Search found 833 matches

by Vampyre
Wed Mar 27, 2024 9:51 am
Forum: Sinclair Miscellaneous
Topic: DenOfGeek : The games that defined the Spectrum
Replies: 31
Views: 517

Re: DenOfGeek : The games that defined the Spectrum

I thought I'd finally create a ChatGPT account and see if I could replicate that article somewhat. The results aren't exactly a million miles away. The request was "Write a short essay on how the Sinclair ZX Spectrum affected the UK gaming industry and list it's most notable games." Result...
by Vampyre
Tue Mar 26, 2024 11:00 am
Forum: Sinclair Miscellaneous
Topic: DenOfGeek : The games that defined the Spectrum
Replies: 31
Views: 517

Re: DenOfGeek : The games that defined the Spectrum

It's an article spoilt by very dodgy assertions about the Spectrum's games library. Robocop: "While that [action-focused] genre was never really the platform’s bread and butter (that would probably be strategy and role-playing games)" WTF? The software charts for the Speccy were loaded wi...
by Vampyre
Mon Mar 25, 2024 9:37 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Devfinitive Edition (Steve Crow): vote
Replies: 25
Views: 428

Re: Devfinitive Edition (Steve Crow): vote

1. Starquake
2. Firelord
3. Wizard's Lair
by Vampyre
Thu Mar 21, 2024 5:00 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Guess the screen$
Replies: 7700
Views: 232637

Re: Guess the screen$

Stefan wrote: Thu Mar 21, 2024 9:19 am Oh wow, if I had known he was such a celebrity around these parts I would have used another screen. :lol:
Pretty much every Brit of a certain age will know who Geoff Capes is. World's Strongest Man was a staple of ours once a year on our whopping four channels back then!
by Vampyre
Thu Mar 21, 2024 9:11 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Guess the screen$
Replies: 7700
Views: 232637

Re: Guess the screen$

Geoff Capes Strong Man.

Anyone feel free to jump in for my go.
by Vampyre
Sun Mar 10, 2024 5:50 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Devfinitive Edition (Mike Richardson): vote
Replies: 24
Views: 585

Re: Devfinitive Edition (Mike Richardson): vote

1. Turbo Esprit
2. Scuba Dive
3. Thanatos
by Vampyre
Fri Mar 08, 2024 1:27 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Devfinitive Edition (Keith Burkhill): vote
Replies: 29
Views: 597

Re: Devfinitive Edition (Keith Burkhill): vote

1. Commando
2. Ghosts n Goblins
3. Space Harrier
by Vampyre
Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:30 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Guess the screen$
Replies: 7700
Views: 232637

Re: Guess the screen$

Back to the Future II?
by Vampyre
Sat Mar 02, 2024 9:33 am
Forum: Sinclair Miscellaneous
Topic: Spectrum memes
Replies: 1216
Views: 197519

Re: Spectrum memes

I used to live just down the road from there, and the thing is - Cadbury World *used to be* ace. When it first opened up it involved a good tour around - when Bournville was still producing all of the chocolate, some fun little exhibits, and they kept chucking phenomenal amounts of free chocolate a...
by Vampyre
Fri Mar 01, 2024 9:23 am
Forum: Sinclair Miscellaneous
Topic: Spectrum memes
Replies: 1216
Views: 197519

Re: Spectrum memes

That Wonka Experience feels pretty much like I felt after going to Cadbury World with my kids in about 2010. Okay, it's nowhere near as bad as that, but it's probably the most disappointing day out I've ever had. I/we had been wanting to go for years and I wasn't expecting Willy Wonka's Chocolate Fa...
by Vampyre
Wed Feb 28, 2024 11:39 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Guess the screen$
Replies: 7700
Views: 232637

Re: Guess the screen$

Golden Axe?
by Vampyre
Wed Feb 28, 2024 11:37 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Devfinitive Edition (Keith Burkhill): discussion
Replies: 11
Views: 310

Re: Devfinitive Edition (Keith Burkhill): discussion

A strong softography that one. Commando and GnG are fantastic conversions but I always felt that Space Harrier was somewhat underrated by Crash (I'd have Smashed it). Considering what it had to convert it's quite incredible really. It retains all the playability of the original and that 78% for Grap...
by Vampyre
Wed Feb 28, 2024 11:31 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Devfinitive Edition (David Jones): vote
Replies: 11
Views: 322

Re: Devfinitive Edition (David Jones): vote

1. Spellbound
2. Finders Keepers
3. Knight Tyme

Special mention to the unbelievable tune in Stormbringer 128K. Right up there with C64's Monty On The Run as one of the best 8-bit chip tunes of all-time IMO.
by Vampyre
Mon Feb 26, 2024 1:09 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: The 20 games with a <= 10% rating from all three major ZX Spectrum magazines
Replies: 16
Views: 474

Re: The 20 games with a <= 10% rating from all three major ZX Spectrum magazines

You wouldn't have this one in your list as 1. It's C+VG and 2. C+VG didn't have an Overall rating at the time, but it's possibly the only Speccy review of a game that goes into (averaged) negative marks territory: https://archive.org/details/ComputerAndVideoGamesIssue061Nov86/page/n23/mode/1up?view=...
by Vampyre
Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:34 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: What on earth is Ball Driver?!?
Replies: 13
Views: 407

Re: What on earth is Ball Driver?!?

bluespikey wrote: Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:18 pm He revised Nightshade to be 27%. And the problem is.... ?
Thought someone might pick up on that one ;-) 27% puts it in the absolutely-bloody-awful territory.

I can't get over the 65% for HoH and 22% for Ant Attack.
by Vampyre
Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:07 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: What on earth is Ball Driver?!?
Replies: 13
Views: 407

Re: What on earth is Ball Driver?!?

I think most of the mags went through a "if it's old it must be sh*t" phase. There was an isometric Run It Again article in Crash where the reviewer absolutely mullered some classics. In fairness the reviewer, Will, came on here and admitted to butchering them to get noticed as it was very...
by Vampyre
Fri Feb 23, 2024 8:42 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Retroarcadia article about Amaurote on the Spectrum
Replies: 8
Views: 391

Re: Retroarcadia article about Amaurote on the Spectrum

Did I imagine this? In the 128K version I'm sure if you took the Supabomb to the fence surrounding the area and fired it into the fence it would kill the queen.

The guy in the video is right about the mopping up of the flies after killing the queen. Super-boring.
by Vampyre
Thu Feb 22, 2024 12:57 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: What on earth is Ball Driver?!?
Replies: 13
Views: 407

Re: What on earth is Ball Driver?!?

The following all scored 78% Overall in SU. The number at the start is the ZXDB ID. I'm still none the wiser from that list. 968 Cisco Heat #119, January 1992 (pg 28) 11619 Count and Add #128, October 1992 (pg 20) 1266 Darkman #117, November 1991 (pg 26,27) 1387 Dick Tracy #109, March 1991 (pg 24,25...
by Vampyre
Tue Feb 20, 2024 2:26 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Guess what Xeno, Double Take, Nightmare Rally, Basket Master, Renegade and Trap have in common
Replies: 13
Views: 418

Re: Guess what Xeno, Double Take, Nightmare Rally, Basket Master, Renegade and Trap have in common

Is that Daniella Westbrook as the sister? Made the mistake of Googling her name... Jesus! She should be a Faces Of Meth poster child.
by Vampyre
Tue Feb 20, 2024 9:43 am
Forum: Other Retro Stuff
Topic: Did actual game code get bigger as game machines evolved? (Excluding graphics and audio)
Replies: 19
Views: 726

Re: Did actual game code get bigger as game machines evolved? (Excluding graphics and audio)

Just re-read LB's original post: NES Super Mario Bros = 32k 32K!! Which is the entire thing - code base, graphics, sound etc. That's some supremely efficient coding. My poster child for code efficiency has always been Ultimate fitting Jetpac into 16K. But this is another level. Edit: Been doing some...
by Vampyre
Mon Feb 19, 2024 2:04 pm
Forum: Other Retro Stuff
Topic: Did actual game code get bigger as game machines evolved? (Excluding graphics and audio)
Replies: 19
Views: 726

Re: Did actual game code get bigger as game machines evolved? (Excluding graphics and audio)

Another thing is a shift from games written in pure assembler to games written in higher languages or a mix of a higher language like C and assembler. It raises an interesting problem - how should we compare a program size of a program written in assembler vs a program written in C. Higher language...
by Vampyre
Tue Feb 13, 2024 10:08 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Guess the screen$
Replies: 7700
Views: 232637

Re: Guess the screen$

Hijack?
by Vampyre
Mon Feb 12, 2024 3:56 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Unnecessary inclusions in games
Replies: 49
Views: 1800

Re: Unnecessary inclusions in games

The hover button in Jetpac. I'm one of those who's known about it's existence since 1983 and even today can't use it. It's a game where it's better to be almost constantly moving, unless you're on a platform. Sticking around in the same place, in open space, for a few seconds spells death usually. S...
by Vampyre
Tue Feb 06, 2024 10:00 am
Forum: Sinclair Miscellaneous
Topic: Tall tales about the spectrum
Replies: 39
Views: 1920

Re: Tall tales about the spectrum

There are about a dozen people on the retrogaming scene I could pull apart and eviscerate for their gaslighting and vile actions, but on this forum I try to keep it light and only mention their misdeeds if it's relevant. I considered making a video on it, but as you hit middle age, it's best to jus...
by Vampyre
Tue Feb 06, 2024 9:50 am
Forum: Announcements
Topic: On The ZX Spectrum - A New Speccy Newsletter
Replies: 56
Views: 2585

Re: On The ZX Spectrum - A New Speccy Newsletter

Highway Encounter