Jason Kelk - A Tribute

Since 2008, Jason, who has died aged just 49, had been writing the Homebrew section of Retro Gamer magazine. Each month, reviews and news of recent and upcoming homebrew games would pepper the pages of this brilliant part of the mag, spread over a variety of formats.

Jason’s love of games and coding shone through every word of his writing. A dedicated fan of the Commodore computers in particular, he clearly had the expertise and writing skills to make Homebrew a much-loved section of Retro Gamer.

He even coded his own games including Reaxion and Cyberwing on the Commodore 64 and ViColumn on the Vic 20. I was in awe of these when I played them as part of a feature on Cronosoft for Retro Gamer. It was a pleasure to interview Jason for the same feature, and he helped me on numerous occasions with screenshots and technical advice.

Renowned throughout the homebrew and demo scenes, Jason’s passing has left a huge hole for both his families; his wife, step-children and grandchildren and his Retro Gamer family, from all of us on the magazine and every single fan of the homebrew section, of which there are very, very many.

RIP, Kelky.

Fusion Retro Books' Crash Magazine smashes 1000 Patreons

Fusion Retro Books' Crash Magazine smashes 1000 Patreons

Fusion Retro Books, publishers of the Crash Annual, a yearly hardback book dedicated to the famous Spectrum games magazine, recently acquired the rights to once more begin publishing regular issues of Crash. With the second issue about to go to print, Patreons for the magazine have smashed past 1000 as retro gaming fans rush to get a dose of the old Crash spirit.

Wizwords is proud to be involved in the new Crash and will be contributing (hopefully!) to every issue.

Check out Crash Magazine on Patreon now at https://www.patreon.com/crashmagazine

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - NUMBER ONE!

No.1: Chaos - Games Workshop/Your Sinclair, 1985

Here we are at number one finally! Yes, I’m an unashamed Gollop fanboy, and for me this is his finest creation. It may look nothing special but the amazing gameplay behind this multiplayer strategy game makes it my all time favourite and a game I still play regularly today. I got Chaos from a Your Sinclair covertape - to this day I still haven't played the game on the flip side, Zythum!

For more of my thoughts on Chaos, check out this blog post: https://www.antstream.com/post/chaos-battle-royale-of-the-wizards

Check out this archive vid of the game: https://youtu.be/gGvyCI_4CQE

Thank you for following my Spectrum journey and have a great Christmas and new year!

And for the final time, thanks to www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk for images!

Wizwords Top Ten ZX Spectrum Games - number 2!!

No.2: Chuckie Egg - A ‘N’ F Software, 1984

Here we are. My number 2 was originally released in 1984 and written by teenager Nigel Alderton. What I love about it is how sweetly playable it is today as it was back then. Like all the games in my top ten, I still love playing it today and what better praise could you give to a 35 year plus game?

Stay tuned for the big one tomorrow.

Thanks to www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk for images

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - Number 3!

No.3: Cybernoid - Hewson, 1987

“An arcade machine in your own home” declared Crash in its review of Raffaele Cecco’s brilliant Cybernoid - and they weren’t far off the mark. But beyond the colourful and intricate graphics, Cybernoid also has a carefully balance gameplay, full of shooting action combined with the sort of navigation usually required for platform games.

Wonderfully playable, and still fun today, Cybernoid deservedly takes bronze on the Wizwords top 100 ZX Spectrum games.

Thanks to www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk for some of the above images.

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - number 4!

No.4: Match Day II - Ocean, 1987

As good as Match Day is, it was this follow up by Jon Ritman that I really love. With proper graphics this time round (courtesy of Bernie Drummond) the addition of a power meter and the awesome diamond deflection system added a while new dimension to this Speccy footie game. With a cup competition, league and host of options, this is the finest action footie experience for Spectrum fans. Some may prefer the original Match Day or Emlyn Hughes but this was my cup winner.

Wizwords top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - number 5

No.5: Laser Squad

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - number 6!

No.6: The Great Escape - Ocean, 1986

Isometric games never particularly hit the spot for me - except for this Ocean WW2 drama. Set mainly in entirely appropriate black and white graphics, the atmosphere is quite brilliant as you sneak around the prison camp, following the daily routine before sneaking away to try and grab the pliers or guard uniform. A fantastic effort by Denton Designs and Ocean.

Thanks to www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk for images

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - Number 7!

No.7: Rebelstar - Firebird, 1986

Released as a budget game, Rebelstar is an action tactical game that appealed to shoot-’em-up fans such as myself. With its rudimentary AI (which author Julian Gollop only actually included at the behest of publisher Firebird), the one player game was fun, but easily beatable if you knew the right tactics and took your time. Where Rebelstar excelled was its two-player version, a deadly battle across the space station that occupied many a weekend afternoon. Not bad for £1.99.

Thanks to www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk for images.

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - Number 8!

No.8: Jet Pac - Ultimate, 1983

For pure arcade simplicity and fun, Speccy games don’t come much better than this famous first game from the talented Stamper Brothers AKA Ultimate Play The Game. Fast, spectacular and huge fun to play, Jet Pac rightly sits at the top table of Speccy legends, and amazingly comes in at under 16k!

For more on Jet Pac and Ultimate’s other games of ‘83, check out my feature on Eurogamer: https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-04-22-the-ultimate-year-12-months-that-forged-a-legend

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - Number 9!

No.9: Cobra - Ocean, 1986

Jonathan ‘Joffa’ Smiff strikes again. Arguably better than the movie it was loosely based on, Joffa took elements from the Sly Stallone action film and the actor’s persona and incorporated them into a brilliant run ‘n’ gun game. Neat graphics, a superb scrolling routine, wonderful sound and a wicked sense of humour are all part of this square-jawed package. Christmas ‘86 was a very special time in the Mason household. Well, for me anyway.

Thanks to www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk for some of the images.

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - number 10!

No.10: Bomb Jack - Elite, 1986

By 1986, Elite Systems were on top of the world, releasing one brilliant arcade conversion after another. Commando was ace, as was Space Harrier and Ghosts ‘n’ Goblins but it was this wonderful game that I loved the most. Sweetly playable, attractive and fun, Bomb Jack is not only one of the best Spectrum arcade conversions- it’s one of the best Speccy games ever.

Thanks to www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk for images.

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - no. 11

No.11: Academy - CRL, 1987

This sequel to Tau Ceti improves even upon that amazing game. I spent hours designing my craft with the skimmer designer before finally jetting off on the various missions. A beautiful and addictive space shooter from Pete Cooke.

Thanks to www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk for images

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - no. 12

No.12: Quazatron - Hewson, 1986

Yes, it takes the mechanics of the Commodore 64 hit Paradroid - code by Steve Turner's partner, Andrew Braybrook - but that’s to take nothing away from this beautiful and addictive isometric arcade adventure.

For more on Quazatron, check out my making of here https://www.antstream.com/post/the-making-of-quazatron

Thanks to www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk for images

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - number 13

No.13: Turbo Esprit - Durell, 1986

Not only a fantastic game, Turbo Esprit is an amazing technical feat on the ZX Spectrum, a fast and free roaming adventure around desolate streets, searching for drug dealers or simply cruising around to your heart’s content.

For more on the creation of this worthy Speccy games, check out my making of over at Eurogamer: https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-08-30-the-zx-spectrum-game-set-in-romford-that-predated-gta

As usual, thanks to www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk for some of the images.

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - number 14

No.14: Tracksuit Manager - Goliath, 1989

With zero graphics, or indeed frills of any kind, Tracksuit Manager may seem a bizarre choice for inclusion in my top 20. Yet this vast and complex football management has no peer on the Spectrum, even from Football Manager, admittedly from seven years earlier. I loved two facets of this game in particular: firstly, the ability to redefine your own squad, giving the game an up to date or personal slant, if you liked. And secondly, the match day ticker-tape style readout that detailed every single event in the game you were taking part in. Together with a supreme in-depth ability to micro-manage the game of football, this is the finest soccer management simulation for me on the ZX Spectrum.

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games no. 15

No.15: Jet Set Willy - Software Projects/Bug-Byte, 1984

In at number 15 is the game many will have at number 1 - Matthew Smith's legendary Jet Set Willy! The open world nature of this sequel to Manic Miner is a wonderful game.

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games number 16

No.16: Renegade - Imagine/Ocean

This adaptation of the Taito arcade game has everything. Crunching sound effects, great graphics and superb violent gameplay make this a genuine classic. Coded by Mike Lamb with graphics by Ronnie Fowles, sound by Fred Gray and another fantastic cover from Bob Wakelin.

Thanks to www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk for images.

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games no.17

No.17: Green Beret - Imagine/Ocean, 1986

Or Green Bert as it was affectionately called in the pages of Your Sinclair. A supreme run and gun game written by Jonathan Smith, it’s a rock hard but enormously fun effort. STAB!

Wizwords Top 100 ZX Spectrum Games - number 18

No.18: Deathchase - Micromega, 1983

This 16K classic clocked in at number one on Stuart Campbell’s Top 100 list in Your Sinclair’s final issue. While I think it’s an amazing game, and worthy entry in my top 20, I couldn’t quite elevate it above all the other amazing games that sit in front of it. A pure shooting game, the simplicity of Deathchase is its attraction, notwithstanding the amazing technical achievement of actually squeezing a high speed motorbike chase game into just 16K. Released the same year as the third Star Wars movie, Return Of The Jedi, it was also a timely way of pretending you were Luke Skywalker and those enemy bikes were stormtroopers astride speeders.

A great game and if you’re reading this Mervyn, fancy getting in touch?

Thanks to www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk for images.