8 Bit Annual 2019 | Book Review
8 Bit Annual 2019 is the latest book to come from the Eightbit Magazine guys, this version on the annual is a continuation of the theme from the 2018 Annual, covering everything the homebrew community has been creating over the past year or so.
The opening few pages contain the usual index layout and a newly added section that introduces the team that worked on the annual this year. After this, there is a wonderful tribute to the late Rick Dickinson, the genius behind the iconic case designs of the ZX81, ZX Spectrum, and even the Gizmondo, whats a Gizmondo I hear you mutter? Anyway, this is a nice inclusion to the annual so a thumbs up from me.
The main content of the annual is all about the reviews, there were some amazing games released between the annual of 2018 and 2019 being created and I am pleased to say, most of them made it into this edition of the annual. We are talking a few stunners like Nixy – The Glade Sprite (ZX Spectrum), Steel Ranger (C64), and The Shadows of Sergoth (Amstrad CPC). Each of these games scored in the high 90’s but that is no surprise.
8 Bit Annual 2019 is a wonderful journey through what the Homebrew Community is capable of doing. In its almost 229 pages, this annual will gives you insights into how these games are made with a variety of interviews with people like Andy Johns, Antonio Savona, and Carl-
Henrik Skarsredt. It’s great to see that there are many talented coders, musicians, and artists out there who love to tinker with these old computers and consoles, even these days.
This is some of what you will find inside:-
Commodore 64: Shadow Switcher, Aviator Arcade II, L’Abbaye Des Morts, Space Monguls, Counterweight Kate, Farming Simulator C64, Hunter’s Moon Remastered, Mono, Organism, Pains ‘N’ Aches, Rocky Memphis & The Legend of Atlantis, Single Button Games Collection, Steel Ranger, Sydney Hunter & The Sacred Tribe, Yoomp! 64, Basic Ball, El Loco Challenge, Kung Fu Pixel, Dangerous Sports – Deadly Sports, Downhill Challenge, Beechings Golf & Country Club, SAFTS – Spin All Four Table Soccer, Algol, Atom Heart, Battle in the Woods, Ceti 21, Dreamworld, Electric Warrior, Moon Over Afghanistan, Penzer Patty’s Pink Tank Adventure, The Last Hugger, Valkyrie 3 – The Night Witch, 4K Coding Competition, Mashed Turtles, Schlimeisch Mania II, The Walking Death – Party Version, Bintris, Block Copy RX, Fallout Hacker, Flappy Typing, Knight Lore, Maze of Death, Quad Core 64, Rogue Ninja, Arhena the Amazon – Special Edition, Crank Crank Revolution, Digger, Hibernayed 1: This Place is Death, Iceblox Plus, International Karate Ultimate, Paranoids, Portal C64, Rent-A-Cop Reloaded, Sky Diving, Soccer War, Speedball Duology, Tetrix MP V1.2, Tower of Rubble, Trolly Follies, XXV.
ZX Spectrum: Ninja Gaiden: Shadow Warriors, Gimmick! Yumetaro Odyssey, Gandalf, Roust, The Adventures of Jane Jelly: The Egg Diamond, Jet Set 40-40, Harbinger 2: The Void, SQIJ 2018, Nixy: The Glade Sprite, Eurostriker, O.P.Z, All Hallows – Rise of the Pumpkin, Bobby Carrot, Max Pickles Part 1 – The Haunted Castle, Astrosmash ZX, Prospector, Night Stalker ZX, Mister King-Fu, Elon M With a Jetpack, Quahappy, Parachute, Tank 1990, Dungeon Raiders, Mighty Final Fight, Castle of Sorrow, Mike The Guitar, Rubicon, ROVR, Aeon, Escape From The Sewers, Fantasy Zone: Escape From The Pyramid, Pietro Bros, Gimme Bright, Pentacorn Quest, That Sinking Feeling, Baby Monkey Alba, Skyscraper of Doom, Retro Invaders, Left Behind, Eggsterminator, Robots Rumble, Inertia. Rodman (also for Amstrad CPC, Commodore 16, Commodore 64, Commodore VIC 20, Atari 8-Bit, Oric and MSX).
Amstrad CPC: Space Phantom, Pink Pills, Mike the Guitar, Earth Defender, Top Top, Dawn of Kernel, World War Simulator Part 2, Galactic Tomb, Robbie Strikes Back, The Shadows of Sergoth, Operation Alexandria, Jarlac, Legend of Steel, The adventures of Timothy Gunn, OPQA Vs QAOP: The Final Battle, 77 Attempts, Foosball F3, Deeper Warrens, The Rookie Thief, Crimson Kinght Adventures, Harvest Day, Red Sea, Earth Defender, Snake Bubble, The Last Debt, Kimohiyoko, The Spirit of Halloween, The Crypt, Cannon Duels, Space Cowboy, Indigo Game, Bring RG Back, Overheap, Turtle Slam, Space Ball, Elfo Saves Christmas, Two Finger Death Row, Cat Pang, Fitzroy and the Infestation, Cuchara Volador, Bank AC Returns, Hack Tank, Lunatic, Tank, Invade Space, Penalty Kicks, Killing Machine, Disassembler, Crocker, 18th Century Invaders.
MSX: Tragical Chase, Inq and Suq vs Nightmare, Draconic Throne, Wu-m, 50 Metres, Buddhagillie, Bumper Ship Racing, Burn Us, Inferno, MayQ Buster, Shoulder Blade Overdrive, Svetlan A7, Virus LQP-79, Z, ド (Do).
Atari 8-Bit: Stunt Car Racer, Jack the Nipper, Skooldaze.
BBC Micro: Prince of Persia, Phoenix, Centipede, Maze of Madness, The Darkness of Raven Wood.
Atari 2600: Alf, Alien Attack, Mappy, Asteroid Rescue, Alien Revenge, Asteroid Belt, Astronomer, Baby, High Score Screen Burn Slow Burn, NeXion 3D, Pickle, Robo-Ninja Climb, Scramble, Skee-Ball, Space Game, Super Cobra Arcade, Tyre Trax, Spies in the Night, Balloon Trip, Plague, Sword of Surtr, Birds and Beans, Beeware, Sheep It Up, Dungeon II: Solstice, Monkey King, Peril, Knight Guy.
Sega Master System: Flight of Pigarus, Gemitas, Little Sokoban, Silver Valley, Prisonnier II, Galactic Revenge.
Nintendo Entertainment System: Nova The Squirrel, Cheril the Writer, Yun V5.
What’s even better is this annual is now free to download HERE
Review Score
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8/10
Retro head and key holder of RVG.