Scramble on 16k Sinclair ZX81 (Timex Sinclair 1000)

[JuniorD1975]

I think I would have to go with the first version of scramble. You can definitely tell that it is Scramble. The scrolling was pretty good as well x

[lilacfloyd]

I think you have a smart bomb rather than dropping bombs on the second game (zx scramble) a bit like defender.

[ZXAmiga64]

Cheers for the series steve, ive really enjoyed these z80 videos and watched them all even although i have not commented.

it is dificult to get a hold of the manic miner version for z81 (made much later) ?, i was hoping to see a few of these later faster games running on hardware, something for the future i guess . cheers steve.

[Quimbyrbg]

Man I love scramble clones; If anyone has an Xbox there is a fantastic Scramble-esque game on Xbox Live Indie Games called Alien Commando (or Commander... I forget) for around $1US.

It's like a free roaming (on a 2D plane) scramble game with a choice of UFOs, tanks, bombers, and underground mining vehicles to dick around with.

Congratulations Steve on the milestone, you easily one of my top 3 favourite YouTubers and I hope good things happen at you :)

I'd subscribe again if I could.

[electricadventures]

I really like your reviews of these older games. The frustrations you have with playing them are a laugh! Closest I got to a ZX-81 was probably playing with one at the calculator shop, that was also the only place to sell the TI-99/4A a year or so later.

[pocketmego]

I actually thought the first one was better and felt much more like scramble. The second one looked too much like Defenda.

[SteveBenway]

@pocketmego I liked the controls more on the 2nd one, but the first was definitely the better game.

[scenscoff]

for future refence can i say that i do enjoy the zx 81 game reveiws and cant wait for the system reveiw :-3D

[maiki60fps]

The 2600 Super Cobra is the maximum you can get by moving the playfield horizontally (4 pixels increments), if it was vertical it could be done absolutely smooth... As for the votes on videos I am pretty sure they are almost always about games, so expect negative feedback if you are doing crappy games...

[AtsumaKarin]

P.S. Now that this series has come to an end, perhaps more Shenmue is on the horizon? :D

[AtsumaKarin]

The first 2 Scramble games looked pretty good. Pity that last one wouldn't run properly. :(

I wonder whether the coders of these games were fans of Alphabet Spaghetti back in the day? Nearly every one of these games seems to use letters for something. :P

I lolled at your sped-up segment, which was followed by: "this is what you call professional video production." XD

Good SWILL! :D

[SteveBenway]

@AtsumaKarin The "this is what you call professional video production." was entirely deliberate :D

There will be some Shenmue, though I can't say how much.

[LeShark75]

Steve, I have given you a thumbs up for the video. I can only assume that whom ever has given the thumbs down has done so due to the fact that this is a poor game..... IMHO Guys.

[SteveBenway]

@LeShark75 Thanks :)

I think sometimes the odd person forgets they're voting on the video and not the game. More often than not though, it's just someone who doesn't like me. Doesn't bother me :)

[TheBladeJunker]

I do think you're mad to reject comfort but to each their own. Too bad viewership is down, I myself like to see things I've never seen before. You don't have to buy one but if you want to see a joystick interface go to zx81 museum.net as they have 2 listed among many other things.

[SteveBenway]

@TheBladeJunker You haven't realised that I *am* mad? :D

Thanks for the info re: joystick interface :)

[neojake999gamer]

Views dropping? Hell, I LOVE this old stuff. This makes me wish I had a lot of this when I was little!! We never had a hope computer at all when i was a kid.

Are you actually loading these games of the original tapes?

[SteveBenway]

@neojake999gamer I have a few of the original tapes, but the recent 16k games, I've loaded from a CD... albeit in the same way... as an audio stream.

[lettersfromtheleft]

I might need to see if I can find a ZX81 here. Do you know if they do NTSC or just PAL output?

[SteveBenway]

@lettersfromtheleft The ZX81 is just PAL, but the Timex Sinclair 1000, basically the same machine, is NTSC.

[Starxxon]

"A" for "Aliens"?

I like the first one better. For some reason I have a fascination for old games that have intricate cave-like areas.

So Steve you don't want to put a rubber on your ZX? :)

[SteveBenway]

@Starxxon lol... no, it's catholic....or something... lol.

[MAMECADE]

Those "graphics?" remind me of some commodore Vic-20 games I've played. Thanks Steve.

[Starxxon]

@MAMECADE It is similar to the Vic-20 in how you were forced to use the text grid to make "graphics". The difference is that with the Vic-20 you could easily change the text character bitmaps to something else (like game characters or ships) while you couldn't do that on the ZX without a hardware hack (that is, before some genius found how to do it via software many years later - see Manic Miner for an example).

[SteveBenway]

@MAMECADE The Vic is very much from the same era as this, and probably the only machine that could be considered the ZX81s peer. The ZX was considerably cheaper though... which kind of shows :)

[RetroGamerVX]

Lol, you flew through the cave walls !! lol Yes, not bad for the 81 :o)

Lol@ "I want a bomb!", you should have done one before you started recording ;o)

[SteveBenway]

@RetroGamerVX It's all the power pills from that pac-man game that do it ;)

[paulb4uk]

Shame views are getting lower i still like the zx81 .

[SteveBenway]

@paulb4uk Yeah, it's a pity. It happens whenever I stick to one system for a while though, especially the older ones, so it didn't surprise me. I'll do another season of it in a couple of months or so :)

[ForViewingOnly]

Awww, Steve, can't you do one last video on Manic Miner for the ZX81? That way we end on a real high with the '81 being pushed well beyond its limits with Hi Res graphics (Google search on "manic miner zx81 JSW remakes" will give you the .P file).

Either way, this series of ZX81 vids has been very enjoyable, thanks.

[SteveBenway]

@ForViewingOnly Not in this season I'm afraid, but I'll see about finding it when I do the next one.

I've enjoyed doing it, but as usually happens when I stick with one system for a couple of weeks, views start to fall off.

[MrStephen182]

Well done on 5000 subs.

[SteveBenway]

@MrStephen182 Thanks :)

[mathowlett]

Impressive ! It's surprising how smooth they look considering they're *scrolling* 1 character at a time. Again, very interesting use of the character set.

I like the part where the video speeds up... sounds like my mother on the phone.

[SteveBenway]

@mathowlett I find it amusing to speed things up every now and again. Thing is, can you work out any of what I said? It may have been extremely interesting. Or not. I can't remember now.

[DigitalDreamsMedia1]

Ive enjoyed the zx81 series you have done, its quite surreal to see how they programmed them games and I found the decompressing interesting too on the ZX81 and how they did it on such a primitive machine...

[SteveBenway]

@DigitalDreamsMedia1 I was very surprised the first time I came across that decompression routine. I'm not sure it was a good thing though, as it seemed to take longer than normal tape loading.

[wrestletube1]

What is the milestone going to be? Bumper Shenmue non drunk?

[SteveBenway]

@wrestletube1 Wait and see :)

[wrestletube1]

On ZX Scramble wasn't that the Star Ship Enterprise.

[SteveBenway]

@wrestletube1 Not exactly, but it did seem to have nacelles.

[ReplayRetro]

Congrats on the 5000 mate

[SteveBenway]

@ReplayRetro Cheers :D

[gerion79]

Congratulations (Herzlichen Glückwunsch ;) on hitting 5000 Subscribers!

[SteveBenway]

@gerion79 Thank you :D

[mp4podcastDOTcom]

That looks like Luke Skywalkers land speeder.

[SteveBenway]

@mp4podcastDOTcom Yeah, just like in that Defanda game from a week or so ago.

[murrayefc78]

congrats on the 5000 steve

[SteveBenway]

@murrayefc78 Thanks :)

[Trusteft]

For some reason I thought these games (or just one at the beginning) were going to be a "put the letters in the order to make words" type of game, which I hate.

Interesting games, but...yeah.

For some reason I want to play an Amstrad 464/6128 game or two. I don't have an Amstrad. lol

[SteveBenway]

@Trusteft Not a bad choice of machine to want to play :)

[chaoskuun]

You are very welcome :D Congrats on 5000 subs! And who could get bored of the ZX81? :P with your commentary along with the game itself, should be a smashing hit :D

[SteveBenway]

@chaoskuun I couldn't get bored of it, but views are plummeting. Never mind... I'll do another season of it in a couple of months or something :)

[Polaventris]

I've seen worse scramble clones out there. Might not be the prettiest ganesm but seems quite solid otherwise (if they agree to run in the first place that is).

[SteveBenway]

@Polaventris It's a bit hit and miss getting some of them to run, but I'm sure it's just that I don't know the right commands.

[TheGameRaider1]

The first game is very playable. Impressive for the ZX81 compared to every thing else you have shown.

By the way, when you are loading the third game and are fast forwarding you sound like C3PO.

[SteveBenway]

@TheGameRaider1 You'll see the very best tomorrow :D

[Paperinjerate]

I enjoyed every single one Sinclair ZX81 video. It fails to bore me with you commenting on it. :D

[SteveBenway]

@Paperinjerate I enjoy playing them :D

[MooreGamesJay]

i wouldnt be able to handle the faster levels.

7.49 secs my eyes went KRAZY lol.

[SteveBenway]

@MooreGamesJay Yeah, that does mess with your eyes :D

[WorthyouruniverseHD]

Cookies and creammm!

[SteveBenway]

@WorthyouruniverseHD Absolutely! Umm... what? :D