Dopamine hits - moments in Spectrum gaming that give you immense satisfaction

[PeteProdge]

And I don't mean completing the game, just fleeting moments that give you a warm feeling inside.

Renegade
Throwing/kicking a baddy off a 'cliff' to their death in level 1 or 2.

Saboteur!
Having a ride on that underground train thing.

Chaos
"NEW SPELL FOR [you]"

[R-Tape]

Best not to get too Freudian about it, but on R-Type, holding down the fire key for a good long while and releasing a blast.

[Tan Coul]

Getting a sequence of corners right in Grand Prix Simulator 2. You know the inertia will get you in the end, but while the flow lasts it is awesome.

[animaal]

In Bruce Lee, holding down [fire] and [left/right] and defeating the ninja with 4 swift kicks.

Manual docking in Elite

[uglifruit]

Bouncing a projectile off of Mr Whacker's head, hitting a shield, and Boy Wander getting the lines for it.

[R-Tape]

Bouncing a projectile off of Mr Whacker's head, hitting a shield, and Boy Wander getting the lines for it.

Unfortunately I can only remember the Cortisol response of being shunted from my chair and getting a rollocking for it—far too close to reality!

[Manu128k]

After so many tries, killing those pesky flamethrowers and therefore completing Green Beret for the first time in my life. Just a few weeks ago (I've been playing the game since the 80's )

[Daveysloan]

Doing a successful publicity stunt in Rock Star ate my Hamster that doesn't kill a member of your band.

The buzz of seeing this for the first time over 40 years ago is something I remember better than anything that happened yesterday.

[Morkin]

Manic Miner - making that final jump into the exit box of the Solar Power Generator with a sliver of energy left.

[Starquack]

Completing the RANARAMA word puzzle in time

[sn3j]

Lords of Midnight because of the stunning 3D experience - and when I finally managed to recruit Farflame the Dragon Lord. 16 moves per day!

[uglifruit]

It definitely wasn't dopamine, but the most intense experience was The Sentinel spotting me, and starting to drain my energy. Good god. I'm still shaking.

[TMD2003]

Finding the 8th piece of the sub in Blood & Guts after 14-15 years of searching.

[blucey]

Landing a good jump in Bugaboo. I reckon that game is just a total dopamine factory given that dopamine works by giving you what you want, some of the time.

[Nitrowing]

Getting a near as possible perfect pit stop in a Formula 1 manager game ( I can't remember the name of)

[zxbruno]

-Using multiple rockets in Laser Squad
-Using Turbo in Chase H.Q.

[stupidget]

Doing a perfectly timed jump over a bus in Wheelie

[Oloturia]

Hitting the tank with a collapsed pinnacle of the building in the penultimate stage of Raid Over Moscow.

[worcestersource]

Shooting an enemy fighter in Star Raiders II so it spirals out of control before exploding.

Possibly no skill involved but very satisfying.

[Vampyre]

Hitting the tank with a collapsed pinnacle of the building in the penultimate stage of Raid Over Moscow.

Oooh. That's a good one!

Zapping one of the bombs with a water tap in Splitting Images/Split Personalities. Rather than frantically trying to get it through one of the exit points.

[ionut76]

Completing Chronos without cheats, reaching bridge 30 on River Raid, finishing Rainbow Islands without cheats and so on. Great times and great memories.

[Juan F. Ramirez]

Passing the first level in Army Moves

[worcestersource]

Thought of a few more:

- Jumping into the flashing boxes in Manic Miner, especially from a height.
- Kicking all the motorcyclists off their bikes in Target Renegade and beating the boss without getting hurt.
- Eating the fly during a long journey and not having stop in Percy the Potty Pigeon.
- Repeatedly shooting an exploding alien in Project Future.

[PQR]

Renegade: managing one more flying kick at a storming Big Bertha, and then finishing her off while she's lying on the ground. Instant gratification!

[Climacus]

The first time I played Knight Lore