 Welcome back to classic replay. This time we're looking at ZX Spectrum ports to the Amstrad CPC. Back in 1984 or early 1985 you'd have received your Amstrad CPC safe in the knowledge that you were moving over to a colour personal computer. Some of you probably moved from the ZX Spectrum to the Amstrad CPC or from another 8-bit computer. For me this was my first ever home computer. And Alan Sugar's first foray into the home bit computer market. The Amstrad CPC was full of quick and dirty speccy ports. Stripped of 16 colour and some even including the beeper sound. Making it hard to look past even the decent speccy ports. Kenny Daglish is a prime example. Strangely this footy game has its fans. But the Amstrad CPC port was like wading through treacle. The Kenny Daglish signature was bigger than the actual playing screen. It was the equivalent of watching non-league football. Not for me thanks. It's not difficult to see why speccy ports are mostly hated across the CPC community. And what's the point having an increased back catalogue of games if they're all massive duds. This is the Sinclair ZX Spectrum version of Dandy. Short for Dungeons and Dragons. It's also famous for being Gauntlet's most prominent influence. And therefore one of the founding fathers of Dungeon Crawlers. In fact Dandy arrived a whole two years before the classic Atari hit game Gauntlet. The Spectrum version is an absolute blast of a game. Everything in Gauntlet 1 and 2 does it better. But this port to the Amstrad CPC is still highly playable. A little bit slower. Strangely with less colour. But even a bad port couldn't kill a game like this. It really comes into its own if you play with a friend. You get plenty of health. And I really liked it as a kid. It's a great little dungeon crawler. If you bought and played this game, the joke was on you. It's a martial arts game only in name. Even at budget price this would be an insult. You have to beat these other wretched animals four times, a whole four times to progress to the next stage. It's all highly repetitive stuff with rubbish sound and half decent graphics. You've got to save your village and fight your way through eight villainous enemies. Thank goodness there's a two player option that drastically improves things. This Amstrad CPC port is almost an exact copy of the ZX Spectrum. Sound is still abysmal. Graphics lack any real detail or colour. But it retains the speed of the ZX Spectrum version and the two player option. Personally for me it's just not enough to save the game. It's fair to say that it's completely different to the run of the mill other martial arts games on the Amstrad CPC. Someone needs to clean that mess up. But once you've mastered the tried and tested sweeping kick, that's all you have to do to complete the game. For me personally this is one of the best budget games on the ZX Spectrum. It's basic platform and ladders jumping over the nasties. But it's lovely to look at and it really is a terrific game. There's eight ingredients to collect and you need a particular ingredient in order to move on to the next screen. Get the ingredient and there's a big kiss waiting for you. The Amstrad version although a specky port loses none of its charm. Features the same great gameplay, moves at pace and no matter how busy the screen gets there's no slowdown whatsoever. This is yet another game that was benefited from 16 colour mode zero. But when the game plays this good you can't really moan. Alright, let's get down the pub and get smashed. If you've never played this one you might just be pleasantly surprised. The 80s were obsessed with controlling balls in a game. Hopping mad felt like an arcade conversion that never was. Your scene Claire was suitably impressed and rewarded this one 81%. Those with a thin patience won't appreciate what's on offer here. But for the rest of us willing to persevere this is actually a rewarding little game. The Amstrad is more of the same stuff. It's a blatant specky port but features a smaller screen and a choppier bounce. It's still bags of fun to play but at times it feels like there's a bit of a lag in the controls. Making an already difficult game feel near impossible. I'd say play the specky version instead and maybe give this one a try if you're curious after playing that version. I remember the first time I ever played this. Gauntlet went 3D. And it's absolutely brilliant. I really enjoyed playing this on the ZX Spectrum. It's fast paced, easy to get into but difficult to put down. There's lots to do in single player mode and even better in two player mode. For this type of game it scrolls absolutely wonderfully. This is Spectromitus as Amstrad Action put it at its best. As you can see it's ever so slightly slower but it's just as smooth, sounds just as good. And for me plays absolutely wonderful. Most people owning an Amstrad CPC won't be able to get over the graphics but for those that do a brilliant adventure awaits. Escape from the tree kingdom and you won't be able to put it down. This is a bit of a tough one. You've parachuted in and you now need to accomplish certain tasks to get you back to where you need to be. The cipher machine will show you the way via satellite link up but every time you use it it will zap away at your energy. You'll either need to find a map off the internet or map this one out as you play it but it's well worth it. It's an enjoyable game and the puzzles are quite interesting. It's got that mixture of steaming in there like Rambo but then using brains not brawn to solve some of the puzzles. There's not much to say about the Amstrad CPC version. It's practically identical in fact I can't tell on the part which is a crying shame because they could easily have used more colours in this game. Like the Spectrum version it's varied enough to keep you playing but it's definitely a thinking man's shooter. The problem is this might look entertaining and the sort of game where you want to shoot and dodge but it looks awful, it moves awful. You just randomly get knocked off the window and faulty at death and it's not something you'll probably ever want to load up again. There's just too many cheap deaths throughout and this one unfortunately, Speckyport or not, never stood a chance. As you can see on the display there the Amstrad version is even worse. It's choppier, it's slower. There's some differentiation in the sprite colours but again it's just a really disappointing shoot and dodge game. No doubts it could have been really playable. This is one where even a splash of colour would have done little to save this game. Equally the sound effects and the music are god damn awful. I'd have preferred them not to be in the game. So this one is a massive avoid from me. Badlands is a great little ZX Spectrum conversion. It features the same layout as the coin-off original. There's a 128k version. It's fast and responsive and a heck of a lot of fun to play. I can't help think though that Domark could have done more but you can't argue that this version of Badlands is basically a good arcade conversion. Straight from the off once again I'm sad to say that the Amstrad CPC conversion came off second best. Although there'll be no photo finish thankfully it's still highly playable. It's not left stalled on the line but it's very difficult to look past the lack of effort involved here. This is basically a straight specky port but overall this is a solid specky port that delivers on playability. Unfortunately once again the source material isn't up to much on this ZX Spectrum game. Players Premiere were known for some really dodgy games and although it looks promising and a little bit like resembling Gunsmoke why play this when you can play Akari Warriors or the Excellent Commander? Such a shame. As if things couldn't get any worse this game is finished in Chase HQ ZX Spectrum Yellow and looks to run at half the speed. The graphics are terrible, slow and I'm sorry it's not even addictive in the slightest. They didn't even bother with the sound effects or music and if you look closely there's tearing in the scroll as it moves up the screen you really can't make this stuff up it's absolutely awful. A terrible terrible Spectrum game and a terrible even worse Spectrum port you'll have more fun ordering your very own gravestone than playing this. When I first played Resputin I was almost convinced it was an ultimate play the game and not a Firebird label release. It's an absolute visual delight if you're a ZX Spectrum fan. It's very complex and also it's very difficult but once you get your head around it things slowly start to gel and you start to progress. Wonderful little game. This Amstrad CPC port is no slouch either and it's found some additional colour along the way they've used mode 0 at the bottom for the display and then mode 1 at the top as far as I can tell it runs at a similar speed armed with your magical shield and sword you'll want to play this into the wee hours if you've not played this on the Amstrad CPC I urge you to pick it up and have a look at it it's not going to be for everyone but it just might be your cup of tea a great little specky port if you ever needed the proof that Ocean Software programmed crap games this is it it joins Streethawk and Night Rider in another mediocre conversion from the big screen I can't imagine anybody enjoying this game it's boring beyond belief and an absolute waste of an Arnie license the Arnie sprite looks good though it's really detailed and I like the facial expression the Amstrad version is just absolutely piss poor even the black guys are pink there's no score at the bottom of the screen like on the ZX Spectrum version and it runs at half the pace it really is truly awful there's no fun to be had here so it's not that it's a bad specky port it's just that the source code in the first place was going nowhere Ocean actually did lots of terrible conversions anyone remember Miami Vice and Highlander for Christ's sake I played this quite a bit back in the day it's another dungeon crawler it's a nifty little chase around unlike Gauntlet it's a flip screen affair and you must travel over six levels picking up all sorts of items and you're armed to the teeth with a garlic gun but let's have a look at the Amstrad port it looks pretty much the same probably less colour it's just as heavy on the garlic again it's another one of those if you can look past the graphics and have a taste for monochrome blood it's a good game on the Amstrad to get your teeth into there's no doubt that Gauntlet has been done to death on these systems but I kept playing with this one until I finally killed the sheevampire herself I'm not sure what else to say on this one other than it's a competent specky port and fun to play the sound effects in this game are nothing to write home about but for a specky game the graphics and the update is superb action is as rip roaring as the arcade original and this really is superior high class racing on the ZX Spectrum Super Hang-On really comes into its own on the ZX Spectrum when you hit that turbo button I have no idea how they converted this game to the ZX Spectrum it's absolutely brilliant and one of my all time favourite racers plays very closely to the ZX Spectrum original but isn't quite as impressive in the graphics but seriously that doesn't spoil it for me the game is just as playable but could you imagine how wonderful this would have looked with a splash of colour if you can look past the graphics and the ever so slightly slower road updates like me you'll be playing this until the cows come home it's a thumbs up from me this is a fantastic little ninja combat game there's over 16 moves available it's spread over three stages multi load and features some nasty looking opponents at the time it definitely felt like a cut above the rest for this type of genre and clearly a clear winner on the spec key the Amstrad port comes with all the detail of the ZX Spectrum port probably loses a little bit of the speed in the conversion but it's every bit as addictive and playable as the ZX Spectrum version you could argue and you'd be justified in doing so that the game has a bit of a repetitive nature but the scrolling is lovely to watch the background is alive with animation and there's a great deal of variety in the action this is a good spec key port this one has aged really well the graphics are as good as the original if not better and the gameplay is definitely just as addictive and although it looks similar all of your old winning techniques from the first game completely go out the window here you're starting from scratch the Amstrad doesn't suffer here either this is an exact replica of the ZX Spectrum the speed is the same the slightly better sound and what colours are used are put to good use once you load the game you see a nice little neat guide of all the aliens and the obstacles and where and where in the game you'll come across them you should probably take a picture at this point because once you go past this point you can't see them again you can't call that up that is the only frustrating thing about this game apart from that it's a fantastic spec key port and one to check out if you haven't this one back in the day I'd have probably given this I don't know 9 out of 10 it's that good the great news is it's a British game and for the time it was all highly original immensely difficult to put down and you basically start to get into it you're basically in charge of a bunch of droids called the deactivators and you're basically sent into a building to remove all the terrorist bombs the Amstrad CPC version for me is every bit as good as the ZX Spectrum so this is a really good port and it's not one of those games that necessarily needs bags of colour you've essentially got two rooms in the display and then a map below telling you where the bombs are it's not just a case of going in there finding the bombs you've got to pick up all sorts of little items you've got to be able to get the circuit boards working again the electricity the lights fabulous it really is stranded on a seabed you must escape from this 3D watery world the only way back to the surface is to find and assemble all the different parts of the submarine that are scattered all over the seabed unfortunately you've only got three tanks of oxygen there's all sorts of nasty undersea monsters out to eat you and guess what it's quite a good game the sound is absolutely awful in this Amstrad CPC version first thing you need to do is turn it off but the rest of the game is absolutely 100% identical even in the speed department the end of game screen is unbelievable as well you need to really see that to believe it there's nothing fishy about this game and it's one of those if you give it the time of day it will reward you tenfold another fantastic little specky port for the Amstrad CPC oh I do like to be beside the seaside Fire Lord is one of the best games made for the ZX Spectrum the programmer Steve Crow has really outdone himself here the magazine reviews of the day didn't convey the sheer speed of this game it's a fantastic little arcade adventure with lots of puzzles thrown in and this is the same guy that did the amazing Starquake I mean just look at all the colours on display there the Fire Lord is an excellent game on the Amstrad CPC as well the graphics aren't as colourful as the Spectrum but the sounds are still original there's been a slight hit in the speed department but we're not talking leisurely pace here this is one of those games where there's no point even beginning to try and play it unless you're willing to map out where you're going there's no doubt this would have looked great in 16 colour but it's such a good game that you see past it straight away an essential specky port I'll be honest with you I'm not sure what they were aiming for here Mar-Tec it looks good, the presentation is good the graphics are good it zips along at real good pace and although that might sound jolly unfortunately it's as dull as dishwater you simply just go as fast as you can and then fall asleep at the wheel what on earth were they thinking with this one the Amstrad CPC doesn't stand a chance so here it is just as fast cars look graphically decent again I wouldn't bother fastening your seatbelt I'm sure somebody somewhere thought this was a great idea there's three types of events the first one is speed trial go as fast as you can then there's the killing race which is go as fast as you can and shoot as many cars as possible then tag race where one car is it and you've all got to get it as far as specky conversions translations go it's accurate, it's no different retains all the same speed I just hope nobody bought it back in the day talking about awful games my god look at this absolutely shocking it's obviously aimed at kids but my kids would even be bored of this there's no sound to speak of the control is really sluggish this must be one of the worst spectrum games probably ever made does anybody know my money is on Count Duckula but this can't be far off and Amstrad CPC has got no chance again I mean it's a port for god's sake it's either going to be the same pace or even slower, Christ on a bike this is absolutely awful you'll have more fun watching paint dry or listening to a game load I can imagine mums and dads would purchase this for Christmas or birthdays for their children and the children would have slung it straight back at them to add insult to injury look at this, a full colour loading screen what a joke now I quite like this I first played it on an Amstrad action cover tape where I think you got the first couple of levels free it's a nice little innovation on Arkanoid and for a specky game I mean look at all the colours on the blocks it's you against the computer or against a friend and there's different variety across the levels so what's not to like the Amstrad's gone all pink on us but it's the same great gameplay and level of detail it's lost nothing other than the colour in its transit over to the Amstrad CPC it's not one I ever owned or purchased I just played the Amstrad CPC Amstrad action cover tape version but I played this and the specky version recently and they're identical there's no difference really I wouldn't even like to choose I'd say apart from the Commodore Amiga and maybe some might argue the PC Engine version this is probably considered one of the best ZX Spectrum arcade conversions that ever graced the system Bob Pape was the brains behind this conversion and to be quite honest there's nothing quite like it the speed of this thing is what sets it apart and if you can complete this game on the ZX Spectrum you'll have no problem completing the arcade original you can't ask for more than that from a conversion who knew the specky could use so many different colours collect objects, shoot baddies you know the drill this superb IRM classic also made it onto the Amstrad CPC but a little disappointingly the graphics have lost all of their colour and the gameplay is good but it's just not as remarkable as I'd hoped after seeing the excellent ZX Spectrum conversion still it's a great shooter though and Keith Goodyear should be rightly proud of programming this Amstrad CPC version considering the limitations in the time he was given all the features are present it's definitely a good blast but it's not one today that I'd play over other versions thank god for the new update for R-Type 128K on the Amstrad CPC it was everything Amstrad CPC R-Type fans could ever hope for don't you open that trap door you're a fool if you dare what a game and I love the miniseries absolutely fantastic and they stick to the script the formula of the TV series really well my door sir she's only 5 but she's watched all the original trap door series I doubt she's old enough but hey her the Amstrad CPC version is excellent as well it's a carbon copy almost to the ZX Spectrum and a real labour of love from the programmers there's a whole multitude of taxing problems and troubles to resolve but the game really will leave you satisfied it looks identical as well to the original trap door game again simple but highly effective unfortunately the average sound strikes again and where's the theme music I don't know what to say about this game it's just decisively average it looks awful all the colour palettes you could use why yellow then just painting the wall as you can see there is a brighter shade of yellow where's the Flintstones music for Christ's sake and why can't you play as Barney Rubble the Amstrad CPC version looks like it's survived the translation however it's slightly different and placements are a little bit off I can tell it's the same game because it's done in yellow but once again it's absolutely it just feels aimless a Flintstones game should have been fun should have had the music of the theme I mean this really is the stuff of as if you'd have bought this back in the day I mean it's no good playing the bloody music on the title screen you need it in game if you like this video don't forget to subscribe and until next time bye