Homebrew ZX Spectrum games
On this page you will find some home made games for the Speccy, if you'd like your own game listed please contact me through the usual channels.
Sausage Server
By James O'Grady released 2024-12-05
Catch 20 sausages in a pan.
Cook it.
Drop 20 sausages on a plate.
Repeat!
O is left P is right Z is drop!
Ardennes
By James O'Grady released 2024-11-24
You play as the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944). Move units with cursor keys 5678. If it goes A it means "Do you want to attack?" and you press "y" or "n".
Then it asks you for a direction
123 4X5 678
18 turns, get a ratio of over 1.6 to win. Occupy magenta houses!
Towns, rivers and forests slow you down.Rivers and forests help you defend.
Germans get a 50% attack bonus on the first turn only.
Germans are black numbers.
German 2s and 4s are infantry and move 4 spaces.
German 3s and 6s are tanks and move 10 spaces.
Allies are red black numbers.
Allied 3s and 4s are infantry and move 4 spaces.
Allied 5s and 6s are tanks and move 12 spaces.
Indiana Jones and the Idol of Gold
By James O'Grady released 2024-06-12
Indiana Jones y El Idolo de Oro is a type-in from Micro-Hobby Semanal 33.
Juan Jose Sanchez Plaza wrote it.
You play the part of Indiana Jones in his quest to find the Idol of Gold and to put it where it belongs... in a museum!
The game contains full instructions.
There's the Snorkified Spanish version, and then the EVEN MORE SNORKIFIED English version!
Dam Eaters
By James O'Grady released 2024-03-01
Dam Eaters is a game from "Sixty Programs for the Dragon 32". Other versions are available!
I wrote and tested this using the XRoar emulator. Load the games with CLOAD"".
Dam Eaters.tap is the original.
Instructions are provided in the game.
Dam Eaters Snorkified.tap is my Snorkified version. Added colours, changed speed, added animation, set it on Rhayader Dam, added a 3 in a row bonus.
Bwytawr Argae.tap is my Snorkified Welsh version. As the English version, but in Welsh. Also the dam is thicker at the bottom!
Put That Light Out
By James O'Grady released 2024-02-16
"Put That Light Out" is a Snorkified version of S.M.Ware's "Light's Out!".
Change from Light's Out to PUT THAT LIGHT OUT
Change the colours so the sky is dark blue
Change the lights so they are YELLOW
Change the keys to "qaop".
"War Stencil" font from Roberto Colombo, with the £ sign moved down a bit.
London backdrop, Houses of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral, Tower of London, Tower Bridge
Barrage balloons to show the "level"
Lose states:
Fall out of a window
Leave at the ground floor... arrested by Home Guard
Run out of time and the Germans bomb London
After every level the German bomber flies across and "Deutschlandlied" plays
If you ran out of time? Fire POKEs and then "London's Burning"
Win state: put all lights out before the time runs out. Luftwaffe can't find London in the dark! Next level. Less time. New barrage balloon!
Wages are paid in Old Money
On each level there should be one more blank space to make it harder!
All 21 UDGs are used!
Caudillo
By James O'Grady released 2024-01-19
Caudillo was a 1992 wargame created by Richard Forsythe from a game system by Jason Davies. It was sold by mail order.
The two players are the opposing sides of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the Nationalists and the Republicans.
There is optional hidden movement.
The game starts with the Republicans deploying units. Control the cursor with
W E A D Z X
and S to select. Hollow cities are republican, solid are nationalist.
Then the Nationalists deploy units.
On each turn, the Nationalists go first, followed by the Republicans.
A full manual is available on SpectrumComputing.
Changes in the Snorkified Version
1) Different unit icons for Carlists, Catalans, Asturian Miners and Basques
2) Asturian Miners are stronger
3) More Carlists
4) Some units have changed names
5) An extra river from Madrid to Portugal
6) Two extra cities in France which are supply sources
7) Extra mountains
8) Random events are now at the start of January and July
Santa's Christmas Nightmare
By James O'Grady released 2023-12-18
Santa's Christmas Nightmare by Derek Mearns was first published in ZX Computing Dec 1985/Jan 1986. It's a multi-level Santa Claus game with redefinable keys for the 48K Spectrum.
Normal and Snorkified Versions!
Tomb of Akhenaten
By James O'Grady released 2023-05-11
A Snorkification of Shiela Hunt's 1984 CCS game Tomb of Akhenaten.
Use OPQA to move around the mazes.
Mike Singleton's Treachery!
By James O'Grady released 2023-03-11
Treachery is a computer moderated boardgame. The two players represent MI6 and the KGB, and they must either capture the rogue scientist Professor Schweinstein and bring him home, or manoeuvre the Mandroid to the enemy base and detonate the Mind Bomb it is carrying. But where are the Professor, the Homing Beacon, and the Firing Button? And who can you trust?
Full instructions inside the PDF inside the ZIP file, fresh from the magazine!
Christmas Time
By James O'Grady released 2022-12-24
Christmas Time Spectrum is the ZX Spectrum version (.tap and .tzx). Should run on 16K or 48K Spectrums
Christmas Time Snorkified Spectrum is the ZX Spectrum version (.tap and .tzx). 48K only!
The ZX Spectrum versions are loaded with LOAD "" as normal.
Christmas Dragon 32.cas is a Dragon 32 tape, in English. "Y Nadolig 2022 dragon 32.cas" is the same but in Welsh. CLOAD will work.
Christmas BBC.ssd is a BBC Micro disk. LOAD "CHRISTM"
Vic Christmas.tap is the VIC-20 version. LOAD ""
Runaway Robot
By James O'Grady released 2022-11-18
Runaway Robot was a type-in by Jon Smith and Simon N Goodwin!
The Original version is the one in the magazine Games Computing, issue 1, January 1984. You can get the magazine (and other issues too) at https://www.flaxcottage.com.
The "compiled" version is that but run through the ZIP Compiler, and with a choice of speed (the lower, the faster).
Snorkified Deluxe is my BASIC upgrade.
Snorkified Deluxe COMPILED is the compiled version.
128K is the 128K version (no AY music though).
And the .dsk file is the ZX +3 disk version that autoloads!
Move the robot through the maze, collect the batteries. "qaop" in lower case are the controls!
Enterprise
By James O'Grady released 2022-07-29
This is my slightly Snorkified version of Tim Ansell's "Enterprise" for the ZX Spectrum.
I changed the loading screen to add a ring around the red planet.
I fixed a bug where you bought food and it gave you fuel instead.
I changed it so that the colour of the alien talking head varies depending on the colour of the sky.
I fixed a bug where if you won or lost during a time update, it wouldn't do the carrying of digits properly so it looked weird.
Dark Forest
By James O'Grady released 2022-06-24
These are the three tape files for the Dragon 32. I use the XROAR emulator and CLOAD ""
They are all simple text adventures, explore the forest (NSEW), opening treasures or not and fighting baddies. The end goal is to defeat the EVIL CREATURE!
There's a Snorkified version and a Welsh version, Coedwig Dywll.cas
Dreadnought
By James O'Grady released 2022-05-13
"Dreadnought" for the Commodore 64 is from "Micro Wars on the Commodore 64" by Humphrey Walwyn.
dreadnought.d64 is the original
dreadnoughtV2.d64 is the Snorkified version
Both are loaded with LOAD"*",8 after attaching the disk to drive 8.
Two player game, design and name two fleets and let them fight each other in a recreation of naval combat 1895 to 1918. Ships have speed and direction, and are controlled via flags or radio. The map is centred between the first ship of each fleet which is automatically the flagship. If one side is completely sunk or the fleets are too far apart then the game ends.
5 types of ship and 3 types of gun!
Snorkified version boasts an ADDITIONAL ship, an additional type of gun, more use of colour, and gradual acceleration/deceleration of the ships. No more handbrake turns!
Thro The Wall
By James O'Grady released 2022-04-01
The idea is that I take Thro The Wall from the Horizons tape, and then show YOU, the viewer, how to make it better using BASIC, step by step.
So I've included extra source listings!
"After Part 1" is after I've shown you how to add a display showing lives and the score, and sounds for when the ball hits things.
"Snorkified" is after we've added a special FLASHING brick, which unlocks either multi-ball or sticky bat!
Norway Panic
By James O'Grady released 2022-03-07
Norway Panic is from "Dynamic Games for the ZX Spectrum" published by Sinclair Browne in 1983. It is written by Tim Rogers.
Steer your car along winding Norwegian roads by pressing 5 to go left and 8 to go right. How far can you get?
The Snorkified version changes the sound, adds a high score feature, improves the graphics, adds instructions, a victory screen, a plot and a "where are you now" feature... as well as a loading screen!
Anarchy!
By James O'Grady released 2022-01-28
These three games all use the Anarchic System of S.Robert Speel (Hi Bob!), from his New Adventure Systems for the Spectrum, Fontana, 1984.
Fossil Hunt is the example "create it yourself" scenario from the book. You need to find the fossil.
Tic Tac Toe Quest is my example that I created myself to make sure it all works. You need to get enough money to win, find an object and reach a location.
El Dorado Quest is my complete adventure. You need to find the Lost City of El Dorado, loot its treasure and then leave the country safely. You need to get enough money, get the required objects, kill a monster AND reach a location.
I added "weight" to the "look at" and "stat" verbs, so it tells you how much things weigh and how much you are carrying.
VERBS
takedrop
eat
dig
look
look at <object>
status
COMBAT
hithit <object>
stab <object>
throw <object>
Objects have dimensions, weight and durability!
Scenario Maker DELUXE is the scenario maker from the book with some quality of life enhancements, including object confirmation and added location prepositions. This results in some DATA statements that must be copied to a new file and saved.
I've provided the Questionnaire to help with this.
You must create data statements for each monster. These are 760x where x is the number of the monster. These can be dummied out with 0,0,0,"". You can also create them using Vector Picture Designer. Instructions are in the comments!
Player Program in SPEELSCOPE is the player program. Load it, then MERGE "" the scenario to get a playable game.
Want help debugging exits? MERGE "" the location display which will tell you where the locations go.
Xmas Eve
By James O'Grady released 2021-12-21
I have the same game for you across SIX different platforms!
"xmas eve amstrad cpc 464.dsk" and ""xmas eve amstrad cpc 464 spanish WORKING.dsk" are disks for the Amstrad CPC 464. I used the CPCEC emulator. LOAD "xmaseve" or load "nochebue"
"XMASBBC.ssd" for the BBC Micro. LOAD "XMAS EVE"
"xmascbm64.d64" for the Commodore 64. LOAD "XMAS EVE",8
XMASDR32.tap and XMASDR32-CYMRAEG.tap for the Dragon 32. CLOAD ""
XMASORIC.tap for the ORIC 1. CLOAD ""
ZXMASEVESpectrum.tap and ZXMASEVESpectrum.tzx for the ZX Spectrum. LOAD ""
All written by Paul Stanley!
Ant Hill
By James O'Grady released 2021-12-09
Ant Hill is from "Spectrum Gamesmaster" by Kay Ewbank, Mike James and S.M.Gee.
V1.0 is as typed in from the bookV1.1 is with a small bug fixed
V2.0 is with the suggestions from the book.
5 is left, 8 is right, 6 to go down. YOU CANNOT GO UP!
DELUXE is the version with all the bells and whistles, including Efectos FX, Bob Speel's siren, my petrol bomb addition, and the March of the Ants.
4 is to throw bomb left, 7 to throw bomb down, 9 to throw bomb right.
Squids In
By James O'Grady released 2021-11-25
Ian Sinclair's "The ZX Spectrum: How to use and program" is a 1983 book that goes through BASIC programming from soup to nuts. It's really excellent!
The "Ian Sinclair How To Use" is a selection of programs typed in from the book as shown in the video.
The book contains one game, SQUIDS IN!
Original is the original version, u for UP, d for DOWN, space for FIRE.
V2 is after the improvmements suggested by Ian Sinclair.
Snorkified is MY version... where the keys are q for UP, d for DOWN and space for fire!
Richthofen
By James O'Grady released 2021-11-16
richthofen.d64 is the ORIGINAL version, as typed in from the book "Micro Wars" by Humphrey Walwyn.
LOAD "*",8 RUN
Keys
| Germans | Allies | |
| Increase speed | C | M |
| Decrease speed | Z | B |
| Increase height | W | I |
| Decrease height | X | N |
| Turn left | H | A |
| Turn right | K | D |
| Fire | J | S |
Design your plane, increase speed and then takeoff. Shoot down the enemy! If you run out of ammunition you can resupply if you land and return to your hangar, the flashing number.
richthofenV2.d64 and richthofenV3.d64 are my Snorkified versions.
LOAD "*",8 RUN
Keys are different!
| Germans | Allies | |
| Increase speed | M | C |
| Decrease speed | B | Z |
| Increase height | I | W |
| Decrease height | N | X |
| Turn left | A | H |
| Turn right | D | K |
| Fire | S | J |
Shoot down the enemy 5 times to WIN! If you are shot down or crash on your side of the front you live to fly another day!
Nightmare Park
By James O'Grady released 2021-10-29
The Original is for the ZX Spectrum 48K, from "Graphic Adventures for the Spectrum 48K" by Richard Hurley, but I don't know who wrote the actual game.
LOAD ""
Then there is the ORIGINAL original for the Commodore Pet 2001, by Bob Chappell in 1980.
LOAD "NIGHTMARE",8
Then we have my "improved" version for the ZX Spectrum with loading screen and a font from Roberto Colombo's CHARBANK!
LOAD ""
The ZX Spectrum games mainly use the cursor keys to move!
Anarchic System
By James O'Grady released 2021-10-12
These four games all use the Anarchic System of S.Robert Speel (Hi Bob!), from his New Adventure Systems for the Spectrum, Fontana, 1984.
Valley of the Swampbeast has you in a valley looking for the buried treasure of the swampbeast.
Hoard of the Exile has you looking for treasure in a forest by a gorge.
Island of the Penguins has you shipwrecked on an Antarctic island. You need to find a paddle and get to the boat to escape. The DELUXE version has line drawings of the monsters.
Labyrinth of the Minotaur has you searching the Labyrinth to kill the Minotaur, steal his diamond and return to the start with enough money to please your greedy followers. The DELUXE version has line drawings, an attractive font, a loading screen and the "score" verb.
VERBS
take
drop
eat
dig
look
look at <object>
status
COMBAT
hit
hit <object>
stab <object>
throw <object>
Objects have dimensions, weight and durability!
Space Invaders/Lunar Lander/Missile Command
By James O'Grady released 2021-09-09
Three games for the Dragon 32 by Kevin Smith, Kevin Smith and Kevin Smith (and Ben), presumably all from Swansea!
Space Invaders! Use left and right arrow keys to move, and up arrow to fire.
Lunar Lander! Use < and > (or , and .) to move left and right. A to THRUST. In my Snorkified version, use A to turn thrust ON and S to turn it OFF.
Missile Command! Use the arrow keys to move the cursor around. Press 1.2.3.4 to launch a missile from that missile base.
All for the Dragon 32.
English and Welsh versions, and for Missile Command colour versions too!
The General
By James O'Grady released 2021-08-14
This great game from Ian Williams is a little bit broken so I tried to fix it. It's made it slower, but you can at least finish a game now.
I've also included the varDecode program which lets you load the "variable" parts from tape and tells you what they are.
Dungeons and Demons
By James O'Grady released 2021-07-29
Dungeons and Demons is a roleplaying dungeon crawler from Richard G Hurley's "Graphic Adventures for the Spectrum 48K.
You must seek out and kill the Evil Warlock Dalverna who sucked the life force from your father, the king.
Controls
CAPSLOCK IS REQUIRED
5 6 7 8 for movement
Combat is automatic once you are on the same square as a monster. There is no escape!
D to drop an item
P to pick up an item. You can only carry one weapon and wear one piece of armour at a time.
S to cast a spell, which also pauses the game.
INVS makes you invisible to most monsters, for a time
WEB traps monsters in a deadly spiderweb.
CURE heals you a random amount, up to your maximum.
LBLT shoots a lightning bolt at a monster.
FBAL fires a ball of fire.
At the end of the game you receive a score.
The deluxe version includes fonts from Roberto Colombo's Char-Bank, and Andrew Hewson's Capslock toggle from Sinclair User 14.
Starship Alpha
By James O'Grady released 2021-07-15
By C William Engel.
The mission is to eliminate the alien and then land safely on Planet Omega.
The .cas file is for a TRS-80 Model 1 with Level 2 BASIC.
Planet Omega is a #.
Keys are cursor keys for thrusters. Enter turns them off.
G activates gryos. S activates shields. Clear turns them off.
R does a radar search. L fires the lasers. You can't do that with shield active.
C displays the co-ordinates.
The .tzx and .tap files are for the 48K ZX Spectrum, in English and Italian. Full instructions given within!
Keys are cursor keys for thrusters. Space turns them off.
G activates gryos. S activates shields. Enter turns them off.
R does a radar search. L fires the lasers. You can't do that with shield active.
C displays the co-ordinates.
Z controls the ZOOM
ZX Spectrum version includes Zappo from E French of Lancaster, and Efectos FX from Amstrad Sinclair Ocio 14. Font is number 2 from Charbank by Roberto Colombo.
Loading screen and graphics created by me, but using Hardman/Hewson's fill routine.
Fangmole Tunnels
By James O'Grady released 2021-04-22
Fangmole Tunnels are a series of programs by S. Robert Speel in 1984. The only Snorkification I've done is to add explanatory loading screens with text and controls.
Program 1 16K
The Tunnels
Move around the tunnels using the cursor keys 5678. Take gold with 't'. Open doors by moving into them and then pressing 'o'. A little finicky but it works.
Your aim is to collect as much gold as possible before escaping. Move to a staircase and press 'u' to escape... and escape before dawn, in 300 seconds!
Program 2 48K
The Miners
Word has got out and loads of miners have moved in to get gold. Less gold is available, but now explosive devices can be found! Press 'p' to place an explosive, but don't get caught in the blast or try to destroy the edge of the map or you die, game over, and a -400 point penalty.
'i' for inventory.
Program 3 48K
Pits and snakes
The tunnels are becoming unstable and using explosives carries a risk of causing an earthquake. Pits may block your way, but they can be crossed by using a ladder, 't' to take and 'p' to put it down.
You now have 500 seconds and a bigger maze.
Rattlesnakes are nesting here too, and treading on one will reduce your resistance. Resitance of zero means DEATH! Increase your resistance by eating foodsacks, taken with 't'.
Death is no longer the end! You take a score penalty and then carry on.
Program 4 48K
Bats and torches
You can pick up torches which help you see further, but bats will try and take them off you.
The game now has one of TWO aims. The new one has you trying to escape from a single exit to the Southeast, as quickly as possible with as many exploders as possible.
Program 5
The Fangmoles
The deadly Fangmoles are back. They can tunnel through solid rock and are unkillable. Watch out!
Another new aim, this one is to gather as many items as possible and then leave in 800 seconds in an EXTRA-LARGE maze.
'h' for help.
Dogfight
By James O'Grady released 2021-04-08
It's Dogfight on the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 by Robert Erskine (1983).
Original version on the ZX Spectrum and deluxe version on the ZX Spectrum can be loaded with LOAD "".
Loading picture from Pixabay on Pexels.com
Attach the disk to drive 8 on the C64.
Original version on the Commodore 64 can be loaded with LOAD "DOGFIGHT",8 and then RUN
Deluxe version loaded with LOAD "DOGFIGHT.V7",8 and then RUN. You can try out earlier version if you like!
Sub Hunt
By James O'Grady released 2021-03-24
Three different games all called SubHunt.
James Mead's Sub Hunt from "15 Graphic Games for the Spectrum" by Richard G Hurley, MicroPress, 1983. Deluxe version has font added from CharBank, loading screen, machine code by E French of Lancaster!
Jon Hall's Sub Hunt from "Games of Action and Excitement for your ZX Spectrum" by Andrew Nelson, Corgi, 1984. Deluxe version has font added from CharBank, loading screen, machine code by Audrey and Owen Bishop!
Andrew Turner's Sub Hunt from "Giant Book of Spectrum Arcade Games" by Tim Hartnell, Raymond Blake, Neil Pellinacci and Andrew Turner, Fontana, 1984. Deluxe version has font added from CharBank, loading screen, an aeroplane designed by me and music inspired by Das Boot!
Dungeon of Doom
By James O'Grady released 2021-03-08
"Dungeon of Doom" is a Usborne Write Your Own Fantasy Games classic for the Commodore 64.
B is turn left
N is turn right
M to move forward
R to REVEAL squares which uses up a torch
Monsters are revealed which flash and move to attack. You fight back with A for ATTACK.
P is to consume a potion/use a healing salve.
C is to cast a spell. Different characters cast different spells based on the magic items from the Emporium... details in the Book of Lore in the Usborne book!
G is to get (torch, treasure, potion or the MAGIC IDOL. Getting the MAGIC IDOL wins the game!)
You heal naturally over time, or through magic potions, or through the heal spell.
The disk contains
DUNGENLOAD "DUNGEN",8
The dungeon generator, originally typed in by Liam Bramwell but then amended/expanded by me.
This creates files called "LEVEL " then a number.
LOAD "CHARGEN",8
The character generator! This creatss files called HERO then a name.
LOAD "GAME",8
The game! It asks for a hero name and then loads LEVEL 1.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
Three levels of a dungeon!
HERO CONAN a barbarian!
HERO MERLIN a wizard!
HERO STIFFKEY a cleric!
HERO LANCELOT a warrior!
HERO DELSHANNON a wanderer!
Crater on Archelon One
By James O'Grady released 2021-02-05
A text adventure from Preset Future System by S Robert Speel.
There is also COMPLETE Crater on Archelon One V1.2 which is the Snorkers enhanced version.
I have used two machine code routines from Hewson and Hardman's "40 Best Machine Code Routines for the ZX Spectrum", the fill routine and the pixel based scrolling.
The font was from Roberto Colombo's Charbank (also recently featured on this site, Jim).
I did the loading screens myself, using Raymond Russell's advice to copy the picture into memory before saving it.
Mountains of Sirius Two
By James O'Grady released 2021-02-05
A text adventure from Preset Future System by S Robert Speel.
There is also COMPLETE Mountains of Sirius Two V1D which is the Snorkers enhanced version.
I have used two machine code routines from Hewson and Hardman's "40 Best Machine Code Routines for the ZX Spectrum", the fill routine and the pixel based scrolling.
The font was from Roberto Colombo's Charbank (also recently featured on this site, Jim).
I did the loading screens myself, using Raymond Russell's advice to copy the picture into memory before saving it.
Treasure Trail
By James O'Grady released 2021-01-22
Treasure Trail is an adventure game by Jean Frost, from "Instant Arcade Games for the ZX Spectrum". I added a nice font from Char Bank by Roberto Colombo, turning on Capslock from Andrew Hewson, a paper & ink colour changer from Andrew Hewson/John Hardman's "40 Best Machine Code Routines for the ZX Spectrum", and border/sound/screen clear routines from David Webb's "Supercharge Your Spectrum". David Webb/Melbourne House retain copyright for these routines which can be used in non-commercial software.
Freeway Frog
By James O'Grady released 2020-12-23
These are programs from "Spectrum Machine Code for the Absolute Beginner" by Melbourne House.
Freeway Frog is the game, I made changes to the keys so they were QAOP, space to quit. Added a loader too!
HEXLOAD and EZCode are the utilities I typed in to get it into the system!
William Tang did all three. David Webb worked on HEXLOAD as well, and A M Sullivan on EZCode.
The Tribe
By James O'Grady released 2020-12-11
The Tribe by S Robert Speel is originally from his "New Adventure Systems for the Spectrum". I added a nice font, based on Roberto Colombo's N.31 with 2 custom characters, added a game over and a victory screen and a loading screen too, and added 2 new guilds!
Some of the machine code used was from Richard Hurley's Spectrum Supergames!
Magenton
By James O'Grady released 2020-12-05
Magenton is an arcade game based on "Instant Arcade Games for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum" by Jean Winter.
On level 1, stop the evil Magenton invaders from landing. Press 5 for left, 8 for right and 0 to fire. Don't run out of fuel to power your laser though!
On level 2, fly through space and destroy the evil Magenton Motherships. Press 7 for up, 6 for down and 0 to fire. You will launch a nuclear warhead through space. If you aren't going to get a direct hit, press 0 to detonate it and if close enough you might destroy them!
Finally, on level 3 you need to ski down Mount Magenton to defeat them once and for all!
Character set 02 from CHARSET by Roberto Colombo and a loading screen featuring a friend to the channel in an unauthorised cameo as the villain!
Forest Fire
By James O'Grady released 2020-11-20
Originally by C W Engel in 1977, WhatHoSnorkers typed it in on the Spectrum and added User Defined Graphics (my own design!), a lightning storm and siren thanks to S Robert Speel, and a homage to the Crazy World of Arthur Brown thanks to Heiki Julkunen. The loading screen was from "Little Visuals" via pexels.
Quadriland
By James O'Grady released 2020-10-23
Quadriland is from Graphic Adventures for the Spectrum 48K by Richard G Hurley, published by Micro Press in 1984.
Movement is controlled by the number keys 6 is left, 7 is right, 8 is down, 9 is up and 0 is attack. You can move diagonally!
T for Transact (in village huts)C for Converse (in village huts)
D for Dig
E to Enter a Castle or Village
B to Board or disemBark from a BOAT
J to Jump
O to Open
S to Save
L to Load
I for Inventory
P to Pause
What I added:
- natural healing over time
- you cannot stack multiple items
- there is a clue to where the charts are
- gems DO something
- sound when you fight
- more experience and gold
- a nice font
- automatic capslock
- increased monster count
ShootOut
By James O'Grady released 2020-10-08
ShootOut is from "Spectrum Supergames" by Richard G Hurley, published by Micro Press in 1984.
From the book:
"Shootout is a game for two players which requires skill, cunning and ultra-fast reflexes in order to become the greatest gunfighter in the Wild West. The object of the game is to win six duels to the death against your opponent while avoiding the random shots being taken at you by some Indians escaping in their stolen wagon.
This may all sound extremely easy, but just remember that the life expectancy of a gunfighter is very, very short."
WhatHoSnorkers added:
- Sunset picture loaded by machine code (book provided).
- Font N.29 from Roberto Colombo's Char Bank.
- Limited ammunition, you get six shots and then must reload.
- When you die, your tombstone provides cover.
- Winning screen for each player.
- A page of instructions telling you what the keys are.
Fantastic Journey
By James O'Grady released 2020-08-06
Fantastic Journey is from "Spectrum Supergames" by Richard G Hurley, published by Micro Press in 1984.
From the book:
"News has reached you that Dr Hans Zarkov, founder of the World Peace Organisation, has been rushed to hospital with a suspected brain tumour. A few hours later, this diagnosis is confirmed, and the doctor in charge of the case announces that, due to the position of the growth and the condition of the patient, major surgery is impossible. The only chance of survival for Dr Zarkov rests in the hands of the Ultra Subminiature Research Team.
As the captain of the vessel SS Nautilus, it is your responsibility to pilot your craft, from the patient's leg through his bloodstream to the brain so that your first officer can use the onboard laser to dissipate the cancerous growth.
At first, the job seems perfectly routine, the reducing process works well, and you are injected into the leg without any problems. However, only minutes after your journey commences you realise that you are going to have oxygen and fuel problems, and that your only hope of survival and a successful mission is to collect supplies from the various vital organs encountered during your fantastic journey through the human body."
WhatHoSnorkers added:
- Bug fixes, including adding knees and a brain and correcting location names.
- Font toggling between sci-fi font and standard.
- Changing how valves work, from instant death to damage.
- The aorta lets you recover oxygen.
- On reaching the brain you still have to escape via the kidneys.
Faraon
By James O'Grady released 2020-07-30
Faraon (or Katmosis) is a 1985 Spanish game by where you build a pyramid. I translated it into English as I really, really wanted to play it.
Originally published by ABC Soft and written by Joaquin Mateos Lago.
Keops
By James O'Grady released 2020-07-09
KEOPS is type-in text adventure from Spain's Micro-Hobby magazine all the way back in 1988.
Roberto Sarsa of Zaragoza created this gorgeous and fun game, and I typed it in AND created a translated version too!
Dungeons and Dragons
By James O'Grady released 2019-12-13
A Sinclair BASIC port of the Mattel Electronics implementation of the popular board games. All artwork and coding created by James based on Mattel's original algorithms.
CIA
By James O'Grady released 2019-11-21
CIA is a text adventure from "BASIC Fun with Adventure Games" by Susan Drake Lipscomb and Margaret Ann Zuanich. I converted it to the ZX Spectrum!
