Retro Video Gamer

OK so i got to thinking that we all have our favorite retro games but they more often than not seem to be the most popular games from those days. Some classics have sadly been forgotten so i shall be doing some threads for different systems asking you to look into your gaming past and throw up a few underappreciated games.. This one is for the ZX Spectrum.

I will start.
The Trapdoor.

(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad242/zapiy/RVG/trapdoor.jpg)

Trap Door was a special for me, i loved the TV series that it's based on. It captured the feel of the series so effortlessly plus Flunky was a character that i loved to draw back then. With its colourful graphics and brilliant puzzles i really believe this game should get more love than it does.

Must not forget this was coded by the great Don Priestley.

Dynamite Dan

(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad242/zapiy/RVG/dynamitedan.gif)

We always talk about Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy, both equally fantastic games but i alway had a soft spot for Dynamite Dan.

It was a simple affair, collect stick of dynamite. Eight of them was needed to blow the safe. You needed to hunt around to find the dynamite with plenty of enemies trying to stop you.

Thats just two of mine, interested to read yours?

Great thread! Here are 2 of mine then too . . .

First up is one of the very first Spectrum games I ever played. It's a strategy game by Firebird called Viking Raiders. It looks very simple but is amazingly good fun to play, especially in 4-player mode. You each take control a Viking and must build up an army then wipe out the opposing armies. It's turn based as you can probably guess and has some hilarious features like the way your Vikings can get drunk and then go berzerk! I fired this up in a emulator recently and it was still as fun as ever.

[align=center:2g7zgu6f](http://cdn1.spong.com/title-screen/v/i/vikingraid2381/_-Viking-Raiders-Spectrum-48K-_.gif)   (http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27paw4/yr14/yr14_50c.gif)[/align:2g7zgu6f]

The second game I am going to nominate is Guardian II by budget masters Hi-Tec. This was one of the few games they released that was a cartoon licence and is without doubt their best ever game. It's just a blatant clone of Defender II / Stargate but probably one of the best versions of the game I have played on any machine. It has great graphics and sound, tight controls and perfect gameplay that just keeps you coming back for more. So load up the Speccy or an emulator and give this great shooter a try.

[align=center:2g7zgu6f](http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/576243-guardian-ii-revenge-of-the-mutants-zx-spectrum-screenshot.png)   (http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/576244-guardian-ii-revenge-of-the-mutants-zx-spectrum-screenshot.png)[/align:2g7zgu6f]

Quote from: "zapiy"OK so i got to thinking that we all have our favorite retro games but they more often than not seem to be the most popular games from those days. Some classics have sadly been forgotten so i shall be doing some threads for different systems asking you to look into your gaming past and throw up a few underappreciated games.. This one is for the ZX Spectrum.

I will start.
The Trapdoor.

(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad242/zapiy/RVG/trapdoor.jpg)

Trap Door was a special for me, i loved the TV series that it's based on. It captured the feel of the series so effortlessly plus Flunky was a character that i loved to draw back then. With its colourful graphics and brilliant puzzles i really believe this game should get more love than it does.

Must not forget this was coded by the great Don Priestley.

Dynamite Dan

(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad242/zapiy/RVG/dynamitedan.gif)

We always talk about Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy, both equally fantastic games but i alway had a soft spot for Dynamite Dan.

It was a simple affair, collect stick of dynamite. Eight of them was needed to blow the safe. You needed to hunt around to find the dynamite with plenty of enemies trying to stop you.

Thats just two of mine, interested to read yours?

Had Trapdoor on C64...Berk! Make me an.....

as you say, the look of the game really captured the TV series.Don Priestly also did Mazogs on ZX81 did he not? if so, i'm for ever in his debt, blew me away playing that (if ever there was a ZX81 game (for How far we've come...) it's this.

Also recal seeing Popeye in Zzap 64 i think it was, again just looked the part.

One I'm always banging on about...Deactivators
(http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/147309-deactivators-zx-spectrum-screenshot-movement-modes.png)

Ariolasoft weren't renowned for quality and this was on a sub-label of theirs.

Tigress marketing came up with the idea, sold it to them and they hired some programmers to "realise" it.

You play a team of bomb disposal robots and need to collect the bombs and chuck them out of the nearest window, very safe lol.

Later levels were devilish, reversing gravity, controls etc. Graphics lovely, crisp and clean.

(http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showscreen.cgi?screen=screens/in-game/d/Deactivators.gif)

Couple of great little games that came bundled with my Spectrum and aren't really remembered very well, had hours of fun with these.

Colin The Cleaner
(http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showscreen.cgi?screen=screens/in-game/c/ColinTheCleaner.gif)

Odd Job Eddie

(http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showscreen.cgi?screen=screens/in-game/o/OddJobEddie.gif)

Both of those games are by the infamous Harry S. Price who simply hacked other peoples games then passed them off as his own.

Colin The Cleaner was originally Ralph On Alpha 2 (//http)

Odd Job Eddie was originally Pyramania (//http)

didn't know that...I suppose back then anything and everything was copied with a name change to avoid a lawsuit!
In my innocence i still enjoyed them!

Great thread idea, Zapiy! Thanks to everyone for sharing their favorites.

Nice one all, i don't remember ever hearing of some of those games.. I will make sure to check them out..

Here is another i feel has been under appreciated over time.

The Great Escape by Ocean.

(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad242/zapiy/RVG/greatescape.jpg)

You control a prisoner in a prison of war camp.. The whole idea is for you to try and espcape, but thereare soldiers guarding the camp, they attack you if you appear to be not following a daily routine. The game is pretty hard from my memories but very very addictive. If i am right this got some great reviews back then also.. So why does this not get much love i wonder?

Here is another great and very obscure game for the Spectrum called Speedboat Assassins. It's a budget game by Mastertronic and according the Moby Games page (//http) it only came out on the Spectrum, ST and Amiga. It seems really strange that they never released any other 8-bit versions. Anyway it plays a bit like Road Blasters but on water and I loved it as a kid, here are some screenshots of it:

[align=center:3w1zckfz](http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/164009-speedboat-assassins-zx-spectrum-screenshot-loading-screens.png)   (http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/164013-speedboat-assassins-zx-spectrum-screenshot-this-is-dangerous.png)

(http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/164020-speedboat-assassins-zx-spectrum-screenshot-shooting-it-outs.png)   (http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/164022-speedboat-assassins-zx-spectrum-screenshot-hit-a-mines.png)[/align:3w1zckfz]

Flip me i forgot about that game fella.. That really was a great budget game..

Keep them coming..

For me it has to be Brian Bloodaxe (Elite). A blatant JSW clone, but none the worse for that.  Another game I love is and still play regularly is Spawn of Evil (dk'tronics).

Here is another one from me, I saw a post on another forum talking about the classic Codemasters game Super Stunt Man and then remembered that the game had a sequel! But one that nobody ever seems to mention, it was called Italian Super Car and it was bloody brilliant! I found this great video of it by Retro Asylum, so I will let that so the talking:

Italian Super Car - ZX Spectrum (//http)

What about Run the Gaunlet..

(http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/478767-run-the-gauntlet-zx-spectrum-screenshot-times-ups.png)

Played this game for hours myself but yet i hardly hear people talk about it?

I used to have that and I do remember it being a lot of fun, IIRC it was based on a TV show.

Here is another one for you that I was playing recently, Apache Raid by Pirate Software.

This is a funny one because I know the game probably isn't that good but I just love playing it and it brings back a lot of memories for me too. Its a nice colourful game where you basically just run around killing cowboys and collecting stuff.

(http://s.uvlist.net/l/y2012/10/100788.jpg)    (http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Apache-Raid-Pirate-ZX-Spectrum-/00/$(KGrHqR,!l!E1F4dZbsSBNZ82e1FKw~~_35.JPG)

(http://images.eurogamer.net/2012/articles//a/1/4/7/8/9/4/3/Cobra_Spectrum_000.png)

And another that i think gets no appreciation..

Quote from: "zapiy"(http://images.eurogamer.net/2012/articles//a/1/4/7/8/9/4/3/Cobra_Spectrum_000.png)

And another that i think gets no appreciation..

Are you kidding me? Cobra is VERY highly thought of in the Spectrum community and is constantly mentioned as one of the greatest scrolling action games on the Speccy. So there.  :o

But definitely not underappreciated.

The budget publishers thread got me thinking about Silverbird and particular this game, Pasteman Pat, a real lost gem in the Spectrums library. The game basically plays a bit like one of those sliding puzzle games as you try to make up the adverts of different Telecomsoft games. You control Pat on the ladder but have to be careful as people throw stuff at you to try and knock you off! I recommend people give this a try on an emulator or real hardware:

[align=center:1niwr4yr](http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showscreen.cgi?screen=screens/in-game/p/PastemanPat.gif)   (http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/userdata/images/medium/PRODTHM-18750.jpg)   (http://dl.emu-land.net/roms/zx_spectrum_pict/Pasteman%20Pat%20-%20Billboard%20(1989)(Silverbird%20Software).png)[/align:1niwr4yr]

Brilliant i will check that one out mate.

Here is another one from me - Star Pilot by Firebird.

This was one of my favourite shoot 'em ups on the Spectrum as a kid and used to love listening to the excellent music too. The most unique feature of Star Pilot is the brilliant split screen 2-player mode, this makes a real change from both players being on the same screen like similar shooters.

Star Pilot ZX Spectrum (//http)

Quote from: "The Laird"Here is another one from me - Star Pilot by Firebird.

This was one of my favourite shoot 'em ups on the Spectrum as a kid and used to love listening to the excellent music too. The most unique feature of Star Pilot is the brilliant split screen 2-player mode, this makes a real change from both players being on the same screen like similar shooters.

Star Pilot ZX Spectrum (//http)

This is actually a good choice, i think i had this but never gave it the time it needed.. I guess i could say that with a lot of games even now.

Here is another one, Ninja Massacre by Codemasters.

A simply wonderful clone of Gauntlet that has colourful graphics, non-stop action and one of the best pieces of music on the 128k. I am really surprised that more people don't talk about this excellent game:

[align=center:1hxdolj6]NINJA MASSACRE 128K (ZX SPECTRUM) (//http)[/align:1hxdolj6]

You would not believe what I used to love playing, it was so playable and the complete anatoym to its football version, which was pitiful.

I am talking Artic Rugby, it was on a free tape from YS- I could not stop playing it for a while, and was the best rugby game I played on a computer! I will digg out a screen grab when I am near the PC.

[align=center:23m38f13](http://k1.dyndns.org/Vintage/Sinclair/Software/ZX%20Spectrum%20Software/Games/I/International%20Rugby%20(Artic)/Game$.gif)   (http://www.retrogames.co.uk/large.cgi?image=027292.jpg&ref=027292&save=)[/align:23m38f13]

Nice one Laird 

There's a couple that spring to mind for me:

Booty:

(http://cdn-static.denofgeek.com/sites/denofgeek/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/27-booty.jpg)

great little platformy, puzzly collect 'em up

and

Frank 'n' Stein

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Nr_TwJpOGk/TpNTNzIuY_I/AAAAAAAAAsE/a0btwcfbvuw/s1600/frank3.png)

Another platformer.  Interesting in that there was no jump mechanic. You had to use the springs and sliders to change level and avoid baddies whilst collecting up the skeleton of Frank. Great sound effects too.

Spent many happy hours on those two.

Booty is great, remember that game well.

But I have never heard of the other game! 

Great call on Booty actually a great little game.

Quote from: "The Laird"Booty is great, remember that game well.

But I have never heard of the other game! 

Then you must try it out. Its a little belter.

Can't believe I haven't mentioned this game! It get's a bit repetitive but the novelty of headbutting grannies just never wears off!

[align=center:ws859q30]Street Hassle Walkthrough, ZX Spectrum (//http)[/align:ws859q30]

Quote from: "Gone"First up is one of the very first Spectrum games I ever played. It's a strategy game by Firebird called Viking Raiders. It looks very simple but is amazingly good fun to play, especially in 4-player mode. You each take control a Viking and must build up an army then wipe out the opposing armies. It's turn based as you can probably guess and has some hilarious features like the way your Vikings can get drunk and then go berzerk! I fired this up in a emulator recently and it was still as fun as ever.

[align=center:2t5ohhu2](http://cdn1.spong.com/title-screen/v/i/vikingraid2381/_-Viking-Raiders-Spectrum-48K-_.gif)   (http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27paw4/yr14/yr14_50c.gif)[/align:2t5ohhu2]

Totally agree, loved Viking Raiders - so much so I made a Windows and Android version called Viking Invaders.

http://gazzapper.indiecity.com/projects/viking-invaders (//http)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gazzappergames.vikings (//https)

But also loved this underrated gem...

(http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showscreen.cgi?screen=screens/load/m/gif/MasterOfMagic.gif)
(http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showscreen.cgi?screen=screens/in-game/m/MasterOfMagic.gif)

Nice one, sadly for me i guess i never got into those type of games..

I spent many many hours on this...

Gunship
(http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showscreen.cgi?screen=screens/load/g/gif/Gunship.gif)

(http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showscreen.cgi?screen=screens/in-game/g/Gunship.gif)

and strangely, this...

Loch Ness Monster
(http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showscreen.cgi?screen=screens/in-game/l/LochNessMonster.gif)

We used to go down to the local computer store back in the ole days and used to play Hungry Horace on the ZX Spetrum 48k (I think it had 48k, not sure). My friends and I would just sit at the desk and play the game. The sales man would always ask us "are you going to buy a ZX Spectrum?" hehehe but we Loved playing that game. I found it on YouTube. Boy, that brings back memories :4:

http://youtu.be/Mz3r_s2Zc4M (//http)

Quote from: "stevenhowlett"I spent many many hours on this...

Gunship
(http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showscreen.cgi?screen=screens/load/g/gif/Gunship.gif)

(http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showscreen.cgi?screen=screens/in-game/g/Gunship.gif)

and strangely, this...

Loch Ness Monster
(http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showscreen.cgi?screen=screens/in-game/l/LochNessMonster.gif)

Gunship was a classic game fella. Spent many hours on that myself but yeah that's a a great shout for another on to the list.

As for Loch Ness Monster. Can't say I have ever heard of it before.

One underappreciated game i think is Sir Lancelot. Apparently it was the last 16k game for the Speccy...

http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0004520

Me and my best mate back in the day used to play this tons. Think it had 20 screens, completed it once or twice back then. Screen 2 was always a pain as it had quite a close moment where you had to fall down just past a knight. When you died you had to wait (what seemed like ages) for the death sequence which was annoying.

But a classic 16k game and the second i hear that music on the menu screen i'm transported back to the 80's and playing this game non stop round my mates house.

Quote from: psj3809 on September 16, 2016, 13:22:07 PM
One underappreciated game i think is Sir Lancelot. Apparently it was the last 16k game for the Speccy...

Right. Absolutely one of the best 16K games for the Spectrum. I love it.

I just released an editor for the game a couple of days ago, btw.

http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/discussion/53327/new-game-editor-sir-lancelot

Nice one fella. I'll have a look at that.


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It appears Manic Miner is very under appreciated!

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/64Stw8ikRjg/hqdefault.jpg)

Great titles. Makes me feel like my childhood was somehow deprived not owning or knowing about a ZX Spectrum.

Thanks to all for sharing your memories.

Quote from: JoeMusashi on May 06, 2017, 18:17:56 PM
It appears Manic Miner is very under appreciated!

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/64Stw8ikRjg/hqdefault.jpg)

I don't know where you got that, but Manic Miner was never underappreciated.

For sure, Manic Miner is king game. It was a small (and clearly shit) joke in response to this thread http://www.retrovideogamer.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=7815.msg96489#msg96489 (http://www.retrovideogamer.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=7815.msg96489#msg96489)

Perfect time to show your appreciation....!

Quote from: JoeMusashi on May 15, 2017, 08:05:23 AM
For sure, Manic Miner is king game. It was a small (and clearly shit) joke in response to this thread http://www.retrovideogamer.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=7815.msg96489#msg96489 (http://www.retrovideogamer.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=7815.msg96489#msg96489)

Haha, now I feel stupid for not getting that.  ;D

I fall in the Manic Miner camp, though. I never really liked Chuckie Egg. :)

Yeah surely one of the most popular games on the system lol.


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There was Jonah Barrington's Squash from 1985, a neat little squash game with excellent speech calling out the score after every point :)