The Spectrum a Modern ZX Spectrum Recreation

[@motortraction]

Mine is coming in January. Fab.

[@GenerationPixel]

@@motortraction It'll be worth the wait 😎

[@motortraction]

@GenerationPixel I'm certain you are right: I'm almost as excited for this, in my fifties, as I was first time round in my early teens. A bit sad.

[@GenerationPixel]

@motortraction well, take solice in the fact you are not the only 50 something feeling that excitement 😁

[@motortraction]

@@GenerationPixel yep, a big, quiet club all playing Atic Atac....

[@EnjoySynthSounds]

You wanted atari- but got the UK's most iconic home computer. Winner!

[@GenerationPixel]

Absolutely, It was a rare stroke of genius by my parents😉

[@wuMMLe]

I agree its awesome brings it all back when i also got mine at 11 years old for christmas. Horace goes skiing was the first game i ever played on mine.

[@GenerationPixel]

It really is a wee work of art. Retro Games have outdone themselves with The Spectrum 😁

[@IndyScotBrian]

Agreed Psion game Horace goes skiing addictive and company made some pretty good early adopter games back in the day. Later owned Psion S5 PDA with great keyboard hardware

[@TheRetroEngine]

The ZX Spectrum never went away. Please change your thumbnail. Just kidding. We also had the Next obviously, good coverage, first time viewer actually!! Rock on!!

[@GenerationPixel]

I truly wish I'd jumped on the Next Kickstarter. But, I didn't 🤦‍♂️ Retro Games have done the Speccy proud with this little machine, though 🤘

[@tj6212]

I absolutely love this machine. Starquake is one of my favourites of all time! Definitely worth the money. Great review.

[@GenerationPixel]

@tj6212 I've never played Starquake, so that's definitely going on my "to get to list." Being a Stephen Crow game, I really should have gotten to it a long time ago 🤦‍♂️

[@Tetlee]

Looks amazing that Stewart, lovely to see your enthusiasm for unboxing a Spectrum all over again. I think they've done an amazing job with this device, well made and a brilliant selection of games. For those that don't want to shell out for a Spectrum Next this is a brilliant compromise.

[@GenerationPixel]

@Tetlee It's a quality little device, and the attention to detail is outstanding. Add to that you can boot it on classic mode and program in basic like the good old days, makes this just infinitely better 😁

[@Zenbloke]

Your joy is just jumping outta screen happy for you bro

[@GenerationPixel]

You can't beat a bit of good old-fashioned nostalgia 😉

[@Pjvenom1985]

Ah great video Stew I'd say you'll love playing these titles. Spectacular splice of old an new tech.🕹🌠🎮🍀

[@GenerationPixel]

This is exactly how I wanted the Speccy in 1982 😉 I could have played so many more games if I didn't have to load from tape 🤣

[@RealGenericDemon]

i was in the background at the start :-) your 42 year old spectrum is properly battered as it should be :-) speaker vent is a heat vent :-) i want hungry horace too :-) c64 eww ;-) the way of the exploding fist is amazing, i love a good fisting ;-) awesome bit of kit, love it :-) great vid :-)

[@GenerationPixel]

A heat vent! Well, if you don't learn something new every day, you're not doing life right. I prefer "Battle Damaged" to "Battered" 🤣 This is my favourite purchase of the year, and I've added some bangers, so that speaks volumes 😎

[@bundjohn]

Sounds like a great review and so cool that it looks identical as well!

[@GenerationPixel]

It's a wee work of art 😁

[@coopleofnerds]

This is pretty interesting. As an outsider I am completely unfamiliar with the system. This seems like a nice jumping on point. It sounds like they are selling well maybe one day it will find it's way across the pond. I love how you act like converting from a cassette to a USB is something everyone does. Hahaha. Nice review!

[@GenerationPixel]

There have been a fair few have made it across the pond already. I do forget that the colonies pretty much stuck to cartridges while we were loading games from the much cheaper tapes and discs during the 80s and early 90s, so when I discovered that you lot could flash ROM chips it seemed like wizardry to me 🤣

[@DrinkGameswithJosh]

Pretty neat dude! Looks like a great way to play the entire library on an HD display. That’s super cool and a nice bonus to play with a controller as an option. Looks like a ton of games here too. 👌🏼

[@GenerationPixel]

Add the hundreds I have already got on file format on my PC, and I'll be a busy boy 🤣

[@RetroEdUK]

Stewart, it looks amazing!! Identical design 😍. A tonne of usb’s haha. Yessssss, Horace goes Skiing. This is going to keep you nicely busy 😀

[@GenerationPixel]

It's a work of art, Ed. Millimeter perfect in dimension, and so easy to use. I love it 😎👍

[@LameDadRetroGamer]

Ive got to get my hands on this little speccy now

[@GenerationPixel]

I hope you do, Dave, because it's a little masterpiece 😎👍

[@uppernimbus]

Very similar when they're put together side by side! And bloody Horace strikes back again 🤣 Great video Stew, this was great~

[@GenerationPixel]

Just for you, I'm going to put out a Horace and the Spiders video. That way, you can bask is the whole trilogy 😉

[@uppernimbus]

@GenerationPixel 😍😍😍

[@bscrazeee8905]

Nice vid, the more I see of The Spectrum the more I am convinced I 'need' one... 😅😅👍

[@GenerationPixel]

Yes, you do. Everyone needs one. I thought I made that clear 🤣🤣 It's a wonderful wee machine 😁

[@DadLadsGaming]

I'm not into these repro computer things but wow.....tempted by that one. It looks brilliant 👌

[@GenerationPixel]

The love and attention Retro Games have put into this is astonishing. It's a worthy addition, Marcus. And for £90, an absolute steal 😎👌

[@BawhawhawYT]

I've never actually given the spectrum any time of day. I've played the odd games available on compilations, but my only experience of one back in the day was being round a random guys house. He knew I loved the NES so he wanted to show me the spectrum and he didn't get a single game to load haha. Would be interesting to have a muck around on but without the nostalgia I don't know how far my enjoyment would go.

[@GenerationPixel]

Gameplay is king, you of all people know that! There are some crackers on the Spectrum, Ross. You should pick up one of these bad boys and stream your first experiences of the mighty Speccy 😉

[@tj6212]

You’ll love. Definitely better on the speccy than the c64 too.

[@GenerationPixel]

But everything is better on the Speccy 😎😉

[@stewsretroreviews]

Heard some great things about this Stew, nice one dude. It's on my Santa list mate 😊 👍

[@GenerationPixel]

So, you're saying if you've been a good boy, you're in for a treat this Christmas 😉

[@stewsretroreviews]

@GenerationPixel The big If! mate!! 😆

[@GenerationPixel]

@stewsretroreviews 🤣

[@James-cf2mr]

Thanks for sharing your review and your enthusiasm! I live in the USA so I've never used a ZX Spectrum, but I have done quite a bit of looking into it over the years*. I find it much more interesting than the Atari 400 and C64 systems from Retro Games. I plan on having a system imported, I just need to wait for stock to come back at Smyths. I'm really looking forward to it! I even don't even mind the color clash of the games. * I really like Sinclair's advertisement for the Sinclair QL where he jumps over the other computers. I find it really funny!

[@GenerationPixel]

@James-cf2mr the Commodore fanboys always bring up colour clash, but we Speccy fans didn't have to stare at Commodore brown with every game 🤣 Plus the Spectrum had far superior gameplay 😉 The C64's SID chip was something we truly did envy back in the day. I hope you get yours soon, and spread the gospel of Sir Clive across the pond 😎👍 And if you haven't seen The Micro Men, look that up on KZbin. I think you'd quite like that dramatisation of the early years of Sinclair Research vs Acorn 😉

[@James-cf2mr]

@@GenerationPixel Thanks for the helpful reply! That is funny about the Commodore brown, haha! I do like the music on the C64 for sure. For someone on my side of the pond, one of the videos I watched that introduced me to the ZX Spectrum was titled LGR - Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48k Computer Review. It is actually really old (over a decade), and he doesn’t share a ton of gameplay footage in it. But what he does do is show how to get the Speccy to work in the USA. When he is in the last 1/3rd of the video and shows all that is necessary to get it to run, I cannot help but find the monstrosity hilarious. I had heard of Micro Men before; I will try to check it out later. Maybe after I order my Spectrum. Hopefully it will get in stock by the week of Dec 15-21. If I had it in my possession by New Year’s that would be exciting! Thanks again for the reply and the video.

[@bluefox9er]

1982 the spectrum had a light grey keyboard

[@Inaflap]

That's right. Issue 1 had the grey keys. My issue 2 (bought early 1983) had blue grey keys just like this new machine.

[@GenerationPixel]

Yup, and I'd love to have one, especially a 16K, just for the pure nostalgia of having what I received in 1982 😁

[@retroimportgamer513]

Watched a few videos on it now and it's looks great, haven't heard a bad word about it and great to hear it's also got the GP seal of approval I have it of course, but in the care of Santa for 3 weeks yet👍

[@GenerationPixel]

Prepare for a magical Christmas that'll take you back to the 80s, well, except ymwe almost always live there anyway 🤣

[@mucy2807]

Will be getting mine for Christmas. Only had my Touch for 2 weeks 😯😳 😅

[@GenerationPixel]

It will make for a very special Christmas morning 😉

[@AngryDadGaming]

That Phoenix game looks difficult as hell! Those alien ships fire their bullets nearly non-stop it seems!😅

[@GenerationPixel]

@@AngryDadGaming I think you'll find that's all games in the 80s 🤣 They were all out to get us 😲🤣

[@TigerChainsawVideoGames]

I love how it looks, but I gotta be honest buddy... I have never played a ZX Spectrum or seen one in real life!! Love that it came with a magazine. Horace Goes Skiing!! I've seen that one before. Ohhh I spy the Hobbit... I wonder if that one is any good? Pretty neat man!

[@GenerationPixel]

The Hobbit is a text adventure, and as frustrating as all text adventures were 🤣

[@iana6713]

Aye, I am definitely wanting one of these now! I was given a 128K +2 when I was about 10, and later on acquired a 48K rubber-key one for the heck of it. (And a 48K Spectrum+ with the QL-style keyboard from a jumble sale... Was it a minor addiction?!) Horace Goes Skiing brought back a lot of memories!

[@GenerationPixel]

And what a fine addiction to have 👌 I started with a 16k rubber keys in 82, got a RAM pack shortly after. After that I got the Spectrum +, then +2, and finally in 89, the +3. I only have a rubber keys and Spectrum + at the moment, but I plan to acquire the full set, or the whole spectrum 😉, eventually.

[@iana6713]

@@GenerationPixel Ever had a go of a ZX81? That's something I want to try one day - I want to see just how awkward that membrane keyboard is!

[@GenerationPixel]

@iana6713 A friend of mine had a ZX81, it's not exactly a fulfilling experience. The base model has 1k of RAM and that keyboard, you're constantly worried you'll poke a finger right through it 🤣

[@iana6713]

@@GenerationPixel I forgot - I also had one of those ZX Spectrum Vega things from around 2015. Without a full keyboard it could be a bit awkward but it had some charms.

[@GenerationPixel]

@iana6713 I looked at the Vega when it came out, but the form factor put me off. A joypad Speccy didn't quite sit well with me. But I was tempted.

[@rosstee]

Thanks for the video, I didn't know these were coming out. Seeing as it looks like a near-perfect copy of the original with full keyboard, is there a way to access a menu like the old computer with BASIC etc, or does it only boot into the game selection menu every time?

[@GenerationPixel]

It does boot into basic, I haven't messed about with that functionality yet, though. It can also load via USB 👍

[@rosstee]

@@GenerationPixel Cool, thanks. Glad it's not just like a mini console with a keyboard! Looks much better than some of the other attempts in recent years.

[@lawrence.porter]

@@rossteeyou can use it like it was the original Spectrum and write programs. You can also load original ROMS like 16k, 48k, 128k, and +1, 2 and 3 for better compatibility with the games.

[@rosstee]

@@lawrence.porterThat’s great, it’s practically a rerelease of the Spectrum then, though much updated hardware-wise. A rare thing - hope the build quality is at least comparable to the original so these will last.

[@davidretrogamesplayedbadly3533]

Great review mate, mines still rapped. Apparently it's got to go to santa ☹️

[@GenerationPixel]

Well, it'll be a Spectrum Spectacular Christmas 😎

[@jaethemanchild]

It does look very swish. I'll have to ponder it!

[@GenerationPixel]

There is nothing to ponder, this is the Speccy I'd have killed for on the 80s 😁

[@jaethemanchild]

@ They’ve definitely done a fantastic job on it’