This has to be the ULTIMATE gift this Christmas for all those GenX ‘Big Kids’ out there!…

The Spectrum arrives just in time for a retro inspired Gen-X Christmas!

PLAION, a global leading publisher and developer of video games, and Retro Games Ltd, the world’s leading producer of re-imagined home computers, are excited to announce that The Spectrum – a modern day recreation of the beautifully designed ZX Spectrum from 1982 – will be launching across the UK & Europe on the 22^nd November 2024 and is now available to pre-order for £89.99 (€99.99).

Thanks to its pioneering design, the original machine has become an icon of home computing and video games.  It is a widely recognised symbol of the technological revolution of the 1980s, and it is this historical status that helped inspire Retro Games Ltd to make a faithful replica that incorporates modern quality of life features.  In addition to 48 pre-installed games, The Spectrum comes with 720p HD output via HDMI which allows it to be displayed on modern TVs, four USB ports that can be used for gamepads and joysticks, and an exact replica of the famous ‘rubber’ keyboard with fully functioning keys just as they were back in 1982.  The 48 pre-installed games include some of the most fun, quirky and highly rated titles in the machine’s history, including:

• Alien Girl (Skirmish Edition), Ant Attack, Army Moves, Auf Wiedersehen Monty, Avalon, Bobby Bearing, Cosmic Payback, Devwill Too ZX, Exolon, Fairlight, Firelord, Football Manager 2, Freddy Hardest, The Great Escape, Head Over Heels, Highway Encounter, The Hobbit, Horace Goes Skiing, Jack the Nipper, Knot in 3D, The Lords of Midnight, Manic Miner, Match Day II, Movie, Nodes of Yesod, Penetrator, Phantis (Game Over II), Pheenix, Pyracurse, Quazatron, Robin of the Wood, Saboteur! Remastered, Shovel Adventure, Skool Daze, Snake Escape, Spellbound, Starquake, Starstrike II, El Stompo, Stonkers, Target: Renegade, TCQ, Technician Ted – The Megamix, Tenebra, Trashman, The Way of the Exploding Fist, Wheelie, Where Time Stood Still

Other features of The Spectrum include the ability to rewind gameplay by up to 40 seconds to help players get through difficult levels, the inclusion of four ‘save-game’ slots per title, an old-school CRT filter option to replicate TVs of old, and functionality that allows players to add their own games via a USB stick. 

With authenticity in mind, Retro Games even took the time to incorporate BASIC programming, which will let budding bedroom developers get creative in much the same way as the original pioneers, who are responsible for the multi-billion-dollar video games industry that we know today.

Watch the trailer here:

“While we’ve enjoyed working on our other retro computers, this is the one that we’ve always really wanted to do.  We all remember it fondly from our childhoods, so it was important that we got every detail right, it’s been a real passion project.  So many enthusiasts will be excited by the return of this iconic machine, and we don’t want to let them down, so we’ve poured years of exacting detail into our recreation of arguably the most loved home computer of all time”, said Paul Andrews, Managing Director at Retro Games Ltd. 

“It has drawn an emotional response from those who have seen it, which is not surprising given its close association with childhood and the 1980s, which are now viewed as a halcyon time.  We can’t wait for gamers to get their hands on The Spectrum and enjoy a truly magical reminder of the past”.
“What a privilege it has been to work with Retro Games on The Spectrum. I remember getting the original for Christmas in 1982 and spending the entire day trying to master ‘Horace Goes Skiing’. My parents couldn’t afford a Commodore 64, but thanks to the accessibility and low price point of its main rival, my friends and I were able to spend magical hours battling it out on ‘Match Day II’ while marveling at the interactivity of ‘The Hobbit’.  I’ve been amazed at the feel-good factor associated with this computer, and would like to thank the many community groups who have created a supportive, fun, and vibrant culture around the legacy of The Spectrum.  It is these enthusiasts who have laid the foundations for our new machine”, said PLAION UK Marketing Director, Simon Turner.

Additional points of interest include:

• All pre-installed games are officially licensed, and can be played using only the keys, just as they were when originally released.
• Emulates all ZX Spectrum models from 16k to 128k.
• Detailed control mapping instructions for all games, which can be accessed from the themed User Interface.
• Keys incorporate an array of functions delineated by different coloured words, a visually interesting and practical design element.
• Compatible with a variety of new and old proprietary and third-party controllers/joysticks.

The Spectrum will be available to buy from a variety of European retailers, priced at £89.99 (€99.99).  Pre-orders are now open in the UK at Smyths Toys, ShopTo and Amazon and the release date is confirmed for 22^nd November 2024.

For more information on The Spectrum visit: www.retrogames.biz.