Crystal Mines II (1992). Play online

Summary

Crystal Mines II on the Atari Lynx takes the classic rock‑and‑diamond puzzle feel and wraps it around an overhead robot adventure. The game offers a daunting 150 main levels plus 31 secret bonus stages, each crammed with colored crystals, metal deposits, TNT caches and a host of hazardous monsters. You’ll blast away dirt, saw through wooden blocks, and explode boulders while hunting for shields and radiation‑proof gear to survive the deeper shafts. Ken Beckett’s programming is backed by Ken Calderone’s upbeat soundtrack and graphics from Nina, Dan Burke and Beckett himself, giving the mines a vivid, retro charm. Designers such as Scott Davis and Ron Degen contributed to the level architecture, resulting in puzzles that feel like a cross between Chip’s Challenge and Boulder Dash with real‑time pressure. Although originally launched by Color Dreams and licensed to Atari, the title resurfaced on Evercade in 2020 with fresh levels, and critics have consistently given it solid scores—IGN 7/10, Retro Gamer 69 %—proving the robot‑mining gauntlet still thrills puzzle fans today.