Speccy Classics
There were so many games for the Speccy, that it's difficult to choose the 'really brilliant' from just the 'very good'. Some, however, stuck out by a long way. Some of those are here.
The thing with choosing "classics" is that they're all subjective and everyone has a different opinion. Of course, some people have opinions that are just wrong. These are not wrong, and these are my opinions.
-
Run Baby Run
Run Baby RunRun Baby Run
This is sort of a simplified version of Grand Theft Auto. Sort of. If you squint. Anyway, its loads of fun, and very easy to get into. Further proof that the simplest of games are usually the best.
The basic idea is to drive around the maze, whilst being followed by a chain of police cars. They drive the exact same route you do, and so you must make them crash by cunningly looping your course around so the crap-witted cops blindly drive into each other like the monkeys they are.
Once they've all proven what excellent drivers they are, and hence died, the last car goes nuts and destroys everything with a big gun, which you have to avoid whilst driving to the bottom of the screen. Why? Because you just DO, you mindless fools!
Click here for my Run Baby Run section, with player's guide, level editor, and levels created by me!
-
ZolyxZolyx
The author of Zolyx (Pete Cooke) was well known for his polished games. He always went overboard on the title screens, and often added 'extras' which seems to be there just to fill up the memory.
Most of his games were simple in design, and this is no exception. Just fill in the screen. And that's it.
It does have a fair few options (such as inverting the screen colours) and also has a built in variation of the Life algorithm, in colour. For no real reason.
-
Action BikerAction Biker Starring Clumsy Colin
Remember Clumsy Colin from the KP Skips adverts? No? It doesn't matter as he's hardly relevant to the game lending only his name to it.
The idea is (as with all the best games) simple - Colin is asleep. He's dreaming that he must find his mate and take him to the airport. Quite why this is the case isn't clear. Perhaps he overdid it on the Skips before bedtime. Anyway, you control Colin on his motorbike, and you must stop off at houses (a little breaking and entering obviously involved here) and look for 'special items' to help him in his task.
Sometimes his friend's mum is in and demands you stay for a cup of tea for two hours. On the road, cars and bikes run into you reducing your sleep level, which is replenished by eating the packets of Skips left on the road.
You also have to watch the clock and fuel gauge too. A game which you really do want to have another go at, and the items are in random locations each time. Top stuff.
-
A Whole New Ball Game
A Whole New Ball GameA Whole New Ball Game
Another classic from Pete Cooke. It shows all of his trademarks, such as the simple-but-absorbing gameplay, natty GUI and a bonus fractal tree generator.
The aim of this game is to collect all of the yellow balls on the screen by deflecting the little white ball around by cunning use of the mirrors. Your progress is hampered by teleporters, slime (which multiplies, preventing you from laying mirrors) and traps (which kill your ball). There are also speed up and slow down blocks, which can help or hinder.
On top of all this, the game even has a screen designer. For designing your own screens, of course.
I've spent many an hour playing this game, and making my own screens to go with with it. Strangely though, I spend more time growing odd shaped trees...
-
Tornado Low LevelTornado Low Level
Or TLL to it's friends. YES! You too can fly one of the FASTEST planes on EARTH! But where to? A secret mission to destroy a Middle East air base? A quick sortie over the former USSR?
NO! You've got to FLY really LOW and collect LITTLE TARGET THINGS!! In fact, you DON'T HAVE ANY GUNS! In fact, there's not even anyone to shoot down!
But does that make a bad game? Not really. Yeah, so you might not have any exciting air to air combat situations, but the game is still loads of fun. I still get excited when I flip my wings back (oo-er!) and fly under some power lines, pulling up just in time to avoid a collision with a particularly nasty tree.
As well as collecting the targets, which you can only do when you're skimming the ground, you also need to take off and land the plane. Remembering to wait for your fuel to fill up before taking off never was one of my strong points. Another fantastic game.