ZX Spectrum - 30 Games That Stood the Test of Time...

Hold on to your joystick as we unravel the quirks and gems of these timeless titles. We promise a few laughs along the way, but no spoilers here - the real surprises are in the gameplay! Get ready for a trip down memory lane that'll leave you reaching for that rubber-keyed time machine.
#zxspectrum #speccy #sinclair

[@deadpoolredsuit4892]

Back in the day, when i owned a ZX Spectrum 48k, my favourite games included: Jet Set Willy 3D Death Chase Hyper Sports Jetpac Spy Hunter Tapper Knight Lore Arcadia Skool Daze Scuba Dive Chuckie Egg Ghost Busters ..and then i picked up a Commodore 64 ^_^ (..which blew me away ;D )

[@spearPYN]

Great list of games. ZX Spectrum still rocks!

[@ClassicReplay]

Thank you for watching and leaving a comment 😀

[@xxFORDIExx]

Target Renegade is still sublime. That music is outstanding. Equally the CPC version is right up there. Robocop is a must, again THAT music.

[@ClassicReplay]

Every word 100%

[@thicklyspread]

I can't believe "Chuckie Egg" wasn't in this list, as the Speccy version was the best one.

[@johntheexplainer]

I wish Quazatron would get re-discovered - such a lot of depth of gameplay from such a simple couple of concepts.

[@evo5dave]

It was brilliantg. I tried playing it again a couple of years back but forgot what I had to do in the puzzle screens!

[@colincattanach8748]

I was never a fan of the isometric view, but the game it was based upon, Paradriod was a top drawer classic

[@d1btd3265]

Wore the Jack the Nipper badge to school. Loved that game.

[@ClassicReplay]

Legend 😊

[@kennethgibson4510]

Remember mercenary got 99% by Johnny Nash? I loved it! But deathchase is still super addictive!

[@rovingenglishman]

Spy vs Spy? Great 2 player fun on multi platforms. Also we loved the game whose name eludes me - sci fi setting, turn based, top down maps, control a team of mercenaries, each with differing skills. One was a spherical floating bot called Maul. We often figured out how to turn 1 player games into 2 players by sharing the tiny keyboard 🤓

[@simonabbott6332]

It is called Shadowfire. There was a second game called Enigma Force.

[@squodge]

The games I loved on the Speccy (that I also completed): Spellbound, Knight Tyme, Stormbringer; Firefly; Lords of Time, Red Moon, The Price of Magik; Star Paws; Jetpac; Impossible Mission; Brainstorm And the ones I loved that I couldn't beat (or where it's not technically beatable): Spy Hunter; Ghostbusters; Zynaps; Hypersports; Exolon; Head over Heels; Zolyx

[@ClassicReplay]

Great times! I beat Ghostbusters, Zynaps, Hypersports, Head over Heels and one of the Knight games, maybe Spellbound.

[@evo5dave]

Lords of Midnight. Can still go back to it now and have hours of brilliant gameplay

[@TheresaCoughy]

Not the main reason but I had to subscribe because your mic quality is better than the other speccy nostalgia channels. Also thanks for the excellent rendition in the intro ;)

[@ClassicReplay]

I’ll take it 🤣

[@davidprice5563]

Great video. 👍👍👍 .......Your first video: Cybernoid (1) is an absolute belter - and it makes a change from playing various Jet Set Willy games/clones. And them pokes for Cybernoid (1) are brilliant. 😁😁😁

[@gs8494]

Even with emulators I struggled with a lot of the games I loved back in the day and most of them just gathered dust until I got my hands on a Kempton joystick and dug them back out because of the awful rubber keyboard, I'd moved on to more powerful machines by the time the newer models with real keyboards start to drop so I never really got to give a games a chance, that said even now a game I still go back to, and even have it installed on my phone, is Lords of Midnight, if one game has stood the test of time to be more than just a nostalgia trip it's this one. Honourable mentions go to Kevin Toms Football Manger, TLL, Ant Attack, and of course Manic Miner. But ultimately Lords of Midnight is the one that stands out, how they managed to fit it onto the 48k speccy still never ceases to amaze me even forty years later. I left school in 83 and got a YTS place between that and doing odd jobs at an allotment I saved and bought a C64 and thought I'd moved on from the Spectrum then Lords of Midnight dropped so I dug it out just to play this game then again when it dropped on the C64 along with the sequels. People talk about Ultimate and Ocean for their games and rightly so but for me Beyond Software with Lords of Midnight is to the Spectrum what Elite was to the BBC micro. RIP Mike Singleton.

[@ClassicReplay]

Very interesting, I had to read it twice to take it all in. I’m not sure how many people actually knew how to play Lords of Midnight. I think where programmers fell down in the past is that in the beginning of these types of games they should have held the players arm a bit before unleashing them into their fantasy. The original rubber keyed spectrum wasn’t so much a pain to use, the keyboard layout and combination of keys you had to use didn’t always make sense. Try playing Jetpac without a joystick, almost impossible as things ramp up. But I’m with you, if you give LOM the time and can get your head around what you need to do, it’s a real sight for sore eyes.

[@machinedgod]

"I had no idea computers could have periods until I played this" got me howling 😂 😂

[@ClassicReplay]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Mee33342]

Nice combo. Robocop sound track, just brings back the memories. Good old days of gaming.

[@ClassicReplay]

Terrific times! Thanks 😊

[@Hologhoul]

It's nice how you mention the devs who created some of these, good to see credit given and these peeps still mentioned by name. As for test of time, well I've been playing a lot of Jetpac recently. Back in the day I didn't have a joystick for my Speccy, so these days via emu (Kempston setting) it's actually much more fun than I had back then and I can finally actually clear a few levels!

[@ClassicReplay]

Joystick on Speccy = Game Changer! Thanks for watching and your kind words 👍🏻

[@Hologhoul]

@@ClassicReplay Welcome, always enjoy your vids, you have an uplifting manner, celebrating the pure fun of gaming!

[@mikerochburns4104]

Perhaps it's just me, but I never see *Exolon* in these Speccy lists. Hands down my favourite speccy game and one of my favourite games of all time. Mayne I had the only copy 🤷‍♂

[@ClassicReplay]

It’s definitely a classic. I need a bigger list.

[@nichttuntun3364]

Great list beside merely the usual suspects. Appreciated. I can't explain what it is about the Specci. I still feel the magic when I play certain games. I have this with no other system. Only exception is playing Baldurs Gate 1 on a PC. Crazy, how addictive JETPAC still is. 🎉🎉🎉

[@ClassicReplay]

Jetpac still plays a blinder. As does Lunar Jetman, albeit a bit more difficult to get your head around initially

[@Rob.Coleman]

Definitely worth a 👍 for your brilliantly sung theme tune alone 😁👍👍👍.

[@zlostnypopolnik]

I look at every ZX top on YT, not a single one is even close to what my brother and I had. I actually haven't even seen some of the games and they are good and quality games: Jet Story, Twilight, F.I.R.E., Tetris 2, Quadrax, Towdie, Commando 2, Bionic Commando, Deliverance: Stormlord II, Thanatos, Laser Squad, Sim City, Ancient Fighters, HeroQuest, Ikari Warriors, Xecutor, Dragon Breed, Astro Marine Corps, Savage, Trantor: The Last Stormtrooper, Extreme, Dan Dare, Barbarian, Turrican, and probably more.

[@ClassicReplay]

You should do a top ten. All those games you mentioned are good from memory 👍

[@simontoseland4152]

Absolutely love your zx Spectrum videos

[@goldensyrupgamingshow2978]

What an intro theme! ❤

[@ClassicReplay]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@d1btd3265]

You always pick the songs that made my childhood! Littlest hobo, I'm the Storyteller, Convoy...

[@ClassicReplay]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@crusader77_retro]

As a CPC owner I have mixed feelings about this video... 🤣seriously, what great games the speccy had, always a little faster and smoother than on Amstrad. Great video!

[@ClassicReplay]

Not sure about always, but definitely if a Speccy port. Glad you enjoyed.

[@crusader77_retro]

@@ClassicReplay Not really in all of them, but almost... in exchange we have the best color palette in the history of computing!

[@ClassicReplay]

Wouldn’t have swapped my CPC for any other 8bit.

[@stancooper5436]

Some great picks, as always. I don't think Outrun holds up, personally and didn't like it when it released. Chase HQ, however is an epic programming achievement and still impresses.

[@ClassicReplay]

I give my reasons 😉

[@KennyTew2]

Yeah Outrun was a giant turd, so disappointing.

[@Phoenix2312]

2:11 OK! I am SHOCKED that OUT RUN made it on here - But I was a CPC Boy and although my sisters had a Spectrum, We never had Out Run for it... And what I can see of the footage in this video (I suspect that was the 128K version with the music) - DAMN! IT ROCKS! I know the Screenshots on the case were faked, But the Spectrum does at least have a proper CRASH when you hit another vehicle!

[@ClassicReplay]

Yes! Amstrad owners were short changed. Apparently the guys programming the CPC wanted to do more, but ran out of time.

[@Phoenix2312]

@@ClassicReplay I was lucky, I got my copy for 99p from those "Book Club" Adverts in magazines... The game was Awful but You could not complain about the Arcade Soundtrack on an extra Cassette!

[@ClassicReplay]

I played the tape out of it. I know every nook and cranny of this game on CPC. Yes truly awful in every respects, but she’s all I had at the time, it wasn’t until the plus 3 and later Saturn came along that I got to properly enjoy Outrun

[@xxFORDIExx]

Hahahaah great singing intro

[@TheOriginalChazno5]

Very good video of a lot of the best Speccy games from back in the day. Agree with your choice of games here. I loved playing 'The Island of Dr Destructo' for many hours when I was back at school. I'm going to have to download this to use on my Speccy Emulator 😀 You've just got another Subscriber, love your channel 👍

[@ClassicReplay]

Thanks 😊

[@harveysimpson5167]

Looking forward to watching this later!

[@ClassicReplay]

Cheers mate. All I ask is please share. Happy days! ;-)

[@xxxyz721]

What about:- the magic knight series, laser squad, saboteur 2, turbo esprit….:). Plus the sentinel. Would love a modern vr remake of it… :).

[@stewsretroreviews]

Mint titles for the good old speccy, some quality games in there mate, enjoyed!! 😊

[@ClassicReplay]

Then my work here is finished 🤣

[@acecolin52]

Opening set piece Absolutely Fantastic mate. Littlest Hobo gone wrong 😂😂😂😂 God I need a pint 🍻 😂😂😂

[@ClassicReplay]

That was me after two Stella...

[@tubbiele2]

You show the passion, now that's an engaging video!❤

[@ClassicReplay]

I appreciate that! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@atom_zero5413]

I really love what you're doing here, and the editing is top notch, but you need to lower the game's audio a lot. You have a nice voice. Don't drown it. We're here to hear *you*

[@ClassicReplay]

I had another guy saying the volume is too low on the games 🤣

[@atom_zero5413]

@@ClassicReplay had to be irony. Please please consider it 🙏

[@atom_zero5413]

Or at least lower it while talking over. I lost my bus typing the last comment, that's how important I think it is 😅

[@ClassicReplay]

Cheers my friend 👍🏻

[@xxFORDIExx]

Great video. Go back and watch Cobra again. It's actually a great movie imho. It just wasn't what anyone expected at the time.

[@ClassicReplay]

Will do… Thanks 😊

[@xxFORDIExx]

@@ClassicReplay yeah but will you? 😉🤣

[@nicadi2005]

Ooh, Cobra and Hysteria are uncannily similar (including the 'Time Zup!' tune)! I'd bet one is ripping the other off...

[@ClassicReplay]

Cobra was 1986, Hysteria 1987 ;-)

[@gipgap4]

Coded by the same person, Joffa Smith. The Speccy versions anyway.

[@jonnysegway7866]

Bubble Bobble, Commando

[@ClassicReplay]

Couldn’t agree more 👍🏻

[@Mikewee777]

Yeah, bubble bobble was a fantastic game😊

[@andypayne2743]

Alien Storm was on the spectrum? Today I learned. Edit: I forgot 2 gems that I LOVED squash and winter games. I played those for hours.

[@ClassicReplay]

That’s great to hear 👍🏻

[@adw147]

Some hidden gems there 😊

[@ClassicReplay]

That’s exactly what I was aiming for. Can’t stand these typical mainstream lists. I always think, those aren’t the games I loved and played.

[@iballa2]

I'm loving the bezel! Where can I find it?

[@stevebarry8149]

Great list. Greater singing😂

[@ClassicReplay]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@eldontyrellcorp]

Where is head over heels ?? It shouls be in every top x speccy gsmes chart :)

[@jal051]

Jetpack was for sale? I thought it was the demo game. It came with my Spectrum 16k.

[@d1btd3265]

Is that the real music from the spectrum version??? Sounds great! Better than the sound on the CPC version! Never had a speccy, but I'm amazed at the quality of this one and chase hq.

[@ClassicReplay]

Which game?

[@d1btd3265]

@@ClassicReplay outrun. Was typing as I watched and didn't put a timestamp. Really impressed with what the speccy could do. Did it also come with a tape of the arcade music?

[@ClassicReplay]

@@d1btd3265 Yes, Speccy version had two soundtracks included in the game, plus audio cassette tapes 👍🏻

[@gamingtherapy7587]

Loved Robocop and Batman on my speccy

[@Fox8ball.]

Imagine an up-to-date speccy that's the same only with say 128 bit graphics and the games are remastered

[@ClassicReplay]

There’s the ZX Spectrum Next 👍🏻

[@brucethen]

Loved "The littlest Hobo song remix"

[@eldontyrellcorp]

Where is head over heels ?? It should be in every top x speccy gsmes chart :)

[@ClassicReplay]

If you watch the vid fully, I give my reasons for every game 😉

[@ianbailey3924]

I'm sad that neither of the Avalon games from Hewson Consultants made your list.

[@ClassicReplay]

I met the chap who programmed both games. He's a genius. I don't think they're as playable today as they once were. It's just my humble opinion. Saying that, they would definitely make a top 100.

[@ianbailey3924]

@@ClassicReplay that's cool, I remember reading interviews with him in Crash. My cousin worked at Imagine before it was raided by the cops and we both knew Matthew Smith of JSW fame..scousers. merry xmas, mate.

[@blatherskite3009]

@@ClassicReplay Steve Turner. He was one of a small handful of devs on the Speccy whose games were always instabuys for me, regardless of what kind of game it was, because I knew it would be special. Loved the Avalon games. Such a lovely vibe to them. I was able to send my respects to him fairly recently, via RZX Archive, and tell him about a shout-out to Dragontorc that I put into a Speccy game that I worked on back in 1990. So that was nice :)

[@Inaflap]

The Littlest Hobo!

[@adrianogrisanti6731]

I rember complwting renegade for first time was amazing was at it a week lol

[@lurkerrekrul]

Alien Storm - I've never liked any version of this game. The weird awkward shooting mechanic where you sort of fire straight, but then fire down when near an enemy just always felt sloppy to me. Elite - I played this for hours on my C64. All the 8-bit ports were pretty good. Shame the Amiga and Atari st versions were inferior. Fast, pretty graphics, but it feels soulless. Stunt Car Racer - A rare example of a game where I don't think there was a single bad port. Rodland - Not that I'm good enough to do it, but apparently if you beat the arcade version, it then tells you how to access a second set of levels with all new graphics and enemies. This is missing from all the home ports. :(

[@ClassicReplay]

I agree with everything you say but Alien Storm. Thanks for watching and leaving such a great comment. That’s part of why I enjoy doing this, reading the comments and memories shared of these games 👍🏻

[@neil1922]

[@mikecook6104]

I swear that intro passed most people by 😊

[@ClassicReplay]

Best intro on KZbin if I do say so myself 🤣

[@mikecook6104]

@ClassicReplay it's most certainly up there. Nice to see its finally found a good home 😂

[@srg.graphouni6628]

Elite held so good that it was re released as Elite Dangerous.

[@brucethen]

Yeah ELITE :)

[@MarioP9511]

Dan Dare, Renegade, Nigel Mansell F1, Gary Lineker Football, Dundee Football, Andy Capp, Formula one.

[@ClassicReplay]

All good games. Not sure I’ve played Gary Lineker Football

[@MarioP9511]

@@ClassicReplay It was a mix of manager with control of the striker during the games.

[@timlocke3159]

It would be handy if the name of the game was displayed during play.

[@ClassicReplay]

I did think about it, but I say the name at the beginning and it shows at the end as well. Lots of extra work when 30 titles

[@srg.graphouni6628]

Tai Ceti/Academy not in list?

[@goonerstef9753]

Why no Highway Encounter?

[@ClassicReplay]

Good game 👍🏻

[@sittingduhk]

littlest hobo...canada spectrum....england..... this is commonwealth gaming right here

[@ClassicReplay]

That's certainly not my intentions. Can't help where you're born. But I guess we're all products of our environment 😉

[@robertdewar1752]

I always thought Jetpac was overrated. Fantastic software, but a bit dull. I prefer Lunar Jetman, a true classic. Trans-am is underrated.

[@apppc.celulares6808]

Bom dia meu amigo. Sou seguidor do seu canal. Meu nome é Roberto, sou do Brasil. Tenho um TK90X 48Kb. Você teria o jogo pra eu baixar "Ground Attack" ?

[@BAZFANSHOTHITSClassicTunes]

Your sinclair also took bribes from publishers.

[@ClassicReplay]

They all did.

[@BAZFANSHOTHITSClassicTunes]

Yep they did. They were threatned by publishers refusing to display ads in there magazines.@@ClassicReplay

[@ens8502]

My God...I swear I would throw up after one hour of these sounds....

[@ClassicReplay]

Why?

[@RandallHayter]

I’m amazed at the sound they were able to get out of the simple hardware provided. Imagine the improvement with something a little more capable, like a SID or even an Atari POKEY.

[@TheresaCoughy]

If you were 8 years old when this was new you too could bathe in the nostalgia... poor you :)

[@VRBug]

Great video, major nostalgia, I’m gonna boot up my N-Go and download them thanks

[@renaudg]

I am trying hard to like the ZX Spectrum and give it a fair chance, but I can't see a single game here that wasn't much better looking and just as fast on my Amstrad. Except R-type, which was a botched Speccy port.

[@billybollockhead5628]

I'm okay with most of the list, I'll even give you "Stunt car racer" based on its technical achievement (even if i didnt like it)... But i'm TOTALLY in disagreement with Outrun.. That game was awful! I think you're the first person i've ever heard say it was good! I've never played Turbo Outrun, but I suspect you're wrong there too 😉 *wink*

[@ClassicReplay]

I disagree, it was decent when you consider the year and hardware. But good old opinions eh 😝

[@yeraysantanaaday6827]

Operation wolf is better in spectrum than amiga, apart i think wec le mans is far better than chase hq, stunt car racer looks like amiga that is insuperable,

[@krissymarklewis1793]

Double Dragon 3 in better than the choppy arcade version.

[@xflossx]

im sorry but comparing target renegade to any streets of rage is just wrong and you like outrun how its the worst racing arcade conversion as i played the arcade and then got the speccy port not of outrun but shinobi and god its bad then later i borrwed outrun and no just no it is shite as theyre my fav games as a kid and talk about dreams destroyed but to each their own all so no midnight reststance and your going by the mag score which is like bullshit as they were payed for ads

[@ClassicReplay]

Okay, I will cancel my opinion 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@lovelife1867]

Skate crazy is not on the list ? wow.

[@ClassicReplay]

Wasn’t that a Gremlin Graphics game. I remember having a bit of fun with that, but there were some issues with difficulty from memory.