Covertape exclusives

[Wall_Axe]

Does anyone have fond memories of a game only released on covertape?

[Mike Davies]

Ceasefire -- from one of the Sinclair User covertapes.

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.php?cat=96&id=862

[PeteProdge]

I really enjoyed Martech's Blind Panic and US Gold's People From Sirius, both issued on Your Sinclair.

While I'm no fan of Sinclair User, I acknowledge Go Bear Go! is a terrific Pingu clone, with the endearing bonus of a level editor.

Gremlin's Moley Christmas is something that goes beyond the typical playable demo offering. It is of course a cut-down game using the Auf Wiedersehen Monty engine, but being an exclusive single screen effort with a pleasing difficulty level. Great for a quick game if you haven't got the time to devote to any of the full-price Monty titles. It was on the first YS I bought.

I think best of all is Earth Shaker, a very colourful Boulderdash/Repton clone which was first offered to Zeppelin games, but they got cold feet about it having noted how litigious First Star Software were being at the time. Your Sinclair thankfully gave it a release.

Here's a superb blog post on the Spectrum magazine covertape wars: http://www.wizwords.net/the-spectrum-covertape-wars/

[Ralf]

I suppose we can get this info from database. But not directly through the website, rather some SQL query directly to the base.

I may try to do something like this but I'm still inexperienced with database structure so don't hold your breath.

[stupidget]

I loved Road Race which was an Easter present from Ocean on a Your Sinclair tape in '87

http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseek ... loadpics=3

[Alessandro]

While I'm no fan of Sinclair User, I acknowledge Go Bear Go! is a terrific Pingu clone, with the endearing bonus of a level editor.

I second that, except for the first part, I enjoyed reading Sinclair User but that Kamikaze Bear stuff was pretty much unbearable (no pun intended), although the game based on the character is quite good, and the level editor - not one thing you commonly find in Spectrum games - adds longevity.

The Ceasefire games were released at a time when the magazine was no more available down here, so I had a go at them only much later. They are quite good and could have been worth of a full price release in my opinion.

[Ralf]

I can confirm that Ceasefire games are pretty good. Great graphics and good, deep story. Just don't touch them without solution, it's really hard to get what you are supposed to do.

[PeterJ]

I suppose we can get this info from database. But not directly through the website, rather some SQL query directly to the base.

I may try to do something like this but I'm still inexperienced with database structure so don't hold your breath.

In the 'entries' table there is a field called 'publicationtype_id' an entry of 'M' in the field indicates 'On magazine covertape'

So as a starting point:

Code: Select all

SELECT id,title FROM entries WHERE entries.publicationtype_id = 'M'

The game may have subsequently been released commercially though, so it's not perfect. You would need to look at the releases table for that.

[Contact Sam Cruise]

Iron Soldier (Players Software) was one I remember fondly. It's a side-scrolling shoot 'em up that appeared on a Sinclair User covertape. Colourful and addictive, but I never did complete it...

http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseek ... id=0002544

[Juan F. Ramirez]

Play for Your Life by Imagine, on Your Sinclair: