Category Archives: ZX Spectrum

ZX Spectrum games.

Ocean Software, ZX Spectrum

Daley Thompson’s Decathlon, ZX Spectrum

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Daley Thompson’s Decathlon, developed and published by Ocean for the ZX Spectrum in 1984, was possibly the first home computer game to feature a celebrity, and a person of colour, as the star of the game – at least in the UK anyway.

If you don’t know: Daley Thompson is a British Olympic decathlon star, and was a gold medal winner at the 1980 Moscow and 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and as such was a household name in the UK back when this game was released in 1984. Younger readers might not know who Daley Thompson is, but they really should. Thompson is a legend and has been described as the greatest all-round athlete the world has ever seen. Look him up on YouTube if you want to see his Olympic achievements.

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Durell Software, ZX Spectrum

Turbo Esprit, ZX Spectrum

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Considered by those who know it as an early precursor to Grand Theft Auto, Mike Richardson‘s excellent Turbo Esprit is an action/driving game where the aim is to catch and arrest drugs smugglers by driving around a city and pinpointing them using a map. It was first published for the ZX Spectrum by Durell Software in 1986.

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Ocean Software, ZX Spectrum

Pogo, ZX Spectrum

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Ocean Software‘s 1983 release, Pogo, is arguably the best Q*Bert clone on the ZX Spectrum. And there were a lot of Q*Bert clones around at the time.

It was one of the very first Spectrum games I ever bought and it kept teenage me occupied for a few days, before I eventually grew tired of it.

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Electric Dreams, Irem, Software Studios, ZX Spectrum

R-Type, ZX Spectrum

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The ZX Spectrum conversion of Irem‘s classic arcade game R-Type is considered by many to be one of the best games ever made for Sir Clive‘s classic 8-bit home computer.

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Activision, James Software Ltd., ZX Spectrum

Ghostbusters, ZX Spectrum

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The ZX Spectrum version of David Crane‘s classic Ghostbusters is just as dull/entertaining (delete as applicable) as the original Commodore 64 version. But with some extra colour clash thrown in for good measure… 🙂

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Imagine Software, ZX Spectrum

Stonkers, ZX Spectrum

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This 1983 release from Imagine Software is one of the earliest examples of a Real-Time Strategy game ever made.

It might not look like much, but Stonkers is an important game, and designer/programmer John Gibson probably never even realised it at the time.

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Gremlin Graphics, ZX Spectrum

Monty Is Innocent, ZX Spectrum

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Monty Is Innocent is an ‘anomaly’ in the famous Monty Mole series of games, from Gremlin Graphics.

Monty Is Innocent wasn’t designed or programmed by Pete Harrap, the original creator of Monty Mole, but by Chris Kerry (who pitched the idea to publisher Gremlin after having a hit with his game Jack and the Beanstalk). Gremlin liked the idea enough to green light the game and eventually release it as Monty is Innocent in 1985.

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Thor Computer Software, ZX Spectrum

Giant’s Revenge, ZX Spectrum

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Giant’s Revenge is the second sequel to Jack and the Beanstalk, which was created by Chris Kerry (with graphical assistance by his brother, Steve) and published by Thor Computer Software for the ZX Spectrum in 1984.

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