Head Over Heels is one of the most beloved video games of the 1980s.
Developed by Jon Ritman and Bernie Drummond as a spiritual successor to their equally adored isometric take on Batman from 1986, it launched on pretty much every home computer format of the era, including the C64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore Amiga and Atari ST. It was even given a new lease of life on modern formats quite recently, reaffirming its status as a stone-cold classic.
Amazingly, it's about to get a sequel—and it's one that has been 36 years in the making.
Since 1989, Colin Porch, the man responsible for converting the original game to the Atari ST, has been secretly working on Return to Blacktooth: A Head Over Heels Adventure, and it's about to get a full release on the Amiga and ST thanks to Thalamus Digital Publishing and Atari.
"You simply cannot believe how excited I am," says Porch in the press release. "Since working on the original game back in the ‘80s, this sequel has been an enormous part of my life. Over the last 30+ years, I’ve added a host of new features to give a new edge to the gameplay while retaining the core ‘feel’ of the original. It’s definitely my sort of game, with logical puzzles that challenge your brain rather than your reflexes. Devious? Certainly! But fair, too. Let battle commence!"
Porch has been adding new rooms, level designs and puzzles, as well as coming up with "a host of challenging new gameplay mechanics," according to Thalamus Digital.
Here's what Thalamus founder and CEO Andy Roberts had to say about this momentous and unexpected news:
"As a diehard fan of the original Head over Heels, I was adamant that we had to bring Colin’s sequel to its target audience. The game is a labour of love crafted with the utmost care and respect for the original, and I can’t wait for players to dive back into the world of the eponymous Head and Heels once again. I’m also incredibly grateful that Atari shared our passion for the project from the outset – it’s been a privilege to work with their team to bring the game to fruition."
Return to Blacktooth is pitched as a 3D isometric arcade adventure with over 350 rooms spread across five worlds. It will showcase two playable characters and a "host of enemies" and boast 16-bit-level visuals in keeping with its target platforms.
"As well as Commodore Amiga and Atari ST versions, Thalamus Digital plans to bring the game to other retro platforms such as the Atari Jaguar, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and ZX Spectrum Next, as well as PC and consoles," concludes the press release.
The game is expected to launch in Q4 2025.