Thalamus Digital announces Return to Blacktooth for Amiga and Atari ST

A sequel to Head Over Heels is finally on the way, more than three decades after work first began. Titled Return to Blacktooth: A Head Over Heels Adventure, the game has been developed by Colin Porch, who previously worked on the Atari ST conversion of the original. Development reportedly started in 1989, making this one of the longest-running sequel projects in retro gaming. The game is being published by Thalamus Digital and is due for Commodore Amiga and Atari ST first, with release planned for 4 May 2026. The original Head Over Heels is remembered as one of the standout isometric puzzle adventures of the 1980s. Players controlled two characters, Head and Heels, each with different abilities. The game’s challenge came from using those abilities to solve rooms, avoid enemies, and progress through a large interconnected world.

Return to Blacktooth follows the same basic structure. It is an isometric arcade adventure built around exploration, puzzle-solving, and character switching. The new game is expected to include more than 350 rooms across five worlds. That scale is notable for a new release on classic hardware. Rather than being a modern remake or a loose tribute, the game is being made first for computers closely associated with the original’s era. According to the press release, “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.”

For long-time fans, the main question will be how closely the sequel captures the feel of the original. Head Over Heels had a very specific style: compact puzzle rooms, awkward hazards, careful movement, and a steady emphasis on planning rather than speed. A sequel after 36 years comes with unusual expectations. It needs to work as a new game, but it also has to satisfy players who know the original well. That makes Return to Blacktooth less a simple nostalgia release and more a test of whether this kind of 1980s puzzle design can still hold up on its own terms. The project’s long development history will likely be a major part of the conversation. Few games arrive with a backstory like this: a sequel started during the original home-computer era, continued privately for decades, and now prepared for release on the same class of machines. For the retro scene, it is a rare case of unfinished business finally becoming playable. The game is expected to launch in Q4 2025.

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