Finally, we are nearing kick-off

Gaming culture will get a boost from Gaming Culture

It has been in the works for a while now, and eluded to and hinted about on social media such as the BookFace, and on the Your Sinclair Magazine website. But what am I talking about here?

Soon, on the crowd-funding KickStarter (KS) portal, a new campaign for a printed-matter publication about gaming culture, called Gaming Culture, will launch. And, unlike some other modern days magazines, it'll do exactly what it says on the cover.

From the official announcement over on the KS site, it promises a kick in the joystick! Yikes! Chris Thacker, known as "That Retro Video Gamer" is the man with the plan; he is bringing together a collection of talent from Popular Retro, and a once popular Amiga-related publication that isn't Amiga Addict. In short, it'll be a gaming magazine with more byte.

It seems like it's time for me to un-retire from writing and focus on articles for a magazine again. At least for a couple of issues, and depending on editorial demand for my work of course (as Andrew Merman once quipped, "it's a little more complicated than that"). That's if the campaign gets funded by you lovely people. But please note that my involvement or interest in this project does not mean it's going to focus on retro gaming. As far as I can tell, Chris has no interest in competing with Retro Gamer for that market. From some of the early content that I've seen, it'll be all formats and all eras, no matter how niché. In short, if its happening, it'll get some coverage.

If you are keen to hear more about this, you may follow Chris on the Twitter, and some updates may also appear here too. Stay tuned for more.

What the Internet thinks about the classic Monty on the Run, for the Commodore C64

As an experiment, I asked an AI to write me a review of the game Monty on the Run, for the Commodore C64. Here is the results of that. I'm now pondering if this is the future of blogging? I think not.

Game Review: Monty on the Run (Commodore C64/128)

In the pantheon of classic gaming on the Commodore 64, few titles shine as brightly as Monty on the Run. Released in 1985 by Gremlin Graphics, this platformer caught the attention of gamers with its charming characters, engaging gameplay, and a whimsical story that seamlessly combined adventure with arcade-style action.

Story and Characters

At the heart of Monty on the Run, players take the role of Monty Mole — an adorable, cheeky character who is trying to escape the clutches of an oppressive warden. The game begins with a comical premise: Monty has stolen some treasures and needs to make his getaway while evading various obstacles in the form of guards, traps, and other hazards. This straightforward narrative effectively gives players a purpose—helping Monty secure his freedom, while also navigating the colorful environments that Teal - the game's designer, created with much love.

The charm of Monty, coupled with the humorous storyline, immerses players in a whimsical world where every level provides a fresh challenge and an opportunity to explore. The game does particularly well in developing Monty’s character, as players find themselves rooting for his success.

Gameplay and Mechanics

Monty on the Run is a delightfully challenging platformer that introduces players to different environments, with each level filled with hazards and enemies to avoid. The gameplay is fluid, with Monty capable of running, jumping, and climbing. Players will need to acquire various items to progress through the levels, including keys, which serve to unlock different sections of the game.

The controls are responsive, allowing for precise movements, which is crucial as players navigate tricky platforms and leap over hazards. The game rewards exploration, as finding hidden items can lead to powerful upgrades and unlockables. The levels are designed thoughtfully, with varying degrees of difficulty that cater to both novices and seasoned gamers alike.

One of the game’s standout features is its design. With imaginative level layouts and a diverse range of obstacles — from conveyor belts to swinging hammers — the game keeps players on their toes. Each stage presents new mechanics and foes, adding to the challenges that players must master.

Graphics and Sound

Visually, Monty on the Run is stunning for an 8-bit title. The colorful graphics showcase charming sprites that bring the quaintly absurd world of Monty to life. The backgrounds are vibrantly colored, enhancing the platforming experience. The level designs are packed with personality, providing an array of environments — from bustling mines to watery caves — that not only serve as the backdrop but also play a role in the gameplay.

The sound design complements the visuals beautifully. The catchy chiptune soundtrack sets a playful tone, evoking a sense of adventure every time Monty sets out to conquer new levels. Although simplistic, the sound effects are satisfying, perfectly accentuating actions like jumping, collecting items, and defeating enemies.

Challenges and Replayability

While Monty on the Run can be forgiving at times, it does require a level of skill and patience, particularly in later levels where the challenge ramps up significantly. Players will need to learn from their mistakes and refine their strategies, which adds a layer of engagement to the experience.

Moreover, the game features continues that allow players to retry levels — while this is a handy feature, it’s the exploration of the various adaptabilities of Monty that keeps players engaged. There is a sense of accomplishment in discovering all the hidden treasures and secrets, making the game highly replayable.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Monty on the Run for the Commodore 64 is a stand-out title that remains beloved by retro gamers. Its combination of engaging gameplay, charming graphics, and an endearing story make it a wonderful platformer that leaves a lasting impression. With a rating of 8.5/10, it is certainly a game worthy of revisiting, providing endless hours of nostalgic fun for both seasoned and new players alike. Monty's quirky adventure continues to resonate, proving that even in the realm of vintage gaming, this title stands the test of time.

Overall rating: 8.5/10

It's serious stuff.

One thing that Your Sinclair magazine was known for, some say renowned for, was it's utter seriousness. It was an Adultish magazine, for sensible, serious people. Wasn't it?

Recently, on the BookFace, someone borrowed an excerpt that I nicked from Archive.org. It was a small piece entitled "True Spectrum Facts", written by the redoubtable and talented author Dan Whitehead, who is certainly one of the best wordsmiths I've worked with, as I've adumbrated elsewhere in this blog.

For convenience, here are those true Spectrum facts, as published with Retro Gamer issue number nine, which went on sale on a no doubt sunny Tuesday of October 26th 2004. Well, the mag probably brightened up someone's day at least.

True Spectrum Facts

1. Army Moves was originally based on TV sitcom Duty Free, before Keith Barron refused to co-operate. The main sprite was redesigned as a jeep and the rest, as they say, is history.
2. The idea for the famous rubber keys came about when Sir Clive was absent-mindedly working on his keyboard and accidentally started typing on his dog's eyes.
3. TV "I don't believe it" funnyman Richard Wilson designed the mole sprite in Nodes of Yesod.
4. If all the Spectrums in the world were piled on top of each other, it would fall down.
5. The ZX in ZX Spectrum stands for Zoological Xodus, the name of Sir Clive's thrash metal band.
6. The Speccy was banned in Austria where the word "Spectrum" literally means "Haddock arse confusion"
7. In a bid to capitalise on playground slang, a Speccy with four eyes was developed. But then they flushed it down the bog and nicked it's lunch.
8. The "K" in 48K does not actually stand for "Kilobyte" - it's a reference to the number of times Manuel uttered his hilarious catchphrase in Fawlty Towers.
9. From issue 11 through to 23, Your Sinclair (YS) was printed on human skin in accordance with the Necronomicon.
10. We don't know if hunky movie star Colin Farrell is a Speccy fan. "Feck off, yer eejits!" the shag-happy actor shouted, as he sped off on his golden swan.
11. The special effects for the 1985 BBC series Chocky's Children were mostly done on a Spectrum. Mostly.
12. The fourth Horace game, entitled Horace Goes Dogging, was banned by Mary Whitehouse.
13. If cuddly Animal Magic presenter Johnny Morris had done a voice for the Spectrum, it would have been a highpitched squeaky voice, not unlike perpetual irritant Joe Pasquale.
14. In Friday the 13th Part IV The Final Chapter, Jason Voorhees kills a topless girl by shoving a DK'Tronics lightpen in each ear.
15. Because of union rules, the part of Benjamin Sisko in Deep Space Nine was played by the wizard from Atic Atac.
16. Geese have no concept of Spectrums, though they are excellent at Daley Thompson's Decathlon. Because of the fast beaks, you see.
17. Benny from ABBA is still stuck on the Sherlock text adventure after twenty years. The daft Swede.

Now, whether this small piece of silliness is funny or not is entirely up to you, my dear reader. But one of the BookFace comments was that this is all just childish. You know who you are. Let's examine that for a moment. Childish? Surely it's not childish? (You forgot to insert the "...and don't call me Shirley" joke here - Ed).

To provide some context, we need to remember the world of the 1980s, when the famous and very serious YS was at its height. Great Britain and her allies were in the grips of the Cold War against the Soviet Union (and back then, political leaders actually tried to stop an alliance between Russia and China, not ensure that one happens as today's happless and incompetent politicians have). Germany was not yet a singular and united sovereign state, and the battle axe Margaret Thatcher was overseeing the demise of, or (depending on your political point of view) the improvements of, the United Kingdom, by allowing Capitalists to busily export good manufacturing jobs to be replaced with insecure and low paid service sector jobs. These were very different times when there was still a significant number of black and white television sets in use. Some of you may even remember that a black and white television licence was cheaper than a colour television licence? Blimey, it's an age ago, isn't it?

If this is making you feel old, then my apologies. But as I like to say, at least we got here. What of YS in the midst of all of this? Well, this epic publication wasn't wasting any time on any childish stuff, you see. Whilst the comedic periodical known as Sinclair User was busy doing actual game reviews, and updating with related gaming and computering news and articles, YS was organising interviews with British Foreign Secretary of the day Geoffrey Howe. And the YS cover tapes, if played in reverse, would give you a synopsis of important monthly events, such as reports from the Labour Party Conference, or new white papers published by the Conservative Government, for instance. There was even a time when YS was trying to bag an interview with the Prime Minister herself. And the pinnacle of this seriousness happened when it published the very boring everyday adult stuff of mowing a lawn: the seminal Advanced Lawnmower Simulator. Yes, YS was about as much fun as watching Sunday Breakfast Television with the sound off. It's because Phil "Snouty" South was actually just the pen name of English political journalist and television and radio broadcaster, the late Sir Robin Day, you see.

Childish? YS was not. None of that juvenile stuff either about waggling joysticks, and not even a hint of a fart joke in sight. So somehow the aforementioned YS tribute issue (also known as Issue 94) published with RG issue nine missed the mark. Not just by a little, but by a lot. And this is why I love Social Media so much, as I can believe everything that I read on the Internet, as the 18th Century Philosopher Immanuel Kant once said.

Computer Games Programming

Some years ago, I was studying Computer Games Programming at the University of Derby. But did I learn anything from it?

It was around 2008 when I had all but accepted my fate that a future as a writer wouldn't work out for me. The pay is poor, especially for the amount of research I was putting in. By this time, I had been published in the award winning video games magazine gamesTM, and for the four weeks or so mulling over old magazines to research a four or six page article was a good indication that it wasn't paying any of the main bills. Of course, for the time researching, I could have written many more pages, but even at the page rate, it still wasn't fantastic pay. So I feel for many writers out there. If you have a full time job and you can write on the side then this is ideal. If you can get a full time job as a staffer, then this is probably the next best thing, and of course then, do well and you have the prospect of career progression. But being freelance only is tough. I know. I did it for 12 years of my life.

So, I needed a change in career, as the two things that I liked doing, writing and being a support worker for vulnerable adults, are poorly paid, although in different ways could be highly rewarding. What else could I do? Well, I have written and reviewed video games, albeit not the modern days entertainment software. But I think I got fairly good at opining at least. I was also a keen programmer in the 1980s and some of the 1990s. So that was it, I would venture into a Computer Science course of some description with an eye on making computer games happen inside of television screens.

I actually started out on a course run by Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), and the language of choice was something called Java, a perfectly reasonable, if clunky, language. But this was the time of the ill-fated ConDem Government, which oddly decided upon some Trotskyite policies without even knowing it. Anyway, for those of us old enough to remember, there was an entirely unnecessary "emergency budget" which cut around £6bn from public expenditure, and a significant sum from Higher Education. You know, because the best way out of a recession is not to educate people to fulfil their potential, isn't it?

These cuts affected the course that I was on, because I wasn't attending a prestigious Red Brick University, I suppose. Firstly, the number of places for the second year was cut, which meant that some people who managed to pass the first year did not have a place on the second year. Luckily, I wasn't one of them somehow. But I can only imagine trying to get a job with only one year at University whilst trying to explain that I didn't just drop out. Further to these "efficiency savings" was that the third year was no longer available to us, so that meant we had to leave with 2/3rds of a Degree. But there was hope in that we could apply to other Universities in the hope that they would accept us. So, what could I do?

The degree programme at MMU was basically Computer Science focussed, but with business studies covering half of the course. And whilst I did very well at the Business aspects, I still favoured the programming side of things. I didn't want to be a manager in some soulless IT enterprise, I wanted to make some softwares. I therefore applied to the third year of the Games Programming Degree Programme at the University of Derby. But going from one institution to another isn't really how Universities work, as I found out.

After some negotiations with the head of the course at the University of Derby, I was offered a place on the 2nd year, and this meant that my planned three years of study was actually going to be five, as the course has one year in placement before the final year, and everyone has to complete the year in placement. As you can imagine, after budgeting to be a student again for three years, this was going to be extra tough, and I was going to miss yet more years of my favourite daughter's life for this, who was a toddler when I started at Derby.

Well, the 2nd year was pretty intense. Obviously, I was new, everyone else knew each other. The timetable was confusing at first. And my mathematics wasn't very good either. I mean, not bad, but just not 3D programming good. There were some aspects of the course I really did enjoy. The MIPs assembly was actually pretty easy, to my surprise, but then we were only making pixels happen in MIPs. I made a fairly basic but good enough 2D drawing API. Everything else I struggled with until I happened upon C programming for the Sony PSP. At last, there's a high level language that I could understand! It just seemed to make sense.

Sadly, it was my lack of trigonometry that let me down in the end, aside from the external pressures of family life and such like. So just before the final exams of the 2nd year I had to drop out for real. Luckily, I had learnt a lot about programming in the meantime, much more than the entire two years at MMU. Games programmers, it seemed to me, were the sort of people that obsess over making something interactive, intuitive and fun for another human. I mean, you wouldn't play any games that aren't any of those things, would you?

So, although I was not successful, I did manage to make some games type stuff happen, and with the beautiful language of C, I had a way into the industry. I found an internship at a local Birmingham start up called MetApps, and a year after, I landed my first development job. And whilst I still love programming, today I am working on fairly necessary but stale service driven applications. What I want to do is to take my programming knowledge and apply it to something outside of my usual day job. My friend Andrew Owen suggests that I write the first game specifically for the Chloe 280SE. I guess I could dust off the Z80 Tutorials that have proven popular on this blog and see how far that gets me. The good news is that I could use C wrappers around Z80 if I wanted to, like I did with some of my ZX80 and ZX81 games.

I'm sure a tutorial about actually making a game would be an interesting read to many, at least my statistics for this blog are strongly suggesting this. Those people of my age or older may remember the excellent Input magazines, which taught programming for all platforms. I'd love to recreate something similar to that but more focussed on making a game.

Sometimes, it's good not to leave the past in the past

It seems that the Internet really does archive everything, including something that I'd almost forgotten about

Back around 2005 or so, I wasn't necessarily in a good place; I had lost my first office job at Retro Gamer, and whilst steadily writing for Micro Mart I was formulating an idea for my own publication which would be both digital and in print. I thought then that unless you were printing gossip magazines, or childrens comics with free toys, physical media covering anything computering or gaming would soon be dead. Little did I know that nearly 20 years later, not only would Retro Gamer (RG) still be going, but also there would be the excellent Pixel Addict and Amiga Addict mags. So the print isn't yet dead, as I had thought.

Anyway, earlier this year I was actually interviewed for the very magazine for which I was once a staff writer (albeit not a very good one, sorry Mart), it kind of got me thinking about a time in my life that I don't usually think about. And recently I found that Retro:Bytes Lite, issue 1, was archived, but to my horror, it was the edition over which I was threatened to be sued. So I can't share the link otherwise I might get a strongly worded email from Andrew Merman. Not that I couldn't handle his guff, I just don't want to read anything from him again. Ever. Anyway, if you know how to make Internet searches, you'll know where to find it.

A quick back story: after losing my job as a staffer at RG (when it was in the Live Publishing stable), I was struggling for work. Knowing that I didn't want to go back into working for Social Services again, as the pay was even worse than my £12k salary at Live (yep, not all public sector employees are well paid you know), I had to do something.

Since the 1990s, and especially since 2002, I had built up a lot of knowledge about 8-bit computers and other related technologies. Along the way, I had some considerable contacts in the various communities. I had then three years of writing experience professionally, some in-house editorial experience, and a dream: to make my own publication as I adumbrated earlier. Retro:Bytes was my big idea, to be a community-focussed magazine for the seriously obsessed, like me, and for the more casual user, like almost everyone else. Near to the end of 2005, Reto:Bytes Lite was put out as a tester, but only digitally. And I was trying then to secure something bigger and better. Unfortunately, some external forces and my own lack of experience forbade it. Although looking at it now, it certainly had potential.

So, back then I was young and let's say not so perspicacious. And after nearly 20 years, I am no longer young. What I do have though is a pretty well paid job, over a decade experience as a software developer, so I am what one might call "upwardly mobile".

One thing that there is now, that wasn't then, is something called a KickStarter, and does Indiegogo still exist as a funding stream? You know what I'm talking about. But I wouldn't necessarily need to raise capital now from any community, I'd just need a bit of time with a word processor, find a good designer, and get some quotes to make something printed, and some webspace. Being a PHP developer with front-end experience, I don't need a GoDaddy or something either. It's almost like now is the right time to do something with the old Retro:Bytes concept. Isn't it?

With TheSpectrum launching in November 2024, the famous magazine Your Sinclair should relaunch too

The one thing that is sadly lacking is a good Sinclair ZX Spectrum magazine (yikes!). Your Sinclair should relaunch to provide a bit of colour to the Speccy community.

Starting out as a publication called Your Spectrum, which was relaunched in 1986 as Your Sinclair (YS), this magazine became iconic and a huge influence on the Speccy community, both then and now; it was certainly one of the best gaming magazines that one could purchase in the 1980s. It lasted through until 1993 ending with its famous Big Final Issue, signalling the end of commercial 8-bit gaming software in general, with the Commodore C64 being the last 8-bit home computer platform to have a significant release^[1] (which was Psygnosis's Lemmings, published in February 1994).

YS was skilfully archived by the The Your Sinclair Rock 'n' Roll Years website, something now that only the WayBack Machine can tell. Such was the appeal and legend of YS, Retro Gamer Magazine paid tribute to it in 2004 with issue 94, niftily edited by Dan Whitehead, who is by far one of the best writers I've ever worked with, and certainly one of the most perspicacious.

Almost 20 years after Retro Gamer's aforementioned issue 94 and Retro Games Limited have announced TheSpectrum, and after something of a lull in the mid to late 1990s, and the early part of the 2000s, the Speccy community has grown into something of a monolith. There isn't the unity that there might have been in the early days, when the independent 8-bit publisher Cronosoft launched, for instance. As communities grow, they can become more fractured. And the lies and propaganda over the Vega+ hand-held console certainly didn't help, causing more fracturing. The liars and charlatans were backing Retro Computers Ltd (RCL) propaganda even though it was clear to anyone paying any attention that there were quite severe issues with RCL's management, especially after two of its directors (namely Paul Andrews and Chris Smith) were illegally removed by the fraudsters who remained to drive the Vega+ into its grave. I remember before this time when the once great World of Spectrum website was a bouyant and well respected home for all Speccy fans, and anyone else who was curious about the rubber keyed wonder. Now, sensible people avoid it.

Even with all of the apparent issues in the Speccy community there is certainly enough going on for at least a bi-monthly printed matter periodical to launch. There is an abundance of new Spectrum software; there is the Omni platform and several other popular clones; there is the Sinclair ZX Spectrum Next; and there are loads of emulators to choose from. And now, at a good price point, TheSpectrum is happening just in time for Christmas 2024. And although I find it odd that computering and gaming magazines still exist in printed form, people certainly seem to want them. Your Sinclair, with it's vibrant and rich history, with its mix of gaming and humour, and being crap (in a funky skillo sort of way) is what I think is needed right now, isn't it? Although, getting the tone of YS right may be a tough ask. But it's been done once before. Bring on issue 95 for a Spec-chums reunion for us old gals and geezers. You all know that you need this in your life again.

^[1] I know since this time, there has been a lot of new 8-bit games, and one might consider today to be a second commercial era for many 8-bit computers.

A small note, this is my 50th published blog post. Huzzah!

THEC64 is back on Amazon UK

After the announcement of TheSpectrum by Retro Games Ltd (RGL) et al, Amazon UK has THEC64 Classic edition back in stock.

THEC64, an excellent recreation of the famous and well loved Commodore C64 home computer, is back on Amazon.co.uk again, proving my earlier conjecture as just that. What do I know anyway? It is currently retailing at £119.99p, and according to some reports on some social media sites, this can be shipped to North America, where there seems to be some interest in procuring these systems.

Whilst this recreation of the C64 has a slightly imperfect keyboard according to some purists, that is from a purely aesthetic point of view of course (it's actually pretty good to type on), it is packed with 64 pretty well recieved games (of course, those might not be your favourites). If you update to the latest firmware, you will get a more complete experience. The latest version of THEC64 [firmware] includes support for the powerful Commodore RAM Expansion Unit, can use any USB mouse as a 1351 mouse, and will support many Four Player adapted and modified games. One favourite of mine is IK+ Gold, which allows three humans to compete in this Karate chopping classic. IK+ was developed by the late, great Archer MacLean, who sadly passed on 17th December 2022 (RIP).

Initially, my conjecture was that RGL's THE400 Mini was competing in a similar consumer space to THEC64 as they are fairly similar machines from the same era or generation (roughly) of the home computing revolution.

THEC64, with it's working keyboard and 64 included games already has many of the best Atari XE/XL games available for it, and many more titles too. This made THEC64 look much better value than THE400 Mini, especially when you add in that THEC64 can also play nearly all (if not all) VIC-20 games as well. So, more games, emulating a comparable computer from the same era of home computing, and two systems in one for not much more money. Bargain! But it seemed like it was slowly being discontinued to make some space for THE400 Mini.

What I think has now got THEC64 back into production is the announcement and pre-orders for TheSpeccy. Although many may not know it in North America, the C64 and Sinclair ZX Spectrum platforms were [some may say] fierce competitors in the UK in the 1980s. Clearly, a lot of people have already added TheSpectrum to their Christmas lists for 2024, but this isn't a mini console with a cosmetic, non-working keyboard. It is complete with a fully working keyboard including the rather curious one touch BASIC keyword entry system. Seeing the orders stack up for one system from RGL has very likely reignited interest in the other. Of course, THEC64 Mini has always been available, as far as I can tell, but that doesn't have a working keyboard out of the box. All I want now is for a flamewar to start with endless arguments over which is better... THEC64 or TheSpectrum. Of course, we all know the answer to that one, don't we?

Retro Games Ltd next computer will be TheSpectrum, a recreation of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum 16k/48k models

42 years after the launch of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, news has leaked that Retro Games Ltd (RGL) will release TheSpectrum on 22nd November 2024, and will initially retail at under £90.

The Sinclair ZX Spectrum, colloquially and affectionately known as the "Speccy" or the "rubber-keyed wonder" to many, will live again thanks to RGL, building on a strong portfolio of machines from the British-based company.

Chris Smith is the main technical lead at RGL, and one of its directors, and is best known for his excellent book The ZX Spectrum ULA: How to Design a Microcomputer. Chris and his small team have undoubtedly put a lot of effort into this new machine, and it will very likely use Chris's own Speccy emulator at its core to play the 48 included games. It is also likely to have some shared architecture with the Sinclair branded ZX Spectrum Vega and the ill-fated Vega+.

The 48 properly licenced games that will be included on this machine are as follows:

1. Alien Girl (Skirmish Edition), published 2021.
2. Ant Attack, published 1983.
3. Army Moves, published 1987.
4. Auf Wiedersehen Monty, published 1987.
5. Avalon, published 1984.
6. Bobby Bearing, published 1986.
7. Cosmic Payback, published 2020.
8. Devwill Too ZX, published 2020.
9. Exolon, published 1987.
10. Fairlight, published 1985.
11. Firelord, published 1986.
12. Football Manager 2, published 1988.
13. Freddy Hardest, published 1987.
14. The Great Escape, published 1986.
15. Head Over Heels, published 1987.
16. Highway Encounter, published 1985.
17. The Hobbit, published 1982.
18. Horace Goes Skiing, published 1983.
19. Jack The Nipper, published 1986.
20. Knot in 3D, published 1983.
21. The Lords of Midnight, published 1984.
22. Manic Miner, published 1983.
23. Match Day II, published 1987.
24. Movie, published 1986.
25. Nodes of Yesod, published 1985.
26. Penetrator, published 1982.
27. Phantis, published 1987.
28. Pheenix, published 1983.
29. Pyracurse, published 1986.
30. Quazatron, published 1986.
31. Robin of the Wood, published 1985.
32. Saboteur! Remastered, published 1985, though unknown year for this remastered edition.
33. Shovel Adventure, published 2021.
34. Skool Daze, published 1984.
35. Snake Escape, published 2016.
36. Spellbound, which could be one of two games, either from 1984 or 1985; my guess is that it will be the latter.
37. Starquake, published 1985.
38. Starstrike II, published 1986.
39. El Stompo, published 2014.
40. Stonkers, published 1983.
41. Target Renegade, published 1988.
42. /\O[] (known as TCQ or Triangle, Circle, Square), published 2022.
43. Technician Ted: The Megamix, published 1986.
44. Tenebra, published 2022.
45. Trashman, published 1984.
46. The Way of the Exploding Fist, published 1985.
47. Wheelie, published 1983.
48. Where Time Stood Still, published 1988.

My initial thoughts about this is that "TheSpeccy" will be a good seller for RGL, at least in the UK and Ireland, and in some other parts of Europe. I'm not sure the Spectrum platform is as well loved in North America or in Australia, and is probably unheard of in much of the rest of the world. Although because of the sheer number of commercial games that were available for the ZX, there will certainly be interest outside of Europe for this not-mini but small form factor recreated 8-bit wonder machine.

With the release being November, this is ideally timed for the run up to Christmas 2024, with many of us who are at least as old as the Speccy itself putting it on their Chrimbo list for Santa Claus, hoping that we've been good enough to get one. It might be the first time in ages that some of us old guys are actually looking forward to Christmas like we used to in the 1980s.

Obviously, there will be some negative reactions to TheSpectrum; firstly because it's from RGL, and as I've said previously, it seems that it's the thing to hate on RGL, or one or more of its directors. Because: "reasons".

The second reason for some negativity towards it is because TheSpeccy is doing what the Sinclair ZX Spectrum Next could not do, in that it is going to be a commercial success that is bigger than the die-hard online Spectrum community. It's important to remember that you are only allowed to say nice things about the ZX Spectrum Next, but as I've pointed out above, it's cool to hate on RGL. Again, because... "reasons".

Now, if only we could have another batch of THEC64s produced (not the Mini editions, the Classic editions) for November 2024, that'd be a Christmas to remember. Not only would those people who missed THEC64 be able to ask Santa for one, they could also add TheSpeccy to their lists as well, and if they've been very good, get both.

As someone who has had something of a keen interest in 8-bit technologies for a long time (dating back to the 1990s), I'm delighted that an entry-level and consumer-friendly ZX Speccy machine, which works with "modern-days" television sets, is going to be available at a reasonable price. This is kind of what I dreamt of in 2002, when I first started writing my column for Micro Mart magazine, and shortly after became Retro Gamer's first in-house staff writer. One might say that I was ahead of the curve, as I knew that because machines like the Commodore C64 and ZX Spectrum were so life changing, they would be back in style again at some point. It's a shame though that it took so long. So let us enjoy it whilst it lasts.

THEC64 is currently unavailable in the UK

The popular THEC64 Classic edition, with its working keyboard, is reported as unavailable in the UK and North America

I have pondered the future of THEC64 platform, especially with Retro Games Ltd (RGL) being behind this modern days Commodore C64 clone, along with THEA500 Mini (Amiga-based) and THE400 Mini (Atari 400/800/XE/XL based) consoles. The latter is competing in what I see as the same space as THEC64. Thankfully, THEC64 Mini is still readily available, and you may find new units in the UK for under £40.00p. So, what is going on?

My conjecture on this is that THEC64 classic is no longer economically viable to produce. Inflation has devalued the British Pound Sterling and US Dollar, with THEC64 typically retailing at around £119.99p - £129.99p, whereas THEA500 Mini's initial retail price point was £119.99p, and THE400 Mini is a penny shy of £100. We know that the world is fraught with dangers now, and some would argue on the verge of another World War, and that has increased shipping costs. All models of THEC64 (along with all of RGL's products) are manufactured in China, and for us in what is called "the West", our Governments have been somewhat hostile, or let's say unfriendly to the one place that we've exported nearly all of our manufacturing to. Not a great plan, one might say.

In my view, THEC64, or more specifically, THEC64 with the latest firmware, is very good value at its typical price point when compared to the other machines from RGL; for about the same price as THEA500 Mini (at least when THEA500 Mini is not discounted), you get essentially a fully working computer that mimics and emulates not just the famous C64, but also the VIC-20, and one that may boot straight to classic mode just like a real C64 or VIC-20. It has 64 built in games, which were nearly all pretty well recieved from the computer press of the 1980s and early 1990s, and more free games when upgraded, and it includes a much improved microswitched joystick that to me feels authentic.

But if you can put up with a non-working keyboard, or providing your own keyboard, and you have a better solution to THEJoystick included with THEC64 Mini, then THEC64 Mini is a steal at the moment. I regularly see it online and in Game stores retailing at under £40.00p. So what you have a keyboard that isn't correctly mapped? And who cares about playing VIC-20 games anyway? We all know that the C64 is where it's at, right? So, for the time being, and I would say the foreseeable future, if you want THEC64 then it's a Mini you'll have to purchase. I don't know the availability of the Mini in North America, but it's certainly available in Europe.

Some context to my time at Retro Gamer magazine

In issue 257, Shaun Bebbington answered some questions about his time at Retro Gamer magazine

Retro Gamer is for me a long way in the past now. One may be wondering how come I've stopped writing for RG? It may seem to some people that (when I stopped writing for RG) I was trying to diss other people's work and big up my own. That was Chris Boyo's opinion anyway back around 2006 or so, when I was no longer being published by the then Imagine Publishing printed matter periodical.

For those of you who have procured issue 257 of the aforementioned publication, you may have enjoyed the look back at the history of said magazine, and likely skimmed over the Q&A which features yours truly. In any case, it was truncated from my original answers, which were sent to me via email to answer at my leisure (except for the deadline). I guess the old saying that behind every good writer is a great editor shines true here. Either Martyn Carroll (who sent me the questions to answer), or Darran Jones (who is the current editor of Retro Gamer) cut out a lot of the guff, primarily for space but to better fit into the feature, which is presented in an A5 sized booklet.

I thought I'd publish here the full unedited Q&A (including my usual typos and grammatical mistakes) as it may be of interest to you, dear reader, or provide more context. So, without further ado, here is Martyn's questions and my not so sequent answers.

1. Can you sum up what it was like working on Retro Gamer as a staff writer?
   
   Shaun Bebbington: Retro Gamer was my first office job and I didn’t go to University as, I suspect, many or most of the people at Live Publishing did. There were things that I didn’t know about nor how to do. Office politics is one thing that I didn’t know about, and triangulating one’s sources was something that I didn’t know how to do, as two examples.
   
   It was pretty good at the start, though I didn’t and still don’t drive, so getting to a place called Adlington in Cheshire wasn’t so easy as there was no direct public transportation route from Crewe. I somehow made it work in the beginning, but as Matt Mabe lived in Sandbach, and he was kind enough to pick me up from Sandbach station which simplified the journey.
   
   Things started to go down hill quickly as I was out of my depth. I wasn't a gamer. Not really. I was much more interested in hardware and non-entertainment software, and had a passing interest in programming, but people were still making software for many of the 8-bit machines that I loved and grew up with, so I wanted to write about those new games.
   
   Although I was only there for nine months, and most people don’t know that I contributed anything to Retro Gamer, I have had a small but significant influence on the magazine and I think retro gaming in general in this sense: that people now take new software for these antiquated 8-bit machines much more seriously, especially entertainment software.
   
   
2. Which of your features are you most proud of?
   
   SB: Due to the back story and insane deadline, working full time for Social Services and breaking the limitations of Windows Notepad on my Windows 98SE PC, it is the feature in issue two about Commodore computers and the companies history.
   
   I was asked to write 10 pages, more than I’ve ever written before or since for any publication, and I was paid £500 for it, more than I’ve been paid for any freelance before or since. Martyn gave me a deadline of several weeks. This became two weeks as Retro Gamer issue one had done really well, and the intended quarterly publication was going monthly because no one knew how much money you could make from retro gaming nerds I guess. This was an all waking hours job, and some of the work had to be re-written because Notepad couldn’t save that many characters and I didn’t realise its limitations. I had to start using Microsoft WordPad to finish the feature, and I discovered something called "Rich Text Format" too. It was very lucky that I had already been reading up about the history of Commodore Computers for a number of years before hand, otherwise I wouldn’t have made that insane deadline at all.
   
   
3. What's your favourite anecdote from your time on the mag?
   
   SB: The brightest pub in the world was not far from the office. This pub was so bright that the owners thought it was necessary to have all of the lights switched on even on the most sunny of sunny days. We’d often go for a quick half and some food, and Dan Whitehead was about the funniest person in the company. So no specific stories, just some good memories.
   
   Tony was another funny guy, but lacked the intelligence of Dan, so he didn’t know it. He was a bit of an alpha male as I remember, and would say some random nonsense to make himself look good, and he didn’t seem to know what he was talking about much of the time. I was unorganised, but him trying to organise anything was something to watch. He also got his 15 minutes of fame by being interviewed on some Satellite TV show or something about the magazine. I wisely stayed out of the way as I probably would have said all of the wrong things.
   
   
4. What are your thoughts on RG still in print 20 years on?
   
   SB: It’s pretty amazing - even to me - that there are still printed matter computering magazines in 2024, but I guess if you are a retro gamer, you don’t want to be reading PDFs or something, you want a physical periodical that informs and delights in equal measures. Retro Gamer must be doing some of that.
   
   
5. Finally, no-one believes me, so can you confirm to readers that a lot of your in-house features were indeed written on a Commodore 128?
   
   SB: Of course. I had a Commodore 128, with GEOS, well it was the Click Here Software’s Wheels upgrade, a CMD FD-2000 and Commodore 1581 disk drive. Oh, and a CMD RAMLink and SuperCPU. Because of Commodore’s over-engineered way its computers would talk to its disk drive, and read from/write to the disk media (a legacy of Chuck Peddle from the Commodore PET), it meant that a Commodore C64, or even a VIC-20 could read and write MS-Dos formatted 3.5” disks. I could write my articles on a VIC-20 if I wanted to, and yes there would have been a simple word processor to do that. In fact I think I still have a VIC-20 word processor.
   
   Clearly the C128, with its 80 columns screen and fast serial bus, along with some GEOS tools like geoDos, meant that I could write my articles in geoWrite and transfer them to my PC, and back again. And despite the comments at the time, GEOS did have a spell checker. What caught me out, and again this shows how out of my depth I was, was that I trusted the Windows spell check without proofing my own work. I had no strategies to proof my own work then, something which took me some time to learn how to do. As I recall, Andre Baune’s name was "corrected" by Microsoft’s spell checker to Buchane. I made a lot of junior mistakes like that back then, much to Martyn's frustration I suspect. Thankfully, I'm not a writer anymore, nor have any aspirations to be one again.
   
   

As a side note, some of the above answers were interspersed with a conversation I had with Martyn via Facebook Messenger when finally published in RG (I will not be publishing said conversation). In the Messenger conversation, I provided some context around who made RG a success. I know, because I was there, that it was Martyn and Matt Mabe (Art Editor) who were driving the magazine. I, like all of the freelancers, were just along for the ride, even though many people, including many of the freelancers, tried to claim RG as their own, and tried to say it was because of them that the magazine was a success.

One might notice in this Q&A that I didn't have a lot to say to this question "What are your thoughts on RG still in print 20 years on?" I don't often think about the magazine, nor that time in my life. The only real thing of substance I had to say is that I think printed matter computer magazines shouldn't exist in 2024.

I have held the assumption that RG isn't the sort of magazine that would interest someone like me, and I haven't purchased an issue, until 257 at least, for many years. And reading through issue 257 to some degree, I know now that it isn't a magazine for me at all. It is reflective of its readership, so I suspect that it had a very different reader 18 or 20 years ago than now. Not that I'm trying to diss RG to big up my own work of course, as Chris Boyo might think. As for a magazine (or in this case a fanzine) I would 100% recommend, it has to be FREEZE64 available at freeze64.com.

Finally, more keen eyed readers may know that, although I have no aspirations to be a writer again, I have been published since 2020 in Popular Retro; this wasn't to kick start a career in writing, but simply as a favour to Retro Games Ltd and to other people who have helped me out over the years. I may be published again, but only on that basis, or as one may have guessed, the occasional blog post here.

THE400 Mini - The Atari 400 platform recreated. My initial thoughts.

Retro Games Ltd (RGL) have partnered with PLAION to bring the wonderful world of the Atari 400, 800, 5200 and XE/XL range to life in a now famous mini form factor. THE400 Mini using modern days connections like HDMI and USB, will soon be available (and may be pre-ordered now) in "console" form.

The famous Atari 400, along with its "more serious" and compatible 800 model, were initially announced in December 1978 by Atari to follow up on its successful 2600 Video Computer System. It offered many advanced features for a personal computer of that era, and eventually launched to retail in October 1979. Until then, Commodore, Apple and Radio Shack had been slogging it out for dominance in this fast growing personal computer market. Atari entering this fight was significant, and the 400 model was pretty formidable, especially when it came to computer graphics.

Offering high resolution graphics of up to 320 x 192 pixels, utilising hardware sprites, and having a palette of 128 colours, all through a standard television set, meant that this computer was going to be good for playing video games. And its 40 x 24 character display made it equally good for the applications of the day. Being powered by the popular 6502 Central Processing Unit (CPU) at 1.8Mhz, which [in raw Mhz] was faster than both Commodore's and Apple's offerings (I won't compare this to the Radio Shack's TRS-80 as comparing a 6502-based processor to a Z80-based processor is folly). From 1980 through to around 1986, the Atari 8-bit computer range had some seriously good entertainment software produced for it, by then upcoming and staple video game developers like Activision, Epyx, Datasoft, and Atari itself.

From around 1986, the Atari 8-bit personal computer platform began to fade, even with improvements made to the compatible XE and XL range, which could display 256 colours and had a few more graphics modes. Commodore, with its C64, largely won the home computer war, and this model wouldn't die until around 1992. Remember that the C64 competed against (in many ways) more technically capable machines like the Commodore Amiga or Atari ST for over half of its commercial life. To still be a relevant in 1990 was quite a feat.

What I find most interesting about the announcement of THE400 Mini is its price point. And I'm taking nothing away from its perfect replica form factor.

THE400 Mini will be pre-loaded with 25 licensed games, and will provide a way to load your own legally purchased or public domain software by "side-loading" tape, disk or cartridge images. Knowing RGL as I do, I'm certain that it will support THE400 through firmware updates based on user feedback, so you will be able to buy with some confidence. I note that other "Mini" console producers do not offer this. Releasing a new firmware update is timely and costly, and provides RGL with no additional revenue.

I think the promised feature to "rewind" your gameplay by up to 40 seconds is interesting, and I guess this may be more convenient than the "saved game states" on THEC64 or THEA500 Mini. It is the price point of £99.99 that I think makes THEC64 Mini and even THEC64 Classic, or THEVIC20 (if you can find one) look very good value indeed.

THEC64 Mini launched at £69.99, and included 64 licensed games. It has since had several firmware updates, adding more games of varying quality to the carousel. Like THE400, THEC64 allows you to side-load any tape, disk, or cartridge images of software that you own. It includes one joystick and all the necessary cables to get you started. Although some will say that the joystick included with THEC64 Mini wasn't good quality, the joystick included with THE400 won't be worth £30 more. So, THE400 has more USB ports, but THEC64 Mini can use a cheap USB extender. One thing I don't know is if THE400 will include a decent USB power adapter, but looking at both THEC64 Mini and THEA500 Mini, it is likely that it will not, though it may require lower power consumption and/or not run so hot as some versions of THEC64 Mini.

THEC64 Classic and THEVIC20 launched at £119.99 (some sources say £109.99), which included an improved joystick (especially on THEVIC20), with a fully working and correctly mapped keyboard, more USB ports and a USB power adapter, and all of the necessary cables to get you started. All firmware updates to THEC64 Mini also work on THEC64 Classic, and THEVIC20. So, you legally have over 64 games if you have the latest firmware version, and many good features that some C64 fans will love, like being able to emulate the Commodore Ram Expansion Unit (REU), or the ability to play four-player adapter games, like Bomb Mania, from Protovision.

Aside from entertainment software, you have much more choice of other types of software too. I could write many pages just about the GEOS operating system, which by itself had all kinds of productivity, utilities and so on. The Commodore C64's library of games alone certainly exceeds the cumulative totals of all models of the Atari 8-bit personal computer range. And THEC64 Classic can also play VIC-20 games too. A lazy estimate is that owners or THEC64 Classic and THEVIC20 will have at least 10,000 software titles to pick from. As you might have guessed, these are not that difficult to find these days, and even after the commercial demise of the C64, there has still been lots of software released for it considering that it was a commercially dead platform for at least 15 years after 1992.

Could this therefore be a sign that THEC64 platform is about to be discontinued? Or will hard-nosed consumers simply make a cold decision that, because many games on the Atari 400/800/XE/XL had comparable versions on either the C64 or the VIC-20, or both, that THEC64 Classic or Mini is simply better value? If the latter is the case, this may mean that THEC64 has, at least, another year at retail in it.

All of this means, at least to me, that THE400's success is in the balance, although I'm sure that many people will be pre-ordering this right now. RGL already have a product that will fit many gamers who were around from ~1981 through to the early 1990s - or those people who don't want to mess around with a Raspberry Pi and spend time configuring it with this or that emulator. The Atari 400/800/XE/XL was only a significant player for about half the 1980s, with the 5200 model only really a footnote in all of this. The VIC-20 was significant from 1980-1984, and the C64 from 1982 through to the end of that decade. But is the Atari name enough to carry this new product? And will it at least sell as well as THEC64 Mini when you are paying more to get less? Time will tell.

A side note to this is that it kind of reminds me of when Commodore launched its Plus/4 model in 1984: the Plus/4 was too similar to the C64 in many ways but without a better sound chip, and although it could display more colours, it could not do hardware sprites like the C64, and did not use the most common joystick type. Okay, so the Plus/4 was meant for a different market, to compete at the low end with the Sinclair/Timex machines, but somehow it ended up launching at $299USD. By the time of its launch, the C64 was certainly no more expensive than this, and had already started to have a second user market, and had a vaster software library. It all sounds too familar.

But all of this said, I'll probably be purchasing THE400 Mini myself because it looks like a lovingly created Mini console with a beautiful aesthetic. Because I guess a fool and his money really is easily parted.

Edited by Mike Mee. Many thanks for your help Mike.