Spectrum Computing

Like the classic era A-Z best Speccy games thread, but for the era after the Speccy was mainstream commercial...

I'm going to list the 26 letters of the alphabet (plus a numeric range), and you're only allowed to pick one game beginning with that letter as the best game there. Quote-reply so we can get all 27 positions filled up. I'm starting by reserving B for Buzzsaw...

A
B Buzzsaw by Jason J Railton
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
# <-- numeric

Reason: Didn't think too much at first, just thinking it's yet another homebrew puzzle game and clearly trying to be Columns. Oh hang on, what's going on with the colours? Is that possible on a Spectrum? And this gameplay, it's... I'm hooked. It isn't a cheap Columns rip-off after all. A lot of unique touches here that add an entirely new dimension to it. There's a lot to it, this is actually better than Tetris, Columns and Bust-A-Move put together - I don't say that lightly. This is sensational and I want a time machine so I can hurl a tape of this into 1982 and watch the Speccy dominate the home computing scene even more than it did originally.

Okay, some from me:

A
B Buzzsaw by Jason J Railton
C Castlevania: Spectral Interlude
D Dizzy 7 (remake)
E
F Fire & Ice
G
H
I
J
K
L
M Metal Man
N
O
P Prince of Persia
Q
R
S Sword of Ianna
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
# <-- numeric

Perhaps Hobbit 128, Vallation and X=Y=Z?

Can I please have a '+' on the end of Buzzsaw+?

(Bit disappointed it didn't get a Crash Smash in the 2018 annual. Keeps getting criticised over sound from people who expect AY tunes all the time. It wasn't a 128K game).

Joefish wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2017 4:14 pm Can I please have a '+' on the end of Buzzsaw+?

Pete (Prodge) do you want to do the honours^? I don't want to enter without knocking.

Joefish wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2017 4:14 pm (Bit disappointed it didn't get a Crash Smash in the 2018 annual. Keeps getting criticised over sound from people who expect AY tunes all the time. It wasn't a 128K game).

I haven't seen the mag but I've been informed one of mine got a smash, now I am feeling guilty!

I remember thinking Retrogamer let you down with a tiny article when it was first released.

As it stands...

A
B Buzzsaw+ by Jason J Railton
C Castlevania: Spectral Interlude by Rewind Team
D
E
F Fire 'N Ice by n-Discovery
G
H Hobbit 128 by Melbourne House/Kayamon
I
J
K
L
M Metal Man by Oleg Origin
N
O
P Prince Of Persia by Magic Soft [2]
Q
R
S Sword of Ianna by RetroWorks
T
U
V Vallation by Tardis Remakes
W
X X=Y=Z by Bob's Stuff
Y
Z
# <-- numeric

G: Gravibots - Denis Grachev

That Sinking Feeling is one of my more recent favourites. Easy to get into and loads of play-ability.

One of the authors, Grigoriy Klimenko was also involved with Fire 'N Ice.

I'll try to do the rarest letters where we don't have so much choice:

Q: Quadrax - cool logical game from Slovakia https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=9403

Y: Yumiko in the Haunted Mansion - average game but out of lack of others at Y https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=27988

Z: ZX Football Manager 2005 - I didn't play it but it seems polished https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=14643

K: Karlos und Schatze der Azteken- another great logical game https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=25069
( after fight with King's Valley https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=23898 )

By the way, is it possible now to search Spectrum Computing for games starting with certain letter or do I have to go to World of Lee?

Can I suggest EFMB for E? It spawned a locamalito pc de-make after all. That speaks volumes!

PeteProdge wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2017 5:08 pmH Hobbit 128 by Melbourne House/Kayamon

Now I have a complain...

About 20 people participated in this project. Instead, you are crediting someone that didn't collaborate on anything, then released an unauthorized build that didn't respect any of the conditions requested by Veronika Megler either.

Continued...

A Alter Ego
B Buzzsaw+ by Jason J Railton
C Castlevania: Spectral Interlude by Rewind Team
D
E EFMB
F Fire 'N Ice by n-Discovery
G
H Hobbit 128 by Melbourne House/Community
I
J
K Karlos und Schatze der Azteken
L Los Amores de Brunilda
M Metal Man by Oleg Origin
N
O
P Prince Of Persia by Magic Soft [2]
Q Quadrax
R
S Sword of Ianna by RetroWorks
T That sinking feeling
U
V Vallation by Tardis Remakes
W
X X=Y=Z by Bob's Stuff
Y Yumiko in the Haunted Mansion
Z ZX Football Manager 2005
# <-- numeric


EFMB? Nay El Stompo?

This is one to tread carefully on! Einar was 'the people's Hobbit' finalised and released?

Edit - I added Alter Ego and Los Amores de Brunilda

W: Wanderers. Chained in the dark https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=30168

I: Invasion of the Zombie Monsters https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=24601

R-Tape wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2017 6:56 pmEFMB? Nay El Stompo?

I also prefer El Stompo!

I would like to protest on Q. Has to be Quazatron.

hitm4n wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2017 8:55 pm I would like to protest on Q. Has to be Quazatron.

Quazatron was released in 1986, so belongs in this thread, and there's a space for it if you quote and take it.

(For the record, Quadrax is better than Quazatron though :-p)

A Alter Ego
B Buzzsaw+ by Jason J Railton
C Castlevania: Spectral Interlude by Rewind Team
D
E EFMB
F Fire 'N Ice by n-Discovery
G Gravibots - Denis Grachev
H Hobbit 128 by Melbourne House/Community
I
J
K Karlos und Schatze der Azteken
L Los Amores de Brunilda
M Metal Man by Oleg Origin
N
O
P Prince Of Persia by Magic Soft [2]
Q Quadrax
R
S Sword of Ianna by RetroWorks
T That sinking feeling
U
V Vallation by Tardis Remakes
W
X X=Y=Z by Bob's Stuff
Y Yumiko in the Haunted Mansion
Z ZX Football Manager 2005
# <-- numeric

Bunging Gravibots in there

Ta, missed that one and totally agree!

Ooh just had a thought, what a shame Bouncing Bomb Redux begins with B...

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2017 7:43 pm

R-Tape wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2017 6:56 pmEFMB? Nay El Stompo?

I also prefer El Stompo!

Me too!

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2017 6:40 pm

PeteProdge wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2017 5:08 pmH Hobbit 128 by Melbourne House/Kayamon

Now I have a complain...

About 20 people participated in this project. Instead, you are crediting someone that didn't collaborate on anything, then released an unauthorized build that didn't respect any of the conditions requested by Veronika Megler either.

My apologies, didn't know the full background behind Hobbit 128, did a very brief web search to get the credit, got it wrong. Sorry.

PeteProdge wrote: ↑Thu Dec 14, 2017 9:57 am

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2017 6:40 pm Now I have a complain...

About 20 people participated in this project. Instead, you are crediting someone that didn't collaborate on anything, then released an unauthorized build that didn't respect any of the conditions requested by Veronika Megler either.

My apologies, didn't know the full background behind Hobbit 128, did a very brief web search to get the credit, got it wrong. Sorry.

Apologies accepted, thanks!

About this game, I recently sorted out implementing more detailed location descriptions. I'm still busy with other priorities but, sometime next year, I plan to get back organizing this effort and finish the project properly!

The link to Karlos und Schatze der Azteken in the cumulative list of games is broken as it has '...' in it.

R-Tape wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:19 pm

hitm4n wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2017 8:55 pm I would like to protest on Q. Has to be Quazatron.

Quazatron was released in 1986, so belongs in this thread, and there's a space for it if you quote and take it.

(For the record, Quadrax is better than Quazatron though :-p)

Nah, Quazatron is so good, it should go on both lists

This thread seems to went a bit into stagnation so let me finish the job.

I said before:
W: Wanderers. Chained in the dark Great,big RPG game
I: Invasion of the Zombie Monsters Cool, big pretty, colourful action from Spain

For the rest

D
I choose Doom from Russian group Digital reality. Yes, unfortunately it is just one level demo but these guys deserve some respect for doing it
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=12817

The current screenshot in database comes from some early version and doesn't make justice to the game. In reality it looks like this:
[youtube]https://youtu.be/3v7cFGneuaw[/youtube]

G
Someone said Gravibots
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=30087

I'll continue in next post...

J
Well not much choice. Shame on me as I'll propose my own game but I honestly believe it's pretty decent. So it would be Janosik. Feel free to change:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=30035

N
Again not much choice. I choose arcade adventure from Spain called "Nelo & Quqo and the Last Butifarreisson" Wow, what a name
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=25055

O
Operation Red Refrigerator - big, pretty Dizzy-like Russian game
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=12981

R
Rough Justice - maze shooter from Jonathan Cauldwell
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=13300

U
I choose UFO 2: Devils of Abyss
I suppose you don't know this game. It's in Russian only. To run it you have to go through several menus in Russian. It's a strategy so there is a lot of options and buttons to learn. But if you get through it all you have a great strategy game where you manage a team of commandos fighting against aliens in an isometric view. If you lived in the 90s (and I suppose that you lived ) you should know UFO1 and UFO2 on PC. They were big megagames in its time. And it is a great faithful remake of original on a much inferior machine.

There is also first part on Spectrum, remake of UFO1 but it's actually a shooter disguised as strategy where you control just one man. Some my voice goes to part 2

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 6&id=13107