Update [Tue 27th Aug, 2024 14:00 BST]: Retro Games Ltd. and PLAION have confirmed the earlier leak of The Spectrum, as well as the full list of the 48 included games:
- 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
It seems that Spain is getting its own exclusive variant of the system, complete with artwork by Alfonso Azpiri and two additional games: Wells & Fargo and Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Paul Andrews, Managing Director at Retro Games Ltd., had this to say about the announcement:
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. 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.
PLAION UK Marketing Director, Simon Turner, adds:
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.
Original Story [Sun 25th Aug, 2024 12:00 BST]: Retro Games Ltd., the company behind the Atari 400 Mini and A500 Mini, is producing another system based on the iconic ZX Spectrum.
Simply called "The Spectrum", this new system launches on November 22nd, 2024 and will cost £89.99.
"Discover The Spectrum, a beautifully designed masterpiece that belongs in an art gallery, adorned with its signature rainbow colours," says the product's official description, as listed on the Smyths Toys website.
"This fun, quirky, and extroverted machine brings back the joy of accessible pick-up-and-play games, offering an experience that modern gaming has lost. With its timeless aesthetic and vibrant personality, The Spectrum isn't just a replica of the iconic Eighties home computer; it's a work of art that delivers a nostalgic, yet ever-relevant gaming adventure for everyone. Relive The Magic."
The Spectrum connects to your TV via HDMI, displaying a 720p picture. It emulates both the 48 and 128 models of Sinclair's famous home micro, and will enable players to rewind gameplay, create save states and apply on-screen filters. You'll also be able to load up your own Spectrum ROMs using a USB thumb drive.
48 games will come built-in, including Manic Miner, The Hobbit, and Head Over Heels.
This isn't the first time that the classic computer has been revived for a new audience. In 2014, Elite Systems produced The Recreated ZX Spectrum, a Bluetooth keyboard replica which ran games via an app released on smartphones.
The following year, Retro Computers Ltd. produced the ZX Spectrum Vega, a plug-and-play device pre-loaded with Spectrum games. A portable variant, known as the Vega+, launched in 2016 but many of those who backed the unit via crowdfunding failed to receive the device, and Retro Computers Ltd. would be liquidated in 2019.
The most successful version is arguably the Spectrum Next, an FPGA-based successor which boasts a case design by original ZX Spectrum designer Rick Dickinson, who sadly passed away before the system was released.