a sequel long buried for nearly four decades has finally seen the light of day—81-year-old retired programmer colin budge single-handedly revived and completed “return to black tooth,” a project that was shelved by the times back then. this work is not an entirely new creation; rather, it serves as the official sequel to the 1987 classic puzzle game “head over heels.” development initially began in 1989 but was abandoned due to platform transitions, the bankruptcy of publisher ocean software, and a shift in market trends.
years later, a reunion with a former colleague stirred budge’s memories. former ocean producer gary breese reminded him that the unfinished project still held promise. budge promptly embarked on a remaking effort—rewriting the code, fixing compatibility issues, and painstakingly negotiating copyright ownership piece by piece. a key breakthrough came when he persuaded atari—the holder of the series’ iconic character copyrights—to grant permission for independent distribution.
today, “return to black tooth” faithfully adheres to the original design blueprint, making its authentic debut on the retro platforms atari st and commodore amiga. for budge, this is not merely a return to his technical roots—it is also a fulfillment of a personal mission that spans across generations.
