The best Speccy game by Encore: vote

[PeteProdge]

Well, here's a binary vote for you all.

Determining what or even if Encore put out as original ZX Spectrum games, has been complex. I believe these two qualify, nothing else.

Yes, Mike Read's Pop Quiz got a full price Elite release on the Commodore 64 (as I'm constantly reminded when I try to find any possible ZX Spectrum full price inlay for it) and it was obviously intended to be a pure Elite release on the Speccy but for some reason, that doesn't appear to have happened, and it got put out as an Encore game. (Even though Hit-Pak would have made more sense.)

Spitfire is something Durell was working on around the time they were acquired by Elite. Again, I say they should have put this out under the Hit-Pak brand, but hey, here we are...

Mike Read's Pop Quiz


Spitfire


No need for a proportional vote, obviously!

[Morkin]

Flippin' eck...

[Hank Scorpio]

Mike Read's Pop Quiz, even though there a fair few questions about classical music included in it.

[Juan F. Ramirez]

Spitfire, the only game I've played of both.

I don't even know who that Mike Read is!

[PeteProdge]

I don't even know who that Mike Read is!

He's, um... like a real-life Alan Partridge. A TV/radio presenter from the 1980s who had very little charisma. He was on things, but I could never suss out why. Must be a case of knowing the right people, because he's certainly inept and has no social awareness...

"Build extensive underground car parks. Put all car parking underground. I've discussed this with major developers and it's feasible."
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ckingboris

"Chevy was funny and tried to salvage things but Mike Read was awful awkward asking useless questions. Was like a septic tank explosion. Must be seen to be believed.'
https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2018/01/ ... hevy_chase

"People are very, very, very quick to take offence now at something that years ago would have been deemed to be a bit of satire and a bit of fun. But now with social media everybody can assume that you meant something appalling by it, which of course I didn't. I've got so many chums out in the Caribbean. I've spent a lot of time out there."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29722860

"He handed over 350 boxes of records when he went bust for a second time earlier this year, owing unpaid taxes."
https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity- ... ced-421516

That said, I'm probably going to vote for Mike Reid's Pop Quiz, because I love quizzes. Mind you, I haven't played the other contender, and as there is literally ONE of it, I suppose I better do that for a fair vote. (Also, Mike Reid's Pop Quiz was a bit crap as a computer game, and the recent BBC Four revival of the show had me switching off halfway through. I tried. Really I did.)

[Fahnn]

I don't even know who that Mike Read is!

He's, um... like a real-life Alan Partridge. A TV/radio presenter from the 1980s who had very little charisma. He was on things, but I could never suss out why. Must be a case of knowing the right people, because he's certainly inept and has no social awareness...

And don't forget that as a concerned prude, he "banned" Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "Relax" in early 1984, which promptly sent it soaring to no. 1 in the charts, which I found especially funny

Plus he's had more recent outings as a big UKIP supporter. His specially-written paean to Farage & Co., "UKIP Calypso" failed to make the charts (don't seek it out, it's absolutely as awful as you would expect).

[PeteProdge]

I've had a go on Spitfire tonight. The main sprite can be quite impressive on the turns, but trying to get some action going is really tough. An enemy plane can come out of nowhere at very short notice.

I also had another bash at Mike Read's Pop Quiz. In fact, the first time in years I've played it in full. I won at it, but really, too many questions about defunct 1960s acts and composers of classical music.

By a small margin, I've gone for the Brexit-cheering acoustic-guitar-bothering Cliff-Richard-worshipping tennis-playing bore.

[Nick]

I voted for Mike Read's Pop Quiz. I never really got into Spitfire. It's a nice game but not a patch on Durrell's earlier releases.

[PeteProdge]

Only just seen this poll result.

Oh dear.

We're going to need a re-run of the exact same poll, because 1) it is just two titles and 2) proportional voting doesn't work here.

FFS.

[Juan F. Ramirez]

The worst situation happened!