Best ZX Spectrum Game

For the purposes of my computer game commentary I refer to Sinclair's ZX Spectrum of 1982 as a computer-game machine. The ZX Spectrum is also known as "The Speccy."

The ZX Spectrum is powered by an 8-bit Zilog Z80A microprocessor clocked at 3½ MHz. RAM on the ZX Spectrum ranges from 16 to 128 kbytes. By 1984 ZX Spectrum games were coded for 48k RAM.

Before the ZX was the 1-16 kbyte Z81 of 1981 and the single-kbyte Z80 of 1980. :)

In contrast to the raw and gritty graphics of the Commodore 64, Speccy games were often bright and colorful yet elegant in presentation. In Speccy games the lack of color gradients and fill-detail isolates the graphical form via linework.

Some Speccy games are absolutely immaculate in terms of controls, presentation and graphics; many of them are charming and funny.

Speccy games run in 8-color 256x192 resolution. Each 64 block of pixels (8x8) can only have 2 colors. When one sprite moves over or into another, color-clash occurs.

The weakpoint of the Speccy was its crumby audio and screen-scrolling; it also lacked hardware sprites and a bit blitter. However, the limitations of the Speccy drove its computer-game design innovation. I wouldn't go so far as to say that Speccy-originals were more innovative than C64 ones, but I will venture to state that Speccy games were more witty and charming than the games of any other micro in history, starting with the likes of Manic Miner.

Everyone loves the micros they grew up with, but in my estimation there is something especially special about the Speccy. :)

The best ZX Spectrum game is Costa Panayi's Highway Encounter of 1985. Highway Encounter is one of the most polished computer games that I have ever played; it is pure magic. In concept this microcomputer-game masterpiece evokes Lemmings on the Amiga... but came out six years before Lemmings on the Amiga.

Note that Costa Panayi's Tornado Low Level (TLL) of 1984 features smooth multi-directional scrolling even though the ZX Spectrum lacked hardware scrolling.

The most ground-breaking ZX Spectrum game is Sandy White's Ant Attack because it was the first isometric computer game to feature real-time arcade action. Before Ant Attack there was only the Zaxxon shoot 'em up... in the arcades.

Ant Attack even featured 4-way screen-scrolling and verticality. Zaxxon only scrolled in one direction. And you could not flip the viewpoint around in Zaxxon like you can in Ant Attack. Indeed, you can't flip the viewpoint around in Jagged Alliance 2 of 1999.

Julian Gollop's Rebelstar Series also broke rock-hard ground in computer-game tactics, eventually evolving into X-COM UFO Defense.

The most influentual ZX Spectrum game is Ulimate Play the Game's Knight Lore of 1984 because its image-masking and environmental interaction influenced countless isometric computer games that came after it, across all related genre and platforms. Knight Lore was developed by the Stamper Brothers and John Lathbury.

Knight Lore is part of the Sabreman Series on the ZX Spectrum.

Knight Lore employed UPtG's Filmation engine, which was flip-screen. But Night Shade and Gunfright of 1985 were built on the Filmation II engine, which employed screen-scrolling and seamless transition.

Another highly impressive ZX Spectrum-first is Stephen Crow's Starquake of 1985. Starquake is practically perfect in terms of controls, playability and audio-visuals. Such a great microcomputer game, pure brilliance.

Best ZX Spectrum Ports

Imagine being tasked with porting an arcade-machine game to the ZX Spectrum in the 1980s? The arcade machine has dedicated hardware that is often designed for a specific game, but the ZX Spectrum has no custom chips.

The best ZX Spectrum port is a toss-up between Bob Pape's R-Type of 1988 and John O'Brien's Chase HQ of 1989. No one could believe that "a mere" ZX Spectrum could faithfully replicate such coinops. Talk about thumbing one's nose at the 16 bits! These ports are incredible:

And who can forget Mike Lamb's Speccy conversion of RoboCop? Excellent controls and audio-visuals. It sold like hotcakes. RoboCop is undoubtedly the most famous Speccy port.

cf.

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