ZX Spectrum Classics

By Kristan Reed Published 26 November, 2007

50 games to fall in love to.

If you were already into videogames in the early '80s, there were were almost too many good reasons to buy a Sinclair ZX Spectrum. For a start it was, for a long time, less than half the price of a Commodore 64 and BBC Micro, and had an absolutely corking line-up of games almost from day one.

Even better, it was the machine most of your mates at school seemed to go for as well, and entire friendships were built on a united love for all things Speccy. In my ongoing determination not to sounds like a blithering old war veteran talking about the 'spirit of the blitz', I'll resist talking about the old days. How we all sat around reading each other's copies of Crash, Sinclair User and Your Sinclair, and passed around C90 tapes around the playground like a bunch of thieving pirate scum. Because that would be too obvious, and people hate it when you trap on about the past - especially if you try and glorify it too much.

The thing is - and I loved the Spectrum for years - it was almost the things that were wrong with it that made it all the more endearing. The crappy rubber keyboard. The terrible beeping sound. The lack of a built-in joystick port. And the nightmare of hideous colour clash. Arrrgh! How were we Spectrum owners supposed to defend our purchases to the richer kids with their C64s?

Because, pure and simple, for at least three, maybe four years in the 1980s, the Spectrum had by far the better games. Manic Miner, Atic Atac, Skool Daze, Chuckie Egg, the list went on and on. And those were the more memorable classics. In a matter of a few years there were literally thousands of games to choose from (games you inevitably built up vast collections of pointlessly on dozens of tapes). It was the gaming equivalent of 'gotta catch 'em all' for obsessive-compulsive types like me.

Inevitably, the limitations caught up with the Spectrum and more powerful machines began to grind it into the dust, and the more talented developers moved on. But while it lasted, the Spectrum really was home to some of the best games of the 1980s - and now here's our attempt at sharing our shameless love affair with you for your reading pleasure. As with the C64 selections elsewhere on the site, the criteria are clear: no arcade ports, and no ports of games that originated on other systems.

What you have here is undiluted Spectrum gaming goodness. Enjoy...

Watch the video of the top 50 Spectrum games in action over on Eurogamer TV now.

Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (63) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • quantumsheep #1 4 years ago

    Sinclair Spectrum, FUCK YEAH!!!

    Awesome awesome stuff :)

  • Spanner #2 4 years ago

    I'd like to be the first person to mention that the Speccy was better than the C64.
    I suspect it's a topic that'll crop up from time to time.

  • quantumsheep #3 4 years ago

    btw, some of the links don't work for me =(

    Using Safari on a mac if that helps...

  • JJKrista1 #4 4 years ago

    Spectrum better than the C64? No FUCKING WAY! Thems fighting words.

    C64 rulez!

  • SirClive #5 4 years ago

    Spectrum is King!

  • SirClive #6 4 years ago

    Both are arcade conversions so weren't included in the list

  • Turambar #7 4 years ago

    All the good games on this list were out on the C64 and the C64 done them better.

  • SirClive #8 4 years ago

    no way Jose

  • Masarin #9 4 years ago

    Nice list though I really miss two important titles. Especially from a historical point of view. :-)

    * Deactivators - Forget Narbacular Drop as the inspiration to Portal. It was Deactivators.
    <a href="http://en.w ikipedia.org/wiki/Deactivators
    ">http://en.w ikipedia.org/wiki/Deactivators
    </a>

    * Turbo Esprit - Driving game set in a city, pedestrians you could hit, free-roaming, chasing bad guys, traffic lights, you name it. The prequel to Grand Theft Auto.
    <a href="http://en.w ikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo_Esprit
    ">http://en.w ikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo_Esprit
    </a>

    Hell yeah!
    Edited by 2 at 26/10/07 @ 23:59

  • sabreman #10 4 years ago

    This is the first tranche guys - we will be adding more and I agree Turbo Esprit is a fantastic Spectrum game and will be covered/acknowledged :-)
    Edited by 2 at 27/10/07 @ 00:23

  • Ryze #11 4 years ago

    Turbo Esprit

    +1


    The first Driver/GTA.

  • mingster #12 4 years ago

    Halls of the Things was the nutz

  • mingster #13 4 years ago

    Your missing Tau Ceti that is an amazing original speccy game

    and Bugaboo the Flee i thought was good
    Edited by 1 at 27/10/07 @ 02:46

  • mingster #14 4 years ago

    I'm sure Rebelstar Raiders had more than 1 map

  • RedPanda #15 4 years ago

    Post deleted at 14:31:59 28-01-2012

  • Pazuzu #16 4 years ago

    mingster: "Rebelstar Raiders" did indeed have more than one map; "Rebelstar" was the sort-of-follow-up. The code was re-written and it included the option of a computer opponent. I guess they had to compromise slightly by settling on just one Moonbase map (but this was expanded significantly from the first game).

  • Artemis_Matsas #17 4 years ago

    Oh my God...

    I still have my Spectrum 48K. Actually it still works ;)

    Great list, but where's Dan Dare??? great game-graphics.

  • Ryze #18 4 years ago

    I spent so much of the late 80s playing my cousin's spectrum on Saturday & Sundays.

    It's unbelievable. There were tons of tapes - all original.

    Plus 3' discs, as he had a ZX Spectrum +3.

    Amazing.

    Chase HQ is the other precursor to GTA/Driver.

    The Spectrum & Amstrad versions were marvelous.

    "Let's Go Mr. Driver!"

  • paulf #19 4 years ago

    crash vs zzap 20 years on ;)

  • Empedocles #20 4 years ago

    What about Stonkers and Combat Lynx and that weird one where you were a ball in a 3d maze - it was a bit hippy, and Sentinel.............

    Ad Infinitum

  • Ryze #21 4 years ago

    3' discs! What a mental image that conjures up.


    3"

  • Ryze #22 4 years ago

    [/pedant]

  • sabreman #23 4 years ago

    I still have a 128k Sincalair Spectrum with interface 1, 2 microdrives, Multiface 128 and around 50 cartridges.

    Truly an awesome little machine.

  • janos #24 4 years ago

    I cannot help but notice that Heavy on the Magick doesn't feature on that list.

    /cries

    /cries some more

    /gets stuck behind Apex the Ogre

  • mingster #25 4 years ago

    anyone remember the lenslock copyprotection used on elite?

  • mingster #26 4 years ago

    did any of you have the romantic robot multiface backup/cheat device

  • mingster #27 4 years ago

    your also missing darkstar by design design software who along with ultimate play the game where the two best game developers ever

  • Hog-lumps #28 4 years ago

    My 2 favourite games are not on the list :( - namely 'Pssst' and 'Feud'.
    Edited by 1 at 29/10/07 @ 08:37

  • Killerbee #29 4 years ago

    Still got my 48k and +3 in my parents' loft, along with a shedload of tapes (and a few disks). Actually they've probably all melted or something by now (/cries) but this, for me, was the golden era of gaming.

    Getting new games for a mere £1.99 from Codemasters or the "Hit Squad" budget label. Sitting over a tape deck for 15 minutes waiting for something to load, only for it to crash at the last second... how I had the patience, I'll never know...
    Edited by 1 at 29/10/07 @ 10:09

  • sabreman #30 4 years ago

    Spectrum video now up : http://ww w.eurogamer.net/tv_video.php?pl...

  • tufty #31 4 years ago

    @mingster: that Elite f%$# lens thing... wait 10 minutes to load, then fail to get the code right! But the game wasted many a late night of mine so I forgive it.

    Nice list of games, there were SO MANY back then, swapping C90 tapes in the school yard...

    Bruce Lee was always one of my faves.

  • GamesConnoisseur #32 4 years ago

    Swopping C90 tapes around the school yard almost every day! Its got too much as seem to get a lot of comings and goings at my house but worth it as able to get my hands on almost all the greats.

    Mind you I also had quite a few orginal games, had 3 different Spectrum models, Spectrum 48k, Spectrum 128k and then the Spectrum +3.

    Had a quite a few fights with Commodore blokes! Later I owned Amiga which meant I turned coat! :-O

    Stunt Car Racer was a good port on Spectrum and Star Glider was far superior to crappy Commodore version!

    EDIT: Comparing the numbers of posts in C64 and Spectrum threads, it is obvious at this time who is better!
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/07 @ 16:19

  • nixxrite #33 4 years ago

    I remember the uproar when Sabrewulf became the first game to cost over a tenner... good old days.

    Robin of Sherwood and Elite (although originally BBC) are missing

  • sabreman #34 4 years ago

    I think we should revisit the Speccy and C64 in the future and add another 50 games!!

    I bet we still miss off some peoples favourites.

  • skillian #35 4 years ago

    How did this article get back to the top of the RSS feed?

  • krudster #36 4 years ago

    It never actually appeared on the front page, so we're rotating the Retro stuff to give it some love. It seems that unless it's on the front page, it doesn't get many clicks, so...

  • sabreman #37 4 years ago

    I agree with Kris - just ensuring the EG readers have an oppurtunity to see this section with it's 50 reviews. Looks like a good number missed the C64 Top 50 on launch a month ago - looking for some more Speccy love this week..

  • Vermillion3000 #38 4 years ago

    Yes yes yes!!

    Also Dan Dare...

    And yes - Deactivators was and still is fantastic!

    What about Spin Dizzy - does that count? Was it on other platforms first? I don't know but it was fascinating.

    Well done on identifying Fighter Pilot as worthy of inclusion - I loved that game.

    And Universal Hero was another fave of mine - not that I ever completed it...

    (Decides to dig out Speccy emulator again...)

  • skillian #39 4 years ago

    Fair enough, I missed it first time round and read it today instead, so I guess it's working :)

  • BremXJones #40 4 years ago

    WHERE'S CHAOS!

    KG

  • Vermillion3000 #41 4 years ago

    Ooh, and The Alchemist!

  • sabreman #42 4 years ago

    I loved all the Wally games - hard to just to include the one (Pyjamarama). I remember finishing "Three Weeks in Paradise" soon after getting the game and then sending a walkthrough off to Your Sinclair magazine. Suffice to say it never got printed... :-(

  • FirewalkR #43 4 years ago

    @joe75:

    :o I'd heard about the speccy demoscene, but hell... voxels, lens flares, phong shading... gonna watch that, thx :D

    And btw Eurogamer, just to be an ass, shouldn't it be "fall in love with" or "make love to"? xD

    Argh sorry just noticed the demos are for the ST and PC o:)
    Edited by 2 at 26/11/07 @ 14:02

  • Kylun #44 4 years ago

    Target Renegade
    International Karate Plus
    Silkworm
    R-Type
    The Double
    Basket Master
    Commando (the game auto-fire was invented for!!)
    Turbo Espirit
    Bomb Jack

  • Cappy #45 4 years ago

    A Dizzy game getting scored the same as Head Over Heels? You ought to be ashamed Krudster. Death is too good for you... :p

    Some shocking omissions there, but I guess a Spectrum list was always going to be tough with so many games to choose from.

  • Hypercube #46 4 years ago

    I am overcome with waves of nostalgia! Is there any way that I, as a modern PC owner, could play these little slices of happy childhood?

  • smelly #47 4 years ago

    Im tempted to remake a speccy game.

    Currently my thoughts are to do pyjamarama.

    Unless anyone can recommend something better to remake?

  • sabreman #48 4 years ago

    @smelly

    Have you done any other remakes before?

  • smelly #49 4 years ago

    >Have you done any other remakes before?

    Sure have.

    Nowt that ever went public though - as i tend to get bored before i finish them totally.

    I have a nice remake of new zealand story at home - got the level data decrypted, code 90% written - but i got bored half way through doing the graphics, and decided there was no real point thanks to mame and the arcade version.

    Want to put teeth into an old spectrum game where there was no arcade version, etc.

    Got most of the data converted from pyjamarama (sprites extracted, room data, object data, scripting all decoded). Not got around to putting it all together yet though.

    Just wondering if there's anything anyone would like doing? That's not been done already (and nowt too big either - not got oodles of spare time)
    Edited by 1 at 27/11/07 @ 02:28

  • smelly #50 4 years ago

    Just to clarify - yes i *Do* know what i'm doing - i'm an ex games coder.

  • sabreman #51 4 years ago

    One remake that everyone seems to want, but has not been done is TLL by Vortex. Maybe we could blog the making of the game on the channel. What do you think smelly?

  • crwoody #52 4 years ago

    ummm...

    sorry but i was a Amstrad cpc 464 boy, and imho that kicked the zx and the c64's ass!

    not trying to start a war or anything but you know its true :p

  • Quine #53 4 years ago

    No Shadowfire? Possibly the only icon-driven keyboard-controlled tactical shooter RPG with big heavy battledroids there ever was. I even liked the tune.

    Also Starquake +1

  • BremXJones #54 4 years ago

    smelly: Where Time Stood Still?

    KG

  • smelly #55 4 years ago

    >Pyjamarama remake

    dammit! :-)

    Ah well mine would be better :-)

  • smelly #56 4 years ago

    "smelly: Where Time Stood Still? "

    I *loved* that game! First 128k only game wasnt it? Bitch to beat though, imagine would be a bitch to extract data from too - wouldve reqd major compression i'd have thought - and a lot of graphics to redo too..


    "One remake that everyone seems to want, but has not been done is TLL by Vortex. "

    Never heard of it.

    Dont mind doing a remake though - all the hassle of decoding original data, etc.
    Edited by 1 at 27/11/07 @ 19:12

  • smelly #57 4 years ago

    @sabreman : can you Send me a mail and stuff and we'll sort something out? cheers.

  • smelly #58 4 years ago

    http://ww w.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/ystop10...

  • sabreman #59 4 years ago

    TLL and Cyclone are awesome games by Vortex. Played hours and hours on them back in the day. Highly playable now as well.

    Will be in touch Smelly....can I call you that? ;-)

  • smelly #60 4 years ago

    >Will be in touch Smelly....can I call you that? ;-)

    Of course!

    Although bear in mind that some games are easier to decode/disassemble than others.

  • smelly #61 4 years ago

    >TOP 100 BEST TEXT ADVENTURES

    Yay! Played hobbit - got lost in woods, never played again - hated that mechanic in old adventures (locations which have the same description - imposible to map!)

    Also had famous five on the sam coupe.. Completed it .. was ace!

  • BadBoyBonner #62 4 years ago

    What about Fat Worm Blow's a Sparky?


    And looking around I found this about Lotus Turbo Esprit - who would have thought that one of the best ever games on the Spectrum - that was years ahead of it's time - was actually coded on Microsoft software!

    "Writing on a CP/M machine running the Microsoft Assembler/Editor and downloading code to the Spectrum through a parallel interface, Mike is currently working on a driving game with a difference - Turbo Esprit. In the game you take the wheel of a Lotus Turbo Esprit, driving through a scrolling cityscape in pursuit of drug runners. You take on the role of a Special Agent and you're up against a gang of criminals who have stashed their heroin at a number of safe houses. Now, members of the gang are ferrying consignments of drugs to an armoured van which is driving through the streets. If you were to raid one of the houses the alarm would go up and you'd miss the rest of the haul. Similarly, if you attacked the armoured van, the gang would scarper with the remaining heroin. The only course of action open to you is to find the cars and intercept them on the way to the drop.

    Zooming through the streets (some of which are one-way) you have to find the gangster cars, circle round the block and shoot them up. All the time there are other road users and pedestrians to cope with, traffic lights, junctions and the odd petrol station to call in on and refuel the car. You can view the action through the windscreen of your Esprit or flip to an aerial map of the city streets to plan your route. You'll have to be careful, though. Turbo Esprits are expensive and your bosses have only given you three to play with - crash 'em all, and you're out of the game.

    Looking at an early version of the game in Durell's offices in the first week of December it was clear why Mike is taking longer to write it. The level of detail in the landscape and the way in which the traffic and pedestrians all go about their business should make the finished product quite a stunner. Maybe Mike Richardson will get that elusive Smash this year..."

    Got this from [link url=http://ww w.crashonline.org.uk/25/durell.htm
    ]http://ww w.crashonline.org.uk/25/durell....[/link]

    Didn't know there was a Crash on-line - off to read for a few hours!

  • NormH #63 4 years ago

    Wot no Odd Job Eddie?