My personal all time top 10 1 - Starquake 2 - Fairlight 3 - Nodes Of Yesod 4 - Monty On The Run 5 - Nomad 6 - Commando 7 - Underwurlde 8 - Alien 8 9 - Yei Ar Kung-Fu 10 - Bobby Bearing
Matthew Smith is a genius not just because he created a sprawling, explorable platformer. He’s even more of a genius because most people would have made the plot of the sequel to Manic Miner something overblown like Willy having to save the universe one screen at a time or Miner Willy having to travel in time one screen at a time, but the premise of JSW is “Willy’s been on the lash and can’t go to bed until he’s tidied up. Go find stuff. Or just wonder around for a bit.”
Batman [isometric] Atic Atac Jet Set Willy The Great Escape Enduro Racer Chuckie Egg Back to Skool Head Over Heels Bomb Jack Cobra Green Beret The Way of the Exploding Fist 3D Starstrike Dan Dare Ghosts 'n' Goblins Airwolf Rambo Ant Attack Fairlight Uridium Commando Manic Miner Wriggler Chase HQ Elite Saboteur 2 Skool Daze Hyper Sports Batty My top 10 would come from these games.
My Top 10 list. 1. Target Renegade 2. R-Type 3. Operation Wolf 4. The Great Escape 5. Green Beret 6. Manic Miner 7. Alien 8 8. Bruce Lee 9. Lode Runner 10. Jetpac
I'm not outraged because my terrible poor memory just means I sit here going "I REMEMBER THAT GAME" having obviously completely forgotten it. Bomb Jack though, excellent choice. I still prefer it to the arcade and still go cold when the mechanical bird appears with abject terror.
Each to their own and all that rot! I'll go with Chuckie Egg, Deathchase, Arcadia, Cookie, Jet Pac, Laser Squad, Rebelstar, Rebelstar 2, The Pyramid, and Moon Alert.
Ha! Top 10 lists of any subject, but especially gaming systems, and especially the Speccy - You'll never get any two people to agree! BTW, both lists are crud! Here's my current Speccy library (no order!): * Jetpac * Manic Miner * Atic Atac * Ant Attack * Skool Daze * H.E.R.O. * Boulder Dash * Ghostbusters * BC's Quest For Tires * Rocky Horror Show * Saboteur! (Anything released after Saboteur! should be played on the Amstrad CPC!)
Turbo Esprit all day. The feeling of wandering around the city. Only got that feeling again when playing Hunter a few years later on the Atari ST, with the addition of more loneliness, and then with Grand Theft Auto in the 90s, with more chaos and Micro Machines style racing over a PC LAN. Excellent stuff.
Who remembers the ZX Spectrum? I remember the ZX Spectrum. We called it the "Spectrash" in our Atari magazines because the Atari 8-bits were indisputably BETTER than the ZX Spectrum. Hot take. Engagement. No but seriously. This is a good list. Some great picks, for sure. Many of these I played on other platforms (I ploughed a lot of time into HeroQuest and Fantasy World/Magicland Dizzy on Atari ST, for example, and didn't own Bomb Jack but was familiar with its excellence -- again, the ST port was very good) and some I've only become familiar with in more recent years (I first played Motos this year -- the Wii version on the Namco Remix pack is really neat) but all are genuinely excellent choices. You are truly a god among men who make top ten lists.
The five games I enjoyed the most were: 1. Lords of Chaos 2. Impossimole 3. Sweevo's World 4. Jack the Nipper 2 and this 3D adventure one with a deep sea diver toddling around, forgotten the name but I loved it. ..... oh and the first three Dizzy games.
I would like to thank the viewers for including Target Renegade, thus saving it from being in your list, because it's rubbish and your list is better for not having it. I also place a curse on you all for voting out Bomb Fusion so early on.
Definitely a better list. Proof right there that democracy doesn't work. Although, Chaos plus nine other games is all it needed to automatically be a better list.
I am less outraged than I thought I would be. Having said that I think my top 10 would be nearly none of the same games. Just shows that the Speccy was awesome!
Can you believe that Death Chase is from 1983, the Crash reviewer is so delighted by the sight of the onscreen hands turning the handlebars, and "Return of the Jedi has nothing on this" is high praise, considering that the movie would have just come out around then.
It also runs on a 16K speccy. Who couldn't love this game though? Even if you're not a twitch-play fan you've got to admire the fact that the graphic artist made the bike headlight resemble a 'gentlemans' tip' whenever you turned left or right.
The Dizzy games were created by those creepy sci fi test tube twins the Olivers which counts them out. So many are brainwashed by Dizzy it's ludicrous.
The first 3 Dizzy games were by the Oliver Twins, and it's their character, but the 4th one (the one in this list) was designed by muggins here. I'm not a twin. But my father was an identical twin ... which is just a weird coincidence. Anyway, do try to be nice about twins; you may think it's weird - and it is - but trust me it's a whole lot weirder for them.
Chaos by Julian Gollop is in my opinion one of the best & i still play it today after 40 odd yrs. The current pc version is called Chaos Groove with additional witty samples from red dwarf, monty python, the simpsons etc. Its a shame that the creator didnt give credit to Julian Gollop though. 1 quick round of Chaos groove with 7 pc controlled wizards is great just before bed.
I had Lords of Midnight on a compilation that I got one Christmas (Father Christmas always used to bring at least one or two speccy compilations, I think Dad must have told him to make sure he gets the best value for money from games). I don't remember playing it ever. I'm guessing I loaded it up once and eight year old me must have thought - this looks a bit complicated, lots of reading, don't know what I'm supposed to be doing, what else is on this tape? And then never tried it again. Now that I've seen so many youtubers (well, you and Kim Justice) banging on about how great it is I really wish I'd stuck with it, or at least gave it another go a couple of years later. Obviously there's nothing stopping me playing it now, but it wouldn't be the same. As for which list is best, it would be yours, but I couldn't possibly favour a spectrum top 10 that doesn't feature Back to Skool.
Excellent video. A unanimous Speccy top 10 is basically impossible. I would say Jet Pac and Manic Miner are a must, beyond that it’s personal preference as to which genres you go down.
Minder Graveyard; magical! Great list of games there... And... Motos! You legend! A personal love of mine and indeed, that 128K soundtrack in the menu and in-game is top drawer. I think what stands out most for me though, is why making a Top 10 on the Spectrum is so-o-o-o-o-o hard; and why both lists contain so many great games (and omit so many great ones too) - there's just too many titles you could include.
Right. Here we go. So first of all on the video, it's a brilliantly made thing. I thoroughly enjoyed how you've done it. Especially the "end titles" which I thought was great. Your top 10 is better than the original top 10. The reason is you've got a balanced top 10. You've picked games that are great on the specky, and you've tried to include a bit of everything. Although it's easy for you to do that and impossible for the original top 10 to do that. As for the individual games I have to take your word for the #1 game. I had it on my CPC and it was gash, awful. Hated it. It looks a bit different on the Specky so maybe it's good. Deathchase I don't really enjoy at all so that was a surprise. Everything else though I'm happy with. Gollop's best game is Lords of Chaos, and in fact when you talked about a game that managed the scope or whaever you said about Lords of Midnight then Lords of Chaos might be it. You take your wizard through and you really properly do develop them and you have lots of options, and the scenarios get more complicated and challenging, it's a fantastic game. He's more famous for Laser Squad, and to be honest he got that formula nearly bang on with Rebelstar 1+2, I think Laser Squad was really just the same with multiple scenarios. But I'm not going to complain about Chaos being there, especially as you did explain you were just picking one. I would like to have seen a proper text adventure in there, the Hobbit would have been good but it's really not like you've got a lot of room in the top 10. I'm so pleased though to see a top 10 that isn't just the usual quick to play on stream decent specky games - there was a lot more depth than that to the system.
As the spectrum got better over time a top ten by year might be an idea. Oh and here's my "obscure" favourites. Viking Raiders? Anyone? Eh? No? The greatest multilplayer Viking battle strategy game ever created? Contact Sam cruise? Roller Coaster? Mic dropped.
That Turbo Esprit is some impressive stuff. I'd play it, but then there's a risk that if I play more than the 4 or 5 Spectrum games I've ever played in my life I'd have to change my favourite.
I'm sorry, it's HOW much!? Oh the board game. I've just realised, haha. Yeah, personally - I wouldn't bother with the board game these days. There are many, many better board games out there that scratch the same itch at a much cheaper price. HeroQuest being re-released is just a nostalgia thing, and while it's fine enough at what it does, it is entrenched in "old" game rules to the point where it can be a bit tedious. You'd be better off with something like Descent: Journeys in the Dark or something similar.
I would of picked Lords of Chaos or Rebelstar myself but throughly enjoyed the list and your guest's thoughts. I can't believe nobody picked any Magic Knight games in their top 10. Knight Tyme was superb.
I would have added it to my shortlist if I'd ever gotten further than 3 screens in on any of them. They left a huge impression but I definitely need to revisit.
I've really enjoyed both of these videos thanks for putting them together. I was so pleased to see Lords of Midnight in your top ten, even if it was only at number 10. I also loved seeing Chaos in there was it is such a great game, the phone remake is the only game I have on my phone, as it is the only game I need on my phone. I was a bit surprised at Green Beret at number one but that's the great thing about top 10s other peoples are always different to yours.
When it comes to dizzy.. Treasure island dizzy for me.. I played them all, but that one stuck more in my mind.. probably because it was the only one I completed.
Neither of them, I'm afraid. Both have the makings of a potential top ten, but with the glaring omissions of Rebelstar, The Wild Bunch and Orbiter, I can't endorse either 😉
@RoseTintedSpectrum While I was an Amstrad CPC Owner myself... Though I did love playing my sisters Spectrum... Many of the games on both lists I owned on at least ONE of the two systems... So here is my Top 10 From BOTH LISTS!!! 10 - Bruce Lee ... Just Epic! 9 - Bomb Jack - It was So Addictive even if I was AWFUL it! 8 - Chuckie Egg... Oh Come on! It had to be! 7 - Target: Renegade - Easier to get into than the OG... 6 - ANY Dizzy Games... The Lot! I love em! 5 - Green Beret ... I did not like the CPC Version but it was awesome on the speccy! 4 - Saboteur - It was just stunning but I dont know why! 3 - Turbo Esprit - CPC or Speccy, Just a Phenomenal Game! 4 - The Great Escape - Why did this not make the viewers top 10? I loved it! OK! My top 3 are NOT from either!!! Sorry, but I hope you do appreciate that I did enjoy games from both... 3 - NINJA HAMSTER... Errrr.... Yeah, The first One on One Fighter I really liked!!! Yes, its dumb and clunky but its fun! 2 - Rebelstar ... I had hours of fun with that! 1 - DAMN! Two Tie for Number one on BOTH systems.... GAUNTLET II and the Eponymous ELITE!!!
I have a bone to pick with you sir. My pitchfork is languishing in the cupboard unused because of your excellent list. Magicland Dizzy? CHECK. The absolute BEST Spectrum game EVER, Chaos, included. CHECK. The best non-Star Wars Star Wars game, Deathchase. CHECK. The best arcade port, Bomb Jack. CHECK. Your list pisses all over the original list, even though that does have some decent games in it (Back to Skool, Skool Daze, Jetpac and Manic Miner for my preference). Green Beret can do one though, cos I'm utterly shit at it.
I'd certainly put Laser Squad up there. And Three Weeks in paradise. And... yeah, the list would probably grow to a Top 50. It's like being asked to pick your favourite cliché! Also, if I knew there was a Count Duckula game, I would've played it for sure. Loved the show as a kid.
Viewers top 10 much better for the pure reason Manic Miner is in it. You could have a top ten where 9 of them are Kong and Airwolf as long as Manic Miner is also in there it would win. Deathchase, Turbo Esprit and Green Beret from your list are awesome though.
Many Thanks (Manks?) for the vid and the work the whole project entailed...i'm 50/50 between the lists... and there are games I appreciate the brillaince or importance of, that I never 'liked', and some I had great fun playing that were objectively rubbish, but if we stick to 'most fun', 10 Zeno 9: Robocop 8 Spy vs Spy 7 Elite 6 Bruce Lee 5: IK+ 4 Target Renegade 3: Laser Squad 2: 3D Deathchase 1:: Chaos but I am generally wrong about most things, and the prevalence of 2-player games there may give away that I wasn't an only-child - i wonder if there's a correlation.....
Rainbow Islands on the Spectrum is the best home port outside of TGCD - played them all back to back recently and was shocked how amazing it is on Speccy.
@@arostwocentsyeah the 128k version is my favourite version of all. Enjoy it just as much as the arcade version, which I think makes it better because it’s on the humble Speccy.
No Chase HQ in either list is surprising but there are so many Spectrum games that narrowing it down to just 10 is extremely difficult. 3d Deathchase was amazing for such an early Spectrum game. I'd have Wheelie in my personal top 10 which was another terrific Microsphere game. Bomb Jack was incredible and a great arcade conversion. I got Bomb Jack as a freebie with a subscription to Crash magazine back in the day.
Chase HQ is a great choice, I mainly didn't pick it as I'd prefer to pick up the arcade version these days - even if the Speccy version is a great achievement.
Great video, bud! Both top 10s are pretty solid. But I like to be like Switzerland. Full of Toblerone. 'The Rats' was one of the most frightening Speccy games I ever played, it was strategy, resource management and real-time text adventure survival horror. It was pretty brutal and bloody, children can get eaten alive in it. And OAPs. Based on Herbert's preposterous and popular horror novel.
Never heard of motos …..but definitely looks like something i should have known about ….cheers for that …all the other stuff I disagree with …haha ….ok i dont really …x
That's one helluva top twenty 😊👍 But seriously there are so many wonderful games on the Spectrum that it would be nigh on impossible to pick a top 100 and have even a single person agree with it. I do like almost all those you picked. Great vid 😊👍
Motos got a new version recently on the Curent PC and Console Pac Man Collecion just now pacman themed yet the Arcade oroginal version is never on anything though.
Back in the early eighties, only the poor kids owned Spectrums. I went around my friends house after school and he showed me a few of his best games. I had to use the keyboard, it was so incredibly uncivilised and the graphics were terrible.
Back in the early 80s, despite my dad working all the overtime he could get and driving taxis at the weekend, our family couldn't even afford a new Speccy. £160 was a serious wad of cash for us poor folk back in 1983 and we had to wait for a family friend to "upgrade" to a C64 and donate their old Speccy 48k to us. I'll never forget the excitement I felt as a 9 year old when I got home from school to find my dad and my brother playing Manic Miner on our hand-me-down Speccy connected to our living room telly. I'm pretty sure my brother, who has always been a bit of a hoarder, still has that Speccy stashed away somewhere!
I upgraded to a C64 after a few years, and the sound, graphics and smooth movement blew me away... Looking up the prices the C64 was £399! A brand new PlayStation 5 isn't much more than that, and that includes a state-of-the-art controller...
Great video and you are providing the community a real service by attempting to answer the toughest questions humanity is faced with. Which list is better you ask? To which I say we didn't have the Spectrum here in the first place so it's all hogwash. Enjoy your color clash. C64 rulez!~ 🖕
