The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

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The best Speccy game by Ocean

Poll ended at Sun Jul 21, 2019 11:20 am

Addams Family, The
0
No votes
Adidas Championship Football
0
No votes
Adidas Championship Tie-Break
0
No votes
Armageddon
0
No votes
Batman (3D isometric game by Jon Ritman)
0
No votes
Batman: The Caped Crusader (arcade adventure)
0
No votes
Batman: The Movie (Robocop-esque)
0
No votes
Battle Command
0
No votes
Beach Volley
0
No votes
Cabal
1
2%
Cavelon
0
No votes
Chase HQ
5
11%
Chase HQ II: Special Criminal Investigation
0
No votes
Chinese Juggler
0
No votes
Cobra
1
2%
Combat School
1
2%
Cosmic Wartoad
0
No votes
Daley Thompson's Decathlon
5
11%
Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge
0
No votes
Daley Thompson's Super-Test
0
No votes
Darkman
0
No votes
Digger Dan
0
No votes
Donkey Kong
0
No votes
Double Take
0
No votes
Emilio Butragueno Futbol
0
No votes
Eskimo Eddie
0
No votes
Firefly
2
4%
Flashpoint
0
No votes
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
1
2%
Gift From The Gods
0
No votes
Gilligan's Gold
0
No votes
Great Escape, The
6
13%
Gryzor
0
No votes
Gutz
0
No votes
Head Over Heels
9
19%
Highlander
0
No votes
Hudson Hawk
0
No votes
Hunchback
0
No votes
Hunchback - The Adventure
0
No votes
Hunchback II
0
No votes
International Match Day
0
No votes
It's A Knockout
0
No votes
Knight Rider
0
No votes
Kong
0
No votes
Kong Strikes Back
0
No votes
Madballs
0
No votes
Mailstrom
0
No votes
Mario Bros
0
No votes
Match Day
1
2%
Match Day II
0
No votes
Miami Vice
0
No votes
Midnight Resistance
0
No votes
Moon Alert
1
2%
Mr Wimpy
0
No votes
Mutants
0
No votes
N.O.M.A.D.
0
No votes
Narc
0
No votes
Navy Seals
0
No votes
NeverEnding Story, The
0
No votes
New Zealand Story, The
1
2%
Night Breed
0
No votes
Nightmare Rally
1
2%
Operation Thunderbolt
0
No votes
Operation Wolf
1
2%
Pang
0
No votes
Phantom Club
0
No votes
Platoon
0
No votes
Plotting
0
No votes
Pogo
0
No votes
Power Drift
0
No votes
Pud Pud
0
No votes
Puzznic
0
No votes
Quondam
0
No votes
Rainbow Islands
5
11%
Rambo
0
No votes
Rambo III
1
2%
Red Heat
0
No votes
Road Race
0
No votes
Robocop
2
4%
Robocop 2
0
No votes
Robocop 3
0
No votes
Roland's Rat Race
0
No votes
Royal Birkdale: Championship Golf
1
2%
Run The Gauntlet
0
No votes
Shadow Warriors
0
No votes
Short Circuit
0
No votes
The Simpsons: Bart vs The Space Mutants
0
No votes
Sly Spy
0
No votes
Smash TV
0
No votes
Space Gun
0
No votes
Street Hawk
0
No votes
Street Hawk - Kays Catalogue Edition
0
No votes
Super Bowl
0
No votes
Tai-Pan
0
No votes
Tank
0
No votes
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
0
No votes
Top Gun
0
No votes
Total Recall
0
No votes
Track & Field
0
No votes
Transformers, The
0
No votes
Transversion
0
No votes
Untouchables, The
0
No votes
V
0
No votes
WWF Wrestlemania
0
No votes
Where Time Stood Still
2
4%
Wizball
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 47

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PeteProdge
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The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by PeteProdge »

"Ah, Ocean, they didn't put out many games" is probably the wrongest thing you could say about the Manchester-based colossus. Your page-down key is going to beg for mercy on this poll.

Whatever you may think of them, Ocean put out masses of games for the ZX Spectrum back in the day and were an absolute commercial titan, taking up residence in the charts of best sellers. When it comes to commercial success, they're up there with US Gold (who you could perceive as rivals to Ocean, although there were some connected financial interests and even collaborations amongst their competitive nature).

I can't think of any ZX Spectrum owner who didn't have an Ocean game. Any Speccy games player who claims they haven't played an Ocean title, well, that's like a drinker saying he's never been into a Wetherspoons.

You'd be guaranteed to see pages of adverts for Ocean Software in the Speccy mags. US Gold aside, I can't think of another software label who was that good at marketing. And we really have to doff our cap to the late great Bob Wakelin, a non-gamer who wielded that airbrush like a magician to create such fantastic artwork. A kind of Peter Saville for the ZX Spectrum scene? Who knows, but there was never any bad Ocean inlay/poster art when he was involved.

Ocean will be synonymous with licensed games, covering arcade, TV, movies and sporting brands. Yes, they put out original titles too, but that was typically an exception.

By and large, Ocean really tapped into the movie market. Just about anything that was (or was going to be) a Hollywood blockbuster, got snapped up by the guys at 6 Central Street. If it was occupying the window space in your local Ritzy or Blockbuster Video, there's a strong chance Ocean had the computer game rights. It's astonishing how many big-hitters of the VHS era have arrived on the Speccy thanks to Ocean.

I'm not saying their movie-based games were all gold, oh hell no. Yes, there was 1989's Batman, but you also had things like... Highlander.

Ocean's in-house team produced a lot of coin-op conversions, although many were farmed off to the Imagine label they had acquired. (This is strictly a poll for games under the Ocean badge, even though Ocean-controlled Imagine was pretty much Ocean!) Imagine was used for a lot of arcade stuff, particularly Konami, it barely published any original creative output. (Now there's an anomaly I must pick up on - Gryzor should be Imagine; Movie should be Ocean - probably a few more examples like this if I really dug into it.)

The biggest catalyst for Ocean's riches in the early days was getting Daley Thompson on board. And I don't think many keyboards and joysticks were ever the same again.

Anyway, 106 titles are listed here. You have masses of choice. Probably too much choice. This will take up a lot of your time to decide which is best. Yes, there's plenty of shovelware, but you can't deny there are some utterly outstanding games and it'll be a head-scratcher for most as to which will get picked. This is what I call a definitive list of every ZX Spectrum game put out under the Ocean name, so it's as democratic as possible. (Let the arguments begin...)

Here goes, see you back at 11:20am UK time Sunday 21st July 2019 for the outcome...

Addams Family, The
ImageImage

Adidas Championship Football
ImageImage

Adidas Championship Tie-Break
ImageImage

Armageddon
ImageImage

Batman (3D isometric game by Jon Ritman)
ImageImage

Batman: The Caped Crusader (arcade adventure)
ImageImage

Batman: The Movie
ImageImage

Battle Command
ImageImage

Beach Volley
ImageImage

Cabal
ImageImage

Cavelon
ImageImage

Chase HQ
ImageImage

Chase HQ II: Special Criminal Investigation
ImageImage

Chinese Juggler
ImageImage

Cobra
ImageImage

Combat School
ImageImage

Cosmic Wartoad
ImageImage

Daley Thompson's Decathlon
ImageImage

Daley Thompson's Olympic Challenge
ImageImage

Daley Thompson's Super-Test
ImageImage

Darkman
ImageImage

Digger Dan
ImageImage

Donkey Kong
ImageImage

Double Take
ImageImage

Emilio Butragueno Futbol
ImageImage

Eskimo Eddie
ImageImage

Firefly
ImageImage

Flashpoint
ImageImage

Frankie Goes To Hollywood
ImageImage

Gift From The Gods
ImageImage

Gilligan's Gold
ImageImage

Great Escape, The
ImageImage

Gryzor
ImageImage

Gutz
ImageImage

Head Over Heels
ImageImage

Highlander
ImageImage

Hudson Hawk
ImageImage

Hunchback
ImageImage

Hunchback - The Adventure
ImageImage

Hunchback II
ImageImage

International Match Day
ImageImage

It's A Knockout
ImageImage

Knight Rider
ImageImage

Kong
ImageImage

Kong Strikes Back
ImageImage

Madballs
ImageImage

Mailstrom
ImageImage

Mario Bros
ImageImage

Match Day
ImageImage

Match Day II
ImageImage

Miami Vice
ImageImage

Midnight Resistance
ImageImage

Moon Alert
ImageImage

Mr Wimpy
ImageImage

Mutants
ImageImage

N.O.M.A.D.
ImageImage

Narc
ImageImage

Navy Seals
ImageImage

NeverEnding Story, The
ImageImage

New Zealand Story, The
ImageImage

Night Breed
ImageImage

Nightmare Rally
ImageImage

Operation Thunderbolt
ImageImage

Operation Wolf
ImageImage

Pang
ImageImage

Phantom Club
ImageImage

Platoon
ImageImage

Plotting
ImageImage

Pogo
ImageImage

Power Drift
ImageImage

Pud Pud
ImageImage

Puzznic
ImageImage

Quondam
Image

Rainbow Islands
ImageImage

Rambo
ImageImage

Rambo III
ImageImage

Red Heat
ImageImage

Road Race
ImageImage

Robocop
ImageImage

Robocop 2
ImageImage

Robocop 3
ImageImage

Roland's Rat Race
ImageImage

Royal Birkdale: Championship Golf
ImageImage

Run The Gauntlet
ImageImage

Shadow Warriors
ImageImage

Short Circuit
ImageImage

Simpsons, The: Bart vs The Space Mutants
ImageImage

Sly Spy
ImageImage

Smash TV
ImageImage

Space Gun
ImageImage

Street Hawk
ImageImage

Street Hawk - Kays Catalogue Edition
ImageImage

Super Bowl
ImageImage

Tai-Pan
ImageImage

Tank
ImageImage

Terminator 2: Judgment Day
ImageImage

Top Gun
ImageImage

Total Recall
ImageImage

Track & Field
ImageImage

Transformers, The
ImageImage

Transversion
ImageImage

Untouchables, The
ImageImage

V
ImageImage

WWF Wrestlemania
ImageImage

Where Time Stood Still
ImageImage

Wizball
ImageImage
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Juan F. Ramirez
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

Daley Thompson's Decathlon for me. The first top game by Ocean, IMHO.
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Juan F. Ramirez
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

And my Ocean's top 3:

1 - DT Decathlon
2 - The Grest Escape
3 - Cobra
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stupidget
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by stupidget »

Head over Heels for me as it's the one game in the list that I spent the most time playing. It's also the first game I played originally on the 48 and then a 128 when I upgraded. I still remember being amazed by the menu tune and the different tunes for each zone. Great stuff indeed.

1 - Head over Heels
2 - Rainbow Islands
3 - Wizball

I'd probably put Nightmare Rally in 4th as my mate and me spent ages playing that, but, never seemed to get anywhere.
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by Nick »

1 Rainbow Islands - possibly the best arcade conversion on the Speccy
2 The Great Escape
3 Head Over Heels
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PeteProdge
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by PeteProdge »

1) Rainbow Islands
2) The New Zealand Story
3) Gryzor

The top two are utterly astonishing as arcade conversions, the gameplay is absolutely bang-on. Still astounded at how well they did. You can't ask for anything more, really.
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by Turtle_Quality »

Daley Thompson's Decathlon for me

Followed by Match Day and Rainbow Islands
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by MarkRJones1970 »

Why's Power Drift there? That was 1st published by Activision
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by PeteProdge »

MarkRJones1979 wrote: Sun Jul 14, 2019 7:43 pm Why's Power Drift there? That was 1st published by Activision
Wait, what? *checks*

Oh f***, you are right. Some did creep in a week ago, and in the discussion phase, someone here spotted Activision's Predator, which I removed. I thought that was it. They came in because I was navigating huge lists under 'Ocean' on this site, and it tends to include anything that Ocean rereleased (a lot of Activision games came up in big box Ocean compilations).

Well, I can't edit the poll now, but I can declare any vote for Power Drift to be null and void - which goes for the forum poll and any proportional votes. Thanks for spotting it, I seriously regret that error.

Make it 105 Ocean games on the ZX Spectrum!
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by Hank Scorpio »

1. The New Zealand Story
2. The Great Escape
3. Cobra
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by AndyC »

A nearly impossible choice. So many that would probably be in contention for a top ten all time best list. I went for Head Over Heels in the end, it's an all time favourite of mine. It took me years to finish it, but it's still fun to revisit even if I can no longer get as far. If I were picking a top three it would probably be:

1. Head over Heels
2. Rainbow Islands
3. RoboCop

Although in all likelihood that list would be different every time I scrolled through those images. Ocean really were a power house back in the day.
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by Metalbrain »

1 - Operation Wolf
2 - Chase H.Q.
3 - Robocop

Honorable mentions: Rainbow Islands, Puzznic, Batman: The Movie
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by Pegaz »

1. Nightmare Rally
2. Knight Rider
3. Pud Pud
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Juan F. Ramirez
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

Pegaz wrote: Mon Jul 15, 2019 4:59 pm 1. Nightmare Rally
Great game. Spent hours playing it.
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by PQR »

1 :: Firefly – probably Joffa’s finest hour
2 :: Head over Heels – cute graphics and immensely enjoyable gameplay
3 :: Robocop – first enjoyed it on 48K, then blown away when I bought a 128K some time later

Runners up: The Great Escape, Daley Thompsons’s Super-Test, Chase HQ
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by PeteProdge »

The strange thing is, that if this was carried out on the sales of games, then Robocop would be the runaway winner. (It's either Robocop or Activision's Ghostbusters which became the best selling ZX Spectrum game of all time.) As it is, Robocop only has one vote.

Currently way out in front is Head Over Heels, which is an original creation from Jon Ritman, no licenses involved. The History Of Ocean Software book reveals that Jon's isometric 3D take on Batman sold more than Head Over Heels. Which goes to show the commercial power of a license. Depressing, but true.
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by AndyC »

When I first saw the topic, I honestly thought RoboCop was going to be the clear winner. Indeed I was convinced I'd vote for it myself. It was only scrolling through the list of images that I began to realise just how many contenders there were and, great as it is, I really couldn't put it first.

It really does show the power of a licence though, that's for sure.
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

With some many great hits it's difficult to have a clear winner, the votes will be very dispersed.

I'm looking forward to seeing the results...
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by WIWC »

1) The Great Escape
2) Cobra
3) Head Over Heels

4) Robocop
5) Wizball
6) Where Time Stood Still
7) Match Day II
8) N.O.M.A.D.
9) Gift from the Gods
10) Match Day / International Match Day

err... why is Power Drift in the list?
Last edited by WIWC on Tue Jul 16, 2019 10:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by WIWC »

Juan F. Ramirez wrote: Mon Jul 15, 2019 7:32 pm
Pegaz wrote: Mon Jul 15, 2019 4:59 pm 1. Nightmare Rally
Great game. Spent hours playing it.
Pegaz wrote: Mon Jul 15, 2019 4:59 pm 2. Knight Rider
Spent seconds playing it. They felt like hours.
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by Vampyre »

1. Daley Thompson's Decathlon
2. Chase HQ
3. Head Over Heels
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by Vampyre »

stupidget wrote: Sun Jul 14, 2019 2:44 pm Head over Heels for me as it's the one game in the list that I spent the most time playing. It's also the first game I played originally on the 48 and then a 128 when I upgraded. I still remember being amazed by the menu tune and the different tunes for each zone. Great stuff indeed.

1 - Head over Heels
2 - Rainbow Islands
3 - Wizball

I'd probably put Nightmare Rally in 4th as my mate and me spent ages playing that, but, never seemed to get anywhere.
I loved Wizball too, I've never quite got the hate for it since I started on Speccy forums. Would probably have come 4th in my vote.
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by PeteProdge »

WIWC wrote: Tue Jul 16, 2019 10:08 amerr... why is Power Drift in the list?
Pure human error, votes won't count for it. An explanation on page 1, here.
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by Fahnn »

Ocean were never my favourite software house but it's absolutely undeniable that over their long history, they released some very high quality games. Sure, there was some rubbish, but when they got it right they tended to get it very right.

1. Daley Thompson's Decathlon
2. Firefly
3. Gilligan's Gold

Honourable mentions to Armageddon, Moon Alert, Match Day, Cavelon and especially Wizball. It's painful to exclude Wizball here, as it's probably one of my top ten games of all time, but the Spectrum version just isn't as good as the C64 original and it's really noticeable if you play them one after another. I know saying things like that is tantamount to heresy around these parts, but it's true.
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Re: The best Speccy game by Ocean: vote

Post by Dark »

Well I’m sure their use of marketing and licences worked on me as there was a lot of Ocean games that I had to go out and purchase when they came out. Whereas a lot of my games collection from other software houses were more done on a whim in the shop based on price, artwork and graphics, or because I’d played them at a friends.

To be fair I wasn’t disappointed with the games they produced, lot of great stuff in their catalogue. I’ve gone with Combat School as my favourite, remember playing it loads, had great graphics, gameplay, was just hard enough but not impossible and it had great music on the 128k version.

1. Combat School
2. Match Day II
3. Daley Thomson’s Olympic Challenge

4. Operation Wolf
5. Run the Gauntlet
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