well again.

Bill

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by King-N

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 20:58:09 +0000

I know Leet Peni, allot of people do.

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by crackers

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 20:49:09 +0000

Peni was cooler when he was drunk but at least still coherent.

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by moi

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 19:40:38 +0000

B1@ 847D4 4LYFE Y0

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by Peni

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 19:13:13 +0000

j00 b33a7ch35 n33d 70 l3arn da 1337. D15 9am3z pwnz da 5ch1zn17.

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by crackers

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 17:22:34 +0000

That sound like a character class in the worst RPG ever.

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by Shih Tzu

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 17:03:40 +0000

FTMFW? Does that mean “female-to-male transsexual looking for woman”? I’m afraid I can’t help you there.

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by King-N

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 15:28:50 +0000

A change of pace huh?

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by Peni

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 15:21:21 +0000

Diz gamez r0x0r5 da sh1zn17 beea7che5! Pwnta9e omg0dz0rz!

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by Skaldicpoet9

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 11:13:48 +0000

lol…for real

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by fish

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 11:00:02 +0000

petri FTMFW.

is all i have to say about this.

"A Tribute to the Rolling Boulder" by Skaldicpoet9

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 10:27:48 +0000

Wow, this game rocks (no pun intended lol) I loved the simple gameplay mechanics behind it. This is definitely worth a download…thanks Derek:)