Announcing : Spectrum Computing Game of The Year Awards 2023

[Mpk]

Welcome to the 2023 SpectrumComputing.co.uk Game of The Year Awards.

Over the next 5 weeks, we'll be running a series of votes to determine just which is the Smashiest Gold-Medal Megagame of 2023.

But the secret real purpose of these awards is to highlight the efforts of a thriving community of enthusiast spec-chums; there were over 120 games released in 2023 - which is surely incredible for an 8-bit computer in its fifth decade. I've played them all, at least a little bit, and there's a wealth of creativity and craft on display throughout.

So : a hearty congratulations to everyone who published a title this year. You're automatically a winner.

Voting
There will be 4 preliminary polls, one per week, over the next 4 weeks. Eligibility depends on the game being registered in ZXDB, with a publication date in 2023.
The 4 polls are loosely, but not exactly, divided by release date.
Games releasing in December will be added to the later polls.
Each user can vote for up to 5 games in each poll.
In week 5, the top 5 from the previous polls will be ushered into the grand final, which will select a single winner.
So - vote for the games you like, maybe play some that you missed out earlier. But do vote.
And feel free to evangelise in the threads about your favourites - votes can be changed right up the close of each poll.

'But Mpk,' you ask, 'aren't public polls prone to vote-stuffing, trolling and sabotage?'
That's true. Don't be a jackass, everybody. Thanks.

Exclusions
We've ruled out some classes of game. Feel free to debate in this thread.
Non-Spectrum games. This is an award for mainstream Spectrum games, so games for ZX81, NEXT, Pentagon, SAM etc. are excluded. Sorry!
CSSCGC entries. These Crap Games are already in one contest, that should be enough for anyone. Sorry, Firelord.
Bearsden Primary School Games. Sorry, kids.
Mods. After some discussion. remakes / tweaks of older games are excluded. This leaves out some crackers, including City Connection 128k, DJ Puff Remastered, Treasure Island Dizzy. Sorry, everyone.
Non-Games, like Gypsy Tarot. Sorry, Clive.
Woot! Entries. Sorry, Santa.
Demos. You guys are too cool for this anyway.

Round one voting is live at
viewtopic.php?t=10625

[Andre Leao]

City Connection 128 is not a MOD, it´s the real thing (from 88)... It was recovered last January.

[Mpk]

City Connection 128 is not a MOD, it´s the real thing (from 88)... It was recovered last January.

Cool.
So what's the deal with this one?
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/9 ... Connection
Release date is 1988 on the db, was it released at that time?

Happy to add it to a later poll if appropriate.

[firelord]

CSSCGC entries. These Crap Games are already in one contest, that should be enough for anyone. Sorry, Firelord.

You should have said sorry to the whole world...
I undertand! You can't give all the awards to the same developer!

Anyway, I see many great games in this list!

[Andre Leao]

Cool.
So what's the deal with this one?
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/9 ... Connection
Release date is 1988 on the db, was it released at that time?

Happy to add it to a later poll if appropriate.

yes, the 48K version was released in 1988. The 128K demo version was unreleased, just sent to one or two mags in 1988. The responsible from one of the mags still had the games and allowed us to recover the game and create the final version just like the 1988 version (it was easy, just taking off the DEMO words and add three lives, just like the original).

[Mpk]

yes, the 48K version was released in 1988. The 128K demo version was unreleased, just sent to one or two mags in 1988.

I still feel like we leave it out of the current vote, as it's an enhancement of the 1988 release.

What I'll do later is list out the exclusions, maybe people have other opinions.

[Joefish]

I strongly take issue with excluding "WOOT" from these polls. It's all I seem to release lately. I get it that what games ship with it are of varying quality, but so are plenty of other releases. You've got four versions of Snake in the first poll already! Comes across as someone saying that Roger the Pangolin and The Haunting of Waterbelle End are on a par with my CSSCGC entries.

[Mpk]

I strongly take issue with excluding "WOOT" from these polls.

Perceived quality is not in any way a criterion. There are some genuinely good games in the CSSCGC most years.

It's more about organisation, really.
When does Woot publish? I'd be happy to add titles to the later polls if time allows.

[Joefish]

Just before Christmas.

[spider]

Would 'denied'*** games be included ? Honest question.


*** For any reason aka still for sale / publisher not want it distributed etc etc etc

[Mpk]

Would 'denied'*** games be included ? Honest question.

Yes.
Several of the games in round 1 already are denied on this site, but are available on itch.io etc.

[spider]

Yes.
Several of the games in round 1 already are denied on this site, but are available on itch.io etc.

Thank you.

I was not sure on that point.

Also a game that was released in 2022 would be excluded however an updated version of it was released in 2023, I need to think maybe so its sort of new and not new.

[Mpk]

Thank you.

I was not sure on that point.

Also a game that was released in 2022 would be excluded however an updated version of it was released in 2023, I need to think maybe so its sort of new and not new.

Generally, that case would be excluded. Do you have a particular title in mind?

[spider]

Generally, that case would be excluded. Do you have a particular title in mind?

I was actually thinking of Manic JetSet Willy , the original release was not this year but v3 was , so I was not sure if it would count or not.

[Mpk]

I was actually thinking of Manic JetSet Willy , the original release was not this year but v3 was , so I was not sure if it would count or not.

That's counted as a 2022 release for these purposes, I'm afraid.

[Mpk]

Hello!

I want to be sure that I haven't missed any games from the 2023 lists.
I can add anything I have missed into the final round next week.

If you think a game should be included and isn't on any of the lists below, please notify me here.

Note that I'm excluding Crap Games, Bearsden games, non-Spectrum games ( Next etc ) and anything that isn't original in 2023.

First 3 rounds are here :
viewtopic.php?t=10625
viewtopic.php?t=10674
viewtopic.php?t=10730

Round 4 will contain these :
Train Your Brain
The Mijadore Vase
Bell of Witch
Eclipsia
Tobit
Orbol Von
Tapeworm
The 7 Bins of Sunak
Space 1999
Rosetta
Pepe's Day Out
Face Punch Deluxe
Imprisoned
Cursed Castle
Duck Tales - Family Comes First
LOS ANILLOS DE SATURNO
The Ghosts of Blackwood Manor
Blue Diamond
Poker
Covidians Extended
Super Cobra
ZX Futbol
La Cueva
BorielRACE
León Willy
The Cult
Chromanoids
Space Invader 2023
Retrotrivial
Andres y su Fusil de Aliespres
Lunar Lander
Jetsbot
Time Sniper
ParaZXLand
Barco de Papel
Misterio
The Dragnet Case Re-Release
Teseo
Matar al César
Asteroides Color Power
Tenebra 2
5 Keys
Haoken
The Dark Veil
Clone Zoo ZX

Exclusions:
Title Exclusion Reason
Doctor Adventures Old : 2015
LOCKDOWN TOWN ZXMAS - CRASH EXCLUSIVE MOD
[MOD] ATERRAGEM NO MAR MOD
Torpedo 2022
Space 1999 - Eagle One 2022
Euro Dreams Utility
Sploids Next Next
Join The Party! Demo
Bean Brothers Remake Next
Manic Water Demo
CHESSZOOM 1K ZX81
Partyscroller Demo
Astro Bikers ZX81
Daniel Revenga Person
A Weekend with the ZX Spectrum Book
ZX Nightmares Book
Time Portal Bearsden
The Lost Puzzle Bearsden
Invasion of Japan Bearsden
Smiley in the Hole Bearsden
Retro Bearsden
Mission Lost Bearsden
Meadow Run Bearsden
Devil Run Bearsden
Cheese Vs Mice Bearsden
Bod Run Bearsden
Beach Run Bearsden
Arrow Run Bearsden
Adventure Stars Bearsden
Jam! with Gypsy Tarot Compilation
Gypsy Tarot Non-Game
Welcome in Adventure Life Pentagon
The Sloanysoft Collection Compilation
A Sense of Balance Demo
Print42 Utility
Andy Jenkinson Person
[MOD] ALS 2023 Mod
[MOD] DJ Puff Remastered Mod
Ear Shaver Demo
In Color Demo
Kremash Demo
TK Disassembler Non-Game
STOPgenocide Demo
Slideshow 01 - HelpComputer0 Demo
DisassemBASIC Utility
[MOD] Treasure Island Dizzy - Extended Edition 2023 Mod
Duck Hunt Mod
City Connection 128K Mod ( Sort of. )
Rock Crush II: The Power of Dan ZX81
Galton Non-Game
Lissajous Curves Non-Game
Factory 2023 ZX81
We Are The 8-Bits Demo
Hey Hey 16K (The musical) Demo
Street Fighter 2 Not Speccy
GanzfeldDemoscene: Demo
[MOD] Treasure Island Dizzy - Classic Edition 2023 Mod
Em Demanda dos Ovos de Páscoa Non-Game
A Pirâmide de Queops Crashes
José Manuel Domingues Silva Person
MathsCompilation Compilation

[Andre Leao]

Regarding City Connection 128K, it must not be included (in case I wasn´t clear enough on my previous post). It is a 1988 game, not a 2023 game.

Space 1999 should not be included. It is a 1990 game. I just fixed some bugs, made it cmpletable and Luís added a new loading screen. But the structure is from 1990.

But you should add Shangri-La instead of Space 1999 (also from Luís Peres). The full review will be available tomorrw and the game will be released on the 31st. The final version is already complete.

[Mpk]

Thanks, all noted.

I added Shangri-La, and also JeT SeT JnR aNd ThE CuRsE oF ThE PhArAoH.

[Einar Saukas]

Johnny the Ghost

[Mpk]

Johnny the Ghost

Got it, thanks!

[iadvd]

@Mpk Hi there!! I think our last game of this year "Pirate Captain Creed: Adventure on Halloween Island" (Spectrum 48k, October 2023) is not included...

https://furilloproductions.itch.io/pira ... een-island

Cheers!

[Mpk]

Pirate Captain Creed: Adventure on Halloween Island

Awesome, thanks. This one is missing in be the DB as well, but will be in Group 4.

[R-Tape]

Thanks @iadvd - missed this totally. Another one to add to the DB, and another one to play.

[hikoki]

Two games are missing

viewtopic.php?t=10566

viewtopic.php?t=10380

[Mpk]

Two games are missing

viewtopic.php?t=10566

viewtopic.php?t=10380

Noted, I will add both! Thanks.