Playing Spy Hunter on the IBM PC

The following is footage of Spy Hunter, published for the IBM PC by Sega in 1984. It is not a complete playthrough, but rather just enough gameplay to serve as a reference for how the game performs on the original hardware it was developed for.
This footage was recorded from an IBM PC (8088 CPU running at 4.77MHz) with a ("new-style") CGA card. The audio was tapped from the PC speaker and the video was recorded from the CGA composite output. The result was post-processed from 30i to 60p; all source frames are intact.
Personal notes: This game cleverly uses the 6845's start address register to scroll the entire screen downward two lines, allowing for full-screen animation in 30fps using minimal CPU resources.
Spy Hunter takes full advantage of an analog joystick (variable speed is honored), which is a good thing because the keyboard controls are quite terrible. The joystick routine is very sensitive, unfortunately, so "gamepads" can't be used (the center drifts in the program). An analog stick with trims is necessary, for fine adjustment even after the calibration is finished.

[@piecaruso97]

Very smooth for a game for an xt class machine

[@JimLeonard]

They used the start address register and careful screen updates. It's a great early example.

[@-taz-]

I think this is the first PC game I ever played. It was in CGA for me, though.

[@JimLeonard]

This is also CGA. Composite CGA.

[@-taz-]

@@JimLeonard I only learned of that mode from a Sierra newsletter a couple years later, but never played Spy Hunter after about 1986.

[@drzeissler]

smooth scrolling on xt with cga, that's great!

[@JimLeonard]

It was indeed. Not the only game with smooth scrolling too.

[@alexandermirdzveli3200]

In the hands of a skilled artist, Composite CGA rocks! As do Blues Brothers, of course.

[@itsgruz]

This is pretty easy on the eyes and looks great! I want to see more of this video mode!

[@JimLeonard]

If I ever get my The Oldskool PC channel firing on all cylinders, you'll see a heck of a lot more.

[@PeranMe]

You’re a star, thanks for sharing this!

[@jasm817]

Thanks for sharing this. 👊😜 Brings back fond memories while rocking out a mach III joystick and recalled a places called egghead software on rt.17 New Jersey 😆

[@vwestlife]

Does it have the amphibious and icy roads modes?

[@JimLeonard]

I never played well enough to find out.

[@-taz-]

It had boats but I don't remember any ice.