A pixel pioneer
After the death of Sir Clive Sinclair, we look back at his much-loved creation the ZX Spectrum
LAST week saw the passing of Sir Clive Sinclair – the founding father of the UK’S gaming industry.
The 81-year-old pioneer of home electronics first came to the country’s attention with the invention of the pocket calculator.
That might not sound like much, but when you think that prior to that most calculating machines were the size of a shop till, you can see how revolutionary it was.
But it was his ZX computers – the first relatively affordable home systems – which changed things forever.
And next year marks the 40th anniversary of Sinclair’s best known model – the ZX Spectrum.
With its bright, colour graphics, tactile rubber keyboard and delightful tinny sound chip, it single handedly kickstarted the British games industry, inspiring kids up and down the country to write their own games at home.
Some of the world’s greatest games developers started with the ZX Spectrum, their hearts and minds being won over by titles like Jet Pac, Chuckie Egg, Horace Goes Skiing, and Jet Set Willy.
More than five million ZX models were sold worldwide between 1982 and 1992, when production ceased – leaving an incredible legacy for future game makers.
Many of the Spectrum’s games still hold a dear place in gamers’ hearts, so what better way to celebrate Sir Clive’s wonderful computer than to look back on some of its best loved titles.
There are far, far too many games to run through on this page alone, so I have cherry picked four of my personal favourites.
CHUCKIE EGG (1983)
The game, written by 16-year-old Nigel Alderton, saw Hen-house Harry racing through eight barns collecting eggs as he goes.
What he plans to do with them, your guess is as good as mine, but the chickens have no intention of them over easily, the action solemnly watched over by a caged bird at the top of the screen.
Complete all eight levels, and you get to play them all over again – but this time you’re harassed by a flying bird, freed from the confines of its cage.
A third playthrough sees you fending off both chickens and flapping foe.
Chuckie Egg 2 was released in 1985, and in 2017 a mobile version – Super Chuckie Egg – was issued.
JET SET WILLY (1984)
Another game written by a teenage developer, namely Matthew Smith from Wirral, Merseyside.
Jet Set Willy saw an exhausted miner trying to tidy his home after a giant party.
This was one of the first games to
break from a linear gaming path, allowing players to move around the mansion as they saw fit, collecting objects as they went.
All in all there were 60 screens to play through in order to complete the game, a task rendered near impossible by ‘The Attic bug’ which saw various rooms becoming corrupted, hiding monsters and, in some cases, triggering a game over.
BOMB JACK – ELITE (1986)
Released at the height of the Spectrum’s popularity, Bomb Jack – Elite was ported from the highly successful Japanese arcade machine.
Each new screen presented a fresh pattern of bombs which our hero Jack must defuse in order to stay alive.
It’s no mean feat either, as alongside the bombs there are UFOS, darting birds and mummies trying to pick you off.
You can even boost your score by defusing the bombs ‘in order’, pickhanding
ing off the fizzing ones in succession.
RAINBOW ISLANDS: THE STORY OF BUBBLE BOBBLE 2 (1989)
Bubble Bobble’s adorable dragons Bub and Bob took human form in this sequel to Taito’s hugely popular arcade hit.
Named Bubby and Bobby, the aim was to make your way across seven different islands, defeat the ‘dark shadow’ and rescue the Rainbow Islands.
Each ‘island’ had its own theme, with three stages to make your way through before you are caught in rising waters and ‘drown’. Various items provide power ups, from the ability to fire multiple rainbows, to the speed in which you can fire them.
Each island also has its own boss, from a bouncing spider and bombdropping helicopter, to an Easter Island style head spitting deadly diamonds, and a sinister vampire.