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Antiquities: ZX Spectrum and the ancient igrozhur

The short but vibrant era of the ZX Spectrum in my life began in 1993 and ended in 1995, with the advent of the IBM PC home. The self-assembled ATM Turbo eventually acquired a sound microcircuit, two five-inch floppy drives, a smart reed switch and a PC case from Partner 01-01 computer. Two dozen cassettes with programs and games were collected, something was later transferred to discs, and almost all was lost over the next twenty-five years. But something remains. The year before last, I talked about surviving collections on cassettes. Today we will focus on literature.

Many books and brochures on the Spectrum were also bought. Now for essentially user tasks this is not required - all the information is on the Internet. In the early nineties, the Internet was replaced by print media. “Books” - it is said loudly, often they were thin notebooks made of bad paper, with typewriter font and lines in Latin letters by hand, but always with a laminated cover. They were approached when they were tired of “just playing games,” and I wanted to either understand what you were playing, or somehow modify the gameplay. In an extreme case - if you are completely tired of playing - do programming.

One of the two books I have kept of those times is “Description of 500 ZX Spectrum Game Programs”. It was not the best games that got there, but simply those that the author’s hand reached. She solved a simple problem: after you rewrote a couple of cassettes with software from friends, you need to understand how it works and which buttons to press. It was not always possible to do this independently. There was such an element of intrigue: either you didn’t understand something, or the game does not work without a joystick. Either the Spectrum is not compatible with your clone, or it corresponded poorly. I will give several quotes from this book, and at the same time I will show how the games “at them” were reviewed in the West, with a developed fan press.

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“500 Games” was released in 1992, and this is very noticeable. Thin paper, the last few tens of pages are in a different font. The quality of descriptions varies from thoughtful, detailed, with keys and cheat codes, to completely superficial and frankly reckless. In 1993, it was my handbook. The consumption model was completely non-profit: no, you do not choose games in bright glossy boxes in the store. You don’t read reviews in the magazine and don’t know what releases come out in a month. You do not have access to the documentation, and in general all that you have is a rewritten program that is not clear where the program is on tape. Now all the necessary information on almost all releases can be found on one WorldOfSpectrum website - there are images of programs there (if distribution was not prohibited by the copyright holder), and for many reviews, posters and magazine covers have been selected.

Jet set willy




500 games:
Purpose of the game: we need to collect 83 items, without which we cannot enter the bedroom. Among the objects, two are counted in double size and two invisible, i.e. we will see a total of 79 items at 60 levels.


Preview the magazine Crash of the April 1984

Journal of Computer and the Video Games is , in May 1984 (hereinafter referred to my own, and enough free translation):
Miner Willy ( this is a reference to the Manic Miner game ) is the main character of this game, but he has already got out of the mysterious mine. For all the money earned there, Willy bought a mansion in Surbiton. Why there? I don’t know, ask Matthew ( meaning Matthew Smith, creator of the game )! Willy was not conceited, although he was rich, he throws parties at his home for hundreds of friends, and invites only those who really know how to have a break. From this house often comes a mess, which is very frustrating to Mary, Willie's housekeeper. This game begins after one of the parties. Maria can no longer tolerate bacchanalia, and does not let Willy sleep until he brings order.

In fact:


Jet Set Willy was launched in 1984 and is truly a sequel to Manic Miner. The editors of the magazine praised the game and prophesied the best places in the Top 10 best-selling games. A characteristic difference between the domestic description and the foreign one: in the "500 games" everything is strictly in the case, cheat codes are given. In foreign you are offered a story: you still have to persuade you to buy this particular game. Jet Set Willy implements anti-piracy technology: an official insert is attached to the official release, the color of which must be entered after loading the game.


Like Manic Miner, in 2020 the Jet Set Willy impresses primarily with its completely addictive graphics, but at least it can't stand the brain deliberately peppy soundtrack . And playing Willy is easier than its predecessor.


R-type




500 games:
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— . . .
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- In the second part of the zone (and you still have to get to this place) a robot will appear again. It is necessary to do the same with him. To shoot him in the eye, and then the link, which, in turn, will try to destroy you.

ACE Magazine , December 1988:
You control the interstellar space attack aircraft R-9, avenge the mercenaries of the insidious Baido empire. You need to go through eight increasingly difficult tests. At each stage, hordes of enemy ships, ground guns, and of course, the main villain will be set up against you. Its task is to prevent you from reaching the next level. ... The game is complex and exciting, we are sure you will play it for many months in a row
In fact:


R-Type was launched in 1988 for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64/128, Atari ST, Amiga and Amstrad computers. Initially, the game was released by Irem as a slot machine, and the graphics there, as well as the music, were betterthan the version for the Spectrum. But in fact this is such a rare case when the glossy cover of the game is not so far from the content: in my opinion this is the most beautiful game for the Spectrum. Which in 2020 explodes the brain with its incredible complexity and the need to hone every movement, at every level. I, spoiled by modern AAA releases, where on a simple level you can lazily move the mouse after the plot, is unusual. However, every time I get out of the dusty corner, ahem, the ZX Spectrum emulator, the first thing I do is run R-Type. ACE magazine in its reviews of the late eighties gives such a "schedule" of interest - evaluating the game by the parameter "how soon you get tired." R-Type has high expectations - up to a year:



Up to a year, yeah. How about 32 years old?

Exolon




500 games:
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, . , . , . , — , , .…

CHEET : , Z,O,R,B,A. .

Sinclair User Magazine , July 1987:
If Exolon were a car, it would be a Plymouth Roadrunner. If a place on the map, then Nebraska, if a weapon, then Magnum 44 caliber. In other words, Exolon is the best game for Spectrum of all time. ...

Although few people care, the plot of the game is built around Vitork, a warrior hero who must penetrate the very rear of the enemy forces and blow it to hell. And this, you probably guessed it, is a little more complicated than it seems ...

Exolon is a great game, without discounts. And the graphics and gameplay are such that you play with genuine pleasure. The fate of Exolon is to be on the list of legendary games for Spectrum, along with Manic Miner , Lunar Jetman and Knight Lore .

In fact:


Exolon was launched in 1987. To start, let's take a look at the Plymouth Roadrunner: after three decades, this cultural reference is no longer very clear:


Is it clearer now? This game is "for sale" from the first screen, another beautiful release on the ZX Spectrum. So skillfully harnessing the rather limited resources of an eight-bit personalization was far from possible for everyone. In 2005, a slightly tinted free remake for Windows was released, but frankly, more modern graphics are not so impressive. It is recommended for use in its original form. The best way to break the keyboard and / or joystick since 1987.

Featured Quotes


Bucket Thrower The bucket

thrower is the head of the buckets, he is very smart and haunts you everywhere. For the first time, the bucket thrower appears on the first level in building N4, and then is everywhere. It can never be destroyed, but it can be temporarily trapped in the basement between the three stairs. To do this, you must lure him into the basement. Now quickly lift the stairs to the first floor, without an elevator, and go right or left. The bucket thrower will be locked in the basement until you lose your brush or go to the other end of the building

From the 1984 Bristles game description . The book contains a typo in the title: "Bristler."
Once upon a time, in a remote valley cut off from the civilization known to us, there was a maze. Many daredevils looked in there, but nobody returned from there. You can take a chance and go there, but do not be too self-confident. Enter the difficulty level from 1 to 5. Now, after entering the difficulty level, take your time. Gather your courage. A maze appears on the screen. Consider it properly and think over your moves. ... You can move along the white paths of the labyrinth completely without hindrance, but to the right and left you can only move if your head is in the dark and your feet are stomping along the paths of bright colors.
From the 1982 Escape Game Description . But this is not accurate: there are 8 releases with this name in the Worldofscpectrum database, and half of them are about mazes.
There and Reed are very pretty girls living in the country of ROD LAND, filled with fragrant flowers, thousands of eared rabbits, baleen kittens, obedient elephants with ears, like plates. On the screen of your SPECTRUM, subtly traced Japanese-style pictures will appear. A nice couple is armed with strong batons, with which they break through the skulls of no less attractive enemies. They, in addition, are not bad fighters - at least they make masterful throws over their heads. A few tricks, and the enemy disappears into a pool of magical mud.
From the 1991 Rod-Land game description . Everything is true in the description, there really are eared elephants. Aww.


The anonymous author of "500 Games" (or a team of authors?) Was not easy. His or their foreign colleagues were in the thick of things, had an idea of ​​the good and bad studios, and were constantly informed by the publishers about the incredible plot twists of new releases. It seems to me that in the Solon JV of 1992 the situation was a little different, although some reviews clearly show a good knowledge of the topic. Others do not show, this is a clean, unclouded stream of consciousness, initiated by a low-resolution picture on color TV. Or, more precisely, a noticeably well-trained imagination: elephants and bucket throwers still need to be seen in large-pixel sprites.



But they completed the task: in the table of contents there are still my notes "played, did not play, I want to play." Often, information from a book helped advance even beyond the first screen. It is a pity that the era of the Spectrum was not available to me in all its glory: with the press, posters, beautiful covers, collectible (now) cassettes with one single game.

However, even if everything turned out differently, it was not bad either: with self-made clones (more powerful than the originals), cooperative joysticks, learning games to include eternal life. With a clean, rarely available in adulthood, uncomplicated childhood enthusiasm.

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