Cybernoid clones?

[PeteProdge]

I wouldn't call these Cybernoid clones, but I think they'd be on the Cybernoid Scale in the lower ranksTM...

• Rex
• Scumball
• Metal Army

Can we try to find the most un-Cybernoid-like game on the ZX Spectrum? The Hobbit maybe?

[Einar Saukas]

Sophia is clearly inspired by Cybernoid. The gameplay is nearly identical, despite using a different theme. I have no doubt about this one.

Slubberdegullion is a mix between Cybernoid and Asteroids. Should we still classify it as inspired by Cybernoid?

Rough Justice is vaguely inspired by Cybernoid. Is it more inspired by Cybernoid than any other game?

[R-Tape]

Slubberdegullion is a mix between Cybernoid and Asteroids. Should we still classify it as inspired by Cybernoid?
Rough Justice is vaguely inspired by Cybernoid. Is it more inspired by Cybernoid than any other game?

In my opinion:

Slubberdegullion is definitely 50% Cybernoid, 50% Asteroids/Thrust.

Rough Justice is a definite in my book, but Jon kind of says yes and no here.

I guess it's similar to Cybernoid in many ways, though not as insanely difficult.

It should probably come from the author tho, I'll PM him on WoS.

[R-Tape]

I wouldn't call these Cybernoid clones, but I think they'd be on the Cybernoid Scale in the lower ranksTM...

• Rex
• Scumball
• Metal Army

•Rex = 3.0?
•Scumball = 2.5 on the Cybernoid scale, 6.6 on the StarQuake scale
•Metal Army = 3.4

[Einar Saukas]

The Hobbit = 1.5 on the Cybernoid scale, since it's flip-screen and there's gravity certainly (otherwise Thorin and Gandalf would be floating away...)

[R-Tape]

The Pyramid = 3.9

(inspired by Cybernoid 5 years before it was even released)

[PeteProdge]

The Hobbit = 1.5 on the Cybernoid scale, since it's flip-screen and there's gravity certainly (otherwise Thorin and Gandalf would be floating away...)

Drat. Well I'm undeterred in my mission to find the most un-Cybernoid game out there. Even if it means writing it myself.

(And I have nothing against Cybernoid, it's one of my favourites.)

[Joefish]

There's a difference between blocky multi-screen games where you jump and ones where you fly.
Anyway, Cybernoid is just a Thrusta clone...
Or maybe Kokotoni Wilf...

[R-Tape]

There's a difference between blocky multi-screen games where you jump and ones where you fly.

Yep, this particular ZX rubicon is crossed when you have a CRN of 1.

[Spud]

Sqij is definitely on the sprectrum. (Twice in fact!)

[R-Tape]

I'd give Sqij 2018 a 1.9, I tried to calibrate the original Sqij but it made a horrid sludgy mess and contaminated the scale: CRN indeterminate.

[Audionautas]

Some time ago, I made a personal list of clones for Hewson games on the Spectrum. Probably Uridium is the more cloned Hewson game ever (there's a load of clones on the C64, for instance), but on the Speccy I think Cybernoid and Exolon were more influential.

* Shark (Players Premier, 1989). Cyberonid clone.
* Yeti (Destiny Software, 1988). Exolon clone.
* Task Force (Players Premier, 1989). Cybernoid clone.
* W.A.R. (Martech, 1986). Uridium clone.
* Cerius (Atlantis Software, 1988). Exolon clone.
* Antares (Juliet Software, 1987). Uridium inspired.
* Eagle (Juliet Software, 1987). Uridium inspired.
* Vallation (Tardis Remakes, 2016). Cybernoid inspired.
* Aquasquad (Atlantis Software, 1988). Cybernoid clone.
* Ultima Ratio (Firebird, 1987). Uridium clone.
* Rough Justice (Cronosoft, 2003). Cybernoid clone.

As someone commented earlier, Rex is clearly inspired by Cybernoid, although it's a superb game in it's own right. I recall Jas Austin told that Cybernoid was an inspiration during Rex development on the Retro Gamer's magazine 'Making' of' coveage.

[R-Tape]

Slubberdegullion is a mix between Cybernoid and Asteroids. Should we still classify it as inspired by Cybernoid?
Rough Justice is vaguely inspired by Cybernoid. Is it more inspired by Cybernoid than any other game?

...
It should probably come from the author tho, I'll PM him on WoS.

Jonathan's reply (with permission):

Both games definitely drew inspiration from Cecco's classic. RJ was mostly written in 1999 while I was bored at work and really didn't have a lot of thought put into the game design. Slubber was much later, I'd been experimenting with game mechanics for quite a few years before it was written and to this day I don't think anyone understands how the numbers and power-up trails work. Slubber's control method had nothing whatsoever to do with Thrust or Asteroids, it was merely a variation on the control method used in Homebrew with a slight change to the gravity. For its part, Homebrew was inspired by Jetpac, I just decided to make the controls rotational for a twist. Those rotational controls were probably mostly inspired by Grand Prix Simulator, if that makes any sense...

So based on this I would say that Rough Justice should have ‘inspired by Cybernoid’ but Slubberdegullion should not. Slubber has a personality of its own and draws some inspiration from numerous sources.

I'd also say this is further validation of the Cybernoid Reference Number system, with Rough Justice as 4.0.

[Einar Saukas]

Some time ago, I made a personal list of clones for Hewson games on the Spectrum. Probably Uridium is the more cloned Hewson game ever (there's a load of clones on the C64, for instance), but on the Speccy I think Cybernoid and Exolon were more influential.

* Shark (Players Premier, 1989). Cyberonid clone.
* Yeti (Destiny Software, 1988). Exolon clone.
* Task Force (Players Premier, 1989). Cybernoid clone.
* W.A.R. (Martech, 1986). Uridium clone.
* Cerius (Atlantis Software, 1988). Exolon clone.
* Antares (Juliet Software, 1987). Uridium inspired.
* Eagle (Juliet Software, 1987). Uridium inspired.
* Vallation (Tardis Remakes, 2016). Cybernoid inspired.
* Aquasquad (Atlantis Software, 1988). Cybernoid clone.
* Ultima Ratio (Firebird, 1987). Uridium clone.
* Rough Justice (Cronosoft, 2003). Cybernoid clone.

As someone commented earlier, Rex is clearly inspired by Cybernoid, although it's a superb game in it's own right. I recall Jas Austin told that Cybernoid was an inspiration during Rex development on the Retro Gamer's magazine 'Making' of' coveage.

This is a great list, and I will be already including some of them in the next ZXDB update. Thanks!

However I'm not sure about a few items. In particular, neither Eagle or Ultima Ratio seem close enough to Uridium...

[ZXDunny]

Explorer by the RamJam Corp. was definitely inspired by Cybernoid. Same flick-screen action and detailed graphics but only one level. Sprites were large and colourful too.

[Audionautas]

Hi guys!

I'm resurrecting this old thread just to add some clones of Hewson games that I came across a couple of days ago and that had not been mentioned previously. What do you think?

* Zanthrax (Crash, 1989). Uridium clone with vertical scrolling. https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=5840
* Mango Jones (Crash, 1990). Cybernoid clone. (https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=3007)
* Ethnipod (Your Sinclair, 1991). Cybernoid inspired. I always found this game quite 'Hewson-esque', like Rex, but with some distinctive elements (like the final boss). I don't know exactly how would it rank in the "Cybernoid scale". (https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=1659).

All the best!

[jdanddiet]

Some time ago, I made a personal list of clones for Hewson games on the Spectrum. Probably Uridium is the more cloned Hewson game ever (there's a load of clones on the C64, for instance), but on the Speccy I think Cybernoid and Exolon were more influential.

* Shark (Players Premier, 1989). Cyberonid clone.
* Yeti (Destiny Software, 1988). Exolon clone.
* Task Force (Players Premier, 1989). Cybernoid clone.
* W.A.R. (Martech, 1986). Uridium clone.
* Cerius (Atlantis Software, 1988). Exolon clone.
* Antares (Juliet Software, 1987). Uridium inspired.
* Eagle (Juliet Software, 1987). Uridium inspired.
* Vallation (Tardis Remakes, 2016). Cybernoid inspired.
* Aquasquad (Atlantis Software, 1988). Cybernoid clone.
* Ultima Ratio (Firebird, 1987). Uridium clone.
* Rough Justice (Cronosoft, 2003). Cybernoid clone.

As someone commented earlier, Rex is clearly inspired by Cybernoid, although it's a superb game in it's own right. I recall Jas Austin told that Cybernoid was an inspiration during Rex development on the Retro Gamer's magazine 'Making' of' coveage.

You are correct! From the feature:-

""Like many Spectrum fans, Jas was a huge fan of fellow programmer Raffaele Cecco. “Exolon and Cybernoid, in particular, were huge influences,” he confirms, “and the Dan Dare games by Martin Wheeler were also a big inspiration for the graphic style, especially the tower section.” "

[Einar Saukas]

* Shark (Players Premier, 1989). Cyberonid clone.
* Yeti (Destiny Software, 1988). Exolon clone.
* Task Force (Players Premier, 1989). Cybernoid clone.
* W.A.R. (Martech, 1986). Uridium clone.
* Cerius (Atlantis Software, 1988). Exolon clone.
* Antares (Juliet Software, 1987). Uridium inspired.
* Eagle (Juliet Software, 1987). Uridium inspired.
* Vallation (Tardis Remakes, 2016). Cybernoid inspired.
* Aquasquad (Atlantis Software, 1988). Cybernoid clone.
* Ultima Ratio (Firebird, 1987). Uridium clone.
* Rough Justice (Cronosoft, 2003). Cybernoid clone.

I agree with everything except Ultima Ratio. In this game, just the shape of the scenario is vaguely similar to Uridium. The similarity is too weak to be considered a clone (or even an inspiration).

As someone commented earlier, Rex is clearly inspired by Cybernoid, although it's a superb game in it's own right. I recall Jas Austin told that Cybernoid was an inspiration during Rex development on the Retro Gamer's magazine 'Making' of' coveage.

Although Cybernoid was one of the author references, Rex looks and plays very different. Frankly I see more similarity with Exolon and many other games...

[Einar Saukas]

* Zanthrax (Crash, 1989). Uridium clone with vertical scrolling. https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=5840
* Mango Jones (Crash, 1990). Cybernoid clone. (https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=3007)
* Ethnipod (Your Sinclair, 1991). Cybernoid inspired. I always found this game quite 'Hewson-esque', like Rex, but with some distinctive elements (like the final boss). I don't know exactly how would it rank in the "Cybernoid scale". (https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=1659).

Agreed. Despite the final boss and a few other details, the similarity between Ethnipod and Cybernoid, in both gameplay and visual style, is very clear.

[Einar Saukas]

So based on this I would say that Rough Justice should have ‘inspired by Cybernoid’ but Slubberdegullion should not. Slubber has a personality of its own and draws some inspiration from numerous sources.

I disagree. Slubberdegullion is basically Cybernoid with different controls. Although it's innovative, the inspiration from Cybernoid is very clear!

[Morkin]

Slubberdegullion is like the secret love child of Cybernoid and Thrust.

...Though I'm not sure if ZXDB has an 'illicit liaison' table...

[R-Tape]

I disagree. Slubberdegullion is basically Cybernoid with different controls. Although it's innovative, the inspiration from Cybernoid is very clear!

Aye fair enough. It certainly has a high CRN.

Slubberdegullion is like the secret love child of Cybernoid and Thrust.

...Though I'm not sure if ZXDB has an 'illicit liaison' table...

I wonder how thrust managed to dock without exploding?

[Audionautas]

Hi guys!

A new Exolon clone detected!

* SHURIKEN (Crash, 1989) (https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/4 ... m/Shuriken).

Thank you!

[Einar Saukas]

Good catch!

[druellan]

Hi guys!

A new Exolon clone detected!

* SHURIKEN (Crash, 1989) (https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/4 ... m/Shuriken).

Thank you!

OMG! Those "inspired" graphics are fantastic! On the screenshot alone I count Nodes of Yesod, Stormlord and Trantor?