The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

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The best Speccy game by Microsphere

Poll ended at Sun Jun 23, 2019 9:49 am

Back To Skool
9
26%
Contact Sam Cruise
2
6%
Crevasse
1
3%
Evolution
0
No votes
Hotfoot
0
No votes
Skool Daze
14
40%
Sky Ranger
1
3%
Train Game, The
1
3%
Wheelie
7
20%
 
Total votes: 35

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PeteProdge
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The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by PeteProdge »

Right, the third software house to be up for a vote, is Microsphere, which was formed in November 1982 and started off releasing business software for the ZX81 and Speccy, before noticing a sales increase when they put out a double games cassette.

Image

They will always be known for the two 'Skool' games, and you can read about their creation here.

Anyway, the poll has started, and concludes at about 9:50am on Sunday 23rd June 2019...

Back To Skool
ImageImage

Contact Sam Cruise
ImageImage

Crevasse
Image

Evolution
Image

Hotfoot
Image

Skool Daze
ImageImage

Sky Ranger
ImageImage

Train Game, The
Image

Wheelie
ImageImage
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PeteProdge
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Re: The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by PeteProdge »

I've gone for Back To Skool. I really loved Contact Sam Cruise, but Back To Skool is the game I spent most time on. Sam Cruise is a bit too tricky. I don't see it as a drop in form though, I know some of you don't like the way you can't see into the buildings, unlike the 'open doll's house' view of the Skool game, but this allows a lot more story to be squeezed into the Speccy's meagre memory.

I came to Skool Daze much later, I think the first time I touched it was via emulation and it didn't seem too great. I was spoilt by Back To Skool really.

There could be a chance of Wheelie or Contact Sam Cruise beating one (or even both) of the Skool games if there's a significant vote split across the two.
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Juan F. Ramirez
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Re: The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

Skool Daze just because of its originality. A concept that gave us tons of hours of fun. A classic that has aged in a excellent way. As good nowadays as back in the day.
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Morkin
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Re: The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by Morkin »

1. Skool Daze
2. Back to Skool
3. Wheelie
My Speccy site: thirdharmoniser.com
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stupidget
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Re: The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by stupidget »

Wheelie get's my vote. My mate and me used to spend ages playing this game. Loved the fact that you couldn't simply thrash the bike and do jumps, you had to get just enough speed up, but, not too much. Hated that bloody ghost rider though :x :x
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WIWC
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Re: The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by WIWC »

1. Skool Daze
2. Contact Sam Cruise
3. Wheelie
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spider
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Re: The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by spider »

Posted most of my thoughts (from BITD and 'more recently') in the other topic. One thing worthy perhaps of mention here is i think Sam Cruise might of been slightly easier/better if one could of seen inside the buildings. I realise that was probably consider during design (so it was like SD/BTS and 'open' as such) but yes, it can be a tad annoying to get stuck. :oops: :mrgreen:

Yes I'm aware of how to make characters appear "outside" but that looks quite messy! :D

Anyway its:

1. Back To Skool
2. Skool Daze
3. Wheelie

I did see (3) first though but I found (and still do) it too difficult on the first level, never mind the others lol. 1+2 are a close thing, original vs sequel always a difficult choice as there's more charm in the original but better features in the sequel...

O/T: The SD/BTS/CSC 'game engine' could of been used for more games I suspect perhaps ? There's certainly a lot of hidden potential in it. 8-)
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Juan F. Ramirez
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Re: The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

spider wrote: Sun Jun 16, 2019 8:29 pm
O/T: The SD/BTS/CSC 'game engine' could of been used for more games I suspect perhaps ? There's certainly a lot of hidden potential in it. 8-)
Absolutely agree. Infiltration games, escaping from a jail, inside a medieval castle, ...
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Re: The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by Hank Scorpio »

Voted for Back 2 Skool in the end but it was a tough choice between the two Skool games.

1. back 2 Skool
2. Skool Daze
3. Contact Sam Cruise
Nick
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Re: The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by Nick »

I voted for Back To Skool, which expanded on an already great idea. Seeing the girls either jumping up and down or standing on the chairs when you released the mice in their school remains, for me, one of the funniest things I've seen in a spectrum game.

1. Back To Skool
2. Contact Sam Cruise
3. Skool Daze
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Ersh
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Re: The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by Ersh »

Nick wrote: Mon Jun 17, 2019 11:49 am 1. Back To Skool
2. Contact Sam Cruise
3. Skool Daze
Spot on.
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Morkin
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Re: The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by Morkin »

While I liked both Skool games, I found the puzzles/tasks in Skool Daze a bit more fun as they were simpler, I had more of a feeling that I was progressing and could finish the game.

The inclusion of the second skool building in BTS was a nice addition, but I found the puzzles a bit convoluted, particularly to get through the gate between the buildings (finding the water pistol to water the plant, getting and riding the bike etc). Even with a walkthrough I couldn't get to grips with it too well.
My Speccy site: thirdharmoniser.com
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Joefish
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Re: The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by Joefish »

Tricky choice. I didn't play any of these much. I did have Wheelie but it was fiddly to play. Mind you, that didn't stop RARE ripping off the infiltrate/escape concept for that god-awful 'Sabre Wulf' game on the GBA. Sky Ranger is technically impressive but there isn't much gameplay there. And it would be better if set-up for twin-joystick control like Tomahawk or Air Inferno (arcade). And I just couldn't get into Skool Daze when I tried it.
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PeteProdge
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Re: The best Speccy game by Microsphere: vote

Post by PeteProdge »

There we have it. Skool Daze (which topped the original A-Z poll for the letter S) is the winner here with 14 votes, with its sequel Back To Skool coming second (9 votes).

Quite surprised at Wheelie coming in third place (7 votes).

Not that much love for the fourth-placed Contact Sam Cruise (2 votes). I see this as a spiritual successor to the school games. It's clearly a different theme but the same kind of game engine is used here.

I'm also surprised that there have been votes for the rather primitive games. Yep, in fifth place, we have one vote each for Crevasse, Sky Ranger and The Train Game. Odd choices, but hey, that's what expressing your opinion is all about.

Interestingly, the proportional voting system has both Skool games jointly at the top, with 11 points each, and Contact Sam Cruise is in second. Wheelie is third...

11 Back To Skool
11 Skool Daze
5 Contact Sam Cruise
3 Wheelie

Now, user 'Ersh' quoted a proportional vote from Nick as "spot on". I didn't count that as a vote from Ersh in the above calculation. (Please, no ambiguity) If I did, though...

14 Back To Skool
14 Skool Daze
7 Contact Sam Cruise
3 Wheelie

...hmm, no change to the order.
Reheated Pixels - a combination of retrogaming, comedy and factual musing, is here!
New video: Nine ZX Spectrum magazine controversies - How Crash, Your Sinclair and Sinclair User managed to offend the world!
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