The (ZX) Spectrum by Retro Games

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

DoctorX said:

Or try before you buy:

http://torinak.com/qaop/games

I don't really understand why you would buy one when you can play the games here for free. I think few people are going to play these for more than an hour or two before getting bored.

[tim0409]

ThingsBehindTheSun said:

I don't really understand why you would buy one when you can play the games here for free. I think few people are going to play these for more than an hour or two before getting bored.

Sometimes it’s difficult to understand emotional purchases.

I think it’s about having a physical object that be all accounts is a good representation of the original Spectrum just as much as it is about the games. I want to play games using the same rubbish keyboard as I did 40 years ago. I want to wake up on the 25th and open and set up the Spectrum as I did 40 years ago. I want to look at it sitting in my office when I’m not using it as it takes me back to a happy uncomplicated time, in the same way as I have a Tamiya Egress sitting in the corner unbuilt. None of this makes sense from a logical point of view, but for £89 (which is less than the cost of a decent meal out or a weekly shop) it makes sense to me and ultimately that’s all that matters.

[king arthur]

Less than the cost of the original 16k Spectrum too. What would £100 in 1983 be now?

[DoctorX]

tim0409 said:

Sometimes it’s difficult to understand emotional purchases.

I think it’s about having a physical object that be all accounts is a good representation of the original Spectrum just as much as it is about the games. I want to play games using the same rubbish keyboard as I did 40 years ago. I want to wake up on the 25th and open and set up the Spectrum as I did 40 years ago. I want to look at it sitting in my office when I’m not using it as it takes me back to a happy uncomplicated time, in the same way as I have a Tamiya Egress sitting in the corner unbuilt. None of this makes sense from a logical point of view, but for £89 (which is less than the cost of a decent meal out or a weekly shop) it makes sense to me and ultimately that’s all that matters.

I think you’re right. I want one now they’re out of stock

[robsa]

JJ_427 said:

Games like Way of the Exploding Fist that combined 'fighting' with the platform 'adventure'.

WOTEF was just a 2 person fight game, I think you might mean Bruce Lee? Which was a fighting platfom game and absolutely brilliant!

[tim0409]

king arthur said:

Less than the cost of the original 16k Spectrum too. What would £100 in 1983 be now?

I think the 16k Spectrum was £125 in 1983, which is around £415 now. I’m not entirely sure how my mum afforded it back then!

I do remember my parents buying a massive Panasonic microwave/oven for £400 in the 80s…now that was an expensive purchase!

[JJ_427]

ThingsBehindTheSun said:

I don't really understand why you would buy one when you can play the games here for free. I think few people are going to play these for more than an hour or two before getting bored.

At school I was the biggest Spectrum fanboi ever and no amount of colour clash would make me admit the C64 was better - even though it so obviously was(!). Luckily the Amstrad came out and we joined forces with the C64 boys to take the P out of the Amstrad users.

To be honest, I'd love to have the games available to play as and when, probably they would eventually start to wear a bit thin, but there's so many to remember (and then 'complete') I think it'd keep some busy for a long time.

The only other issues is the rubber keyboard, they were terrible, but again, at the time fanboi rose tinted glasses on would never admit to it, but not so sure I'd want to use that now.

Maybe a retro joystick, can't remember what they were called, might have been the Kempson, would help with the nostalgia.

robsa said:

WOTEF was just a 2 person fight game, I think you might mean Bruce Lee? Which was a fighting platfom game and absolutely brilliant!

Yeh, you're right. Had a quick look at some footage on Youtube and WOTEF it isn't quite what I remember. I was thinking about a platform game where you had to 'fight' each enemy, rather than the usual platform game tactic of shooting (something) at them , jumping over them, hiding or running away. Once the enemy had been defeated you then roamed around the 'map' until the next encounter and fight.

[king arthur]

tim0409 said:

I think the 16k Spectrum was £125 in 1983, which is around £415 now. I’m not entirely sure how my mum afforded it back then!

It started out at £125 for the 16k and £175 for the 48k, but after a while the price was lowered to £99 and £129 which was when it really took off, and that was when I got mine, a 16k Spectrum bought from Comet in Plymouth in 1983. And then upgraded to 48k a bit later with a kit from East London Robotics.

[JJ_427]

Anyone else getting flashbacks of:

Going straight to the Pokes and map section of the latest monthly mag, Maria Whittaker's chesticles in the Barbarian advert.....aaand

Q.......................................O P

A

SPACE

(it's probably just me, haven't been in 'Spectrum fanboi mode' for a long time).

[JoshSm]

If I want one to look at I've got a real one, if I want one to play the bare emulators are easier.

Guess this fills a gap but not something I need.

PS. Is this in any way related to the defunct Retro Computers Ltd & their Spectrum related messes? It'd be... unfortunate... if someone else had a go at a similar thing & also thought Retro was the company name to go with.

[FourWheelDrift]

Just seen a TV advert for it, on ITV4 no less. Never seen a TV advert for previous retro computers.

[tim0409]

FourWheelDrift said:

Just seen a TV advert for it, on ITV4 no less. Never seen a TV advert for previous retro computers.

They are out of stock in most places (and have been for a while) so I’m not sure spending money on advertising is the best business strategy at the moment unless there is another batch due soon.

This has rekindled my interest in Sinclair and there are some interesting YT videos out there of the company and Sir Clive. I now have the urge to buy a ZX81, ZX Microdrive and a QL for some reason; I never owned them but there is something about the design I really like and would love to collect them.

[JJ_427]

I started looking at this a bit more. Had a big nostalgia hit, but now not so sure. I downloaded an emulator and some games, some of it has been pretty awesome and great memories, a few of the Daley Thompson events, Bomb Jack (which I'd forgotten about) has been pretty good, although don't understand how/why can't change keys.. Others not so good, Spy Hunter was a bit of an ouch moment...

Went to World Of Spectrum and had a look at what games could be downloaded for free, there's alot of the classics there but there's still many that are unavailable (Codemasters, Ultimate, some of the big Elite games like commando, ghost n goblins).
Is it as it was back in t'day when you just have to get a physical copy of the game and tape player and away you go?

Surely with the tech available today something as simple as a 48k game could easily be replicated. or has the copyright / rights done it's job and wiped that possibility out?

[DoctorX]

JJ_427 said:

I started looking at this a bit more. Had a big nostalgia hit, but now not so sure. I downloaded an emulator and some games, some of it has been pretty awesome and great memories, a few of the Daley Thompson events, Bomb Jack (which I'd forgotten about) has been pretty good, although don't understand how/why can't change keys.. Others not so good, Spy Hunter was a bit of an ouch moment...

Went to World Of Spectrum and had a look at what games could be downloaded for free, there's alot of the classics there but there's still many that are unavailable (Codemasters, Ultimate, some of the big Elite games like commando, ghost n goblins).
Is it as it was back in t'day when you just have to get a physical copy of the game and tape player and away you go?

Surely with the tech available today something as simple as a 48k game could easily be replicated. or has the copyright / rights done it's job and wiped that possibility out?

I have the Ultimate games on an SD card of retro games for my Pi which I acquired from Ebay so the ROMs are certainly out there.

[Jobbo]

JJ_427 said:

Went to World Of Spectrum and had a look at what games could be downloaded for free, there's alot of the classics there but there's still many that are unavailable (Codemasters, Ultimate, some of the big Elite games like commando, ghost n goblins).
Is it as it was back in t'day when you just have to get a physical copy of the game and tape player and away you go?

Surely with the tech available today something as simple as a 48k game could easily be replicated. or has the copyright / rights done it's job and wiped that possibility out?

There are plenty shown as 'Distribution Denied' on World of Spectrum where they link to it hosted elsewhere:
https://worldofspectrum.net/publisher/14923/ for all the Ultimate games for example, or
https://worldofspectrum.net/publisher/2631/ for all the Codemasters games.

Generally there's nothing I've tried to find which I can't - except Great Giana Sisters Sifting through the vast number of games to find the ones I remember is the hardest part.

[JJ_427]

Jobbo said:

There are plenty shown as 'Distribution Denied' on World of Spectrum where they link to it hosted elsewhere:
https://worldofspectrum.net/publisher/14923/ for all the Ultimate games for example, or
https://worldofspectrum.net/publisher/2631/ for all the Codemasters games.

Generally there's nothing I've tried to find which I can't - except Great Giana Sisters Sifting through the vast number of games to find the ones I remember is the hardest part.

LEGEND! Thank you - that's my evening sorted....

I've only just rediscovered all this, I'm still at the "....woah I forgot about that stage....". Just found the games from Elite..oh my days - paperboy, commando, space harrier, ghost n goblins, rollercoaster..