Back in 1984 Spy vs. Spy was a revelation. It was – and still is – a shining example of two-player versus gaming. Two spies, each searching for the secret plans, and each laying traps in order to stop the other – it tended to bring out the devious side (and the trash talk) of anyone who played it. Myself included. Many hours were spent playing this game against my brother back in the mid Eighties, and Spy vs. Spy quickly became a cult favourite for myself, and for many other Commodore 64 owners.

Of course, this being a split-screen game, each player can see what the other is doing, which adds another level of deviousness and trickery to the gameplay.

Spy vs. Spy is beautifully presented, with humorous animated graphics based on the MAD Magazine characters of the same name. Placing traps is achieved by cycling a pointer over a bank of icons on the right-hand side of the screen. There are six different types of traps and each has to be set up by first hiding it in either a piece of furniture, or inside a door. And when your unwitting opponent triggers a trap you laid: it’s kaboom. Or course: the same can happen to you as you’re searching for the plans.

There are eight levels of difficulty, with more rooms being added as the levels go up. There are also five levels of computer AI for the single-player game, so Spy vs. Spy has some serious replay value.

It’s still a brilliant game to play now and is definitely a Commodore 64 classic!

More: Spy vs. Spy on Wikipedia