Category Archives: ZX Spectrum

Through The Trap Door, ZX Spectrum

The 1987 sequel to The Trap Door doesn’t have its own Wikipedia page and isn’t mentioned on the Wikipedia page of its predecessor.

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Benny Hill’s Madcap Chase, ZX Spectrum

Benny Hill’s Madcap Chase is loosely based on the infamous Thames TV show, Benny Hill, made in the 1980s and featuring Mr. Hill, and his various cohorts, running around doing funny (or rude) things in the name of comedy.

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Wanted: Monty Mole, ZX Spectrum

Back in 1984 in the UK there was an infamous, historic miner’s strike that lasted for over a year and caused hardship for many communities. Rather than sit and spectate, young Peter Harrap wrote a satirical platform game about a mining mole and published it, with all the profits going to help the struggling, striking miners. That game was Wanted: Monty Mole, and it launched Pete Harrap on his career making video games, and also the Monty Mole ‘franchise’. Although I can’t really call it a franchise because it wasn’t. It was simply a series of games.

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Lode Runner, ZX Spectrum

Part of the later Software Projects UK releases, Lode Runner was first made available on the ZX Spectrum in 1984.

The small graphics and precise gameplay are perfectly suited to the Spectrum and as a result the game enjoyed some success on the system.

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Dynamite Dan II, ZX Spectrum

The sequel to the hit platform game Dynamite Dan, Dynamite Dan II: Dr. Blitzen and the Island of Arcanum is more than just a cheeky update of the first game – it is much bigger, much more involving, and much, much more varied.

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Dynamite Dan, ZX Spectrum

Rob Bowkett‘s 8-bit platform game became an instant hit on the ZX Spectrum when it first came out in 1985.

Dynamite Dan had groundbreaking graphics (for the time) and was seen as a “Jet Set Willy-beater” by some. One thing is for sure: it had (still has) a lot of character. Especially in the main sprite of Dan.

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Penetrator, ZX Spectrum

Penetrator is a side-scrolling shooter, developed by Philip Mitchell and Veronika Megler (as Beam Software) and published by Melbourne House in 1982.

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