It won’t come as any surprise to you when I say that we’re attracted to retro-themed objects like magpies. Keyboards, controllers, consoles, you name it – anything that pays homage to the golden age of gaming and the retro machines of the past is a winner in our book. It’s why I was so intrigued to check out The Spectrum from Retro Games, a pre-loaded console that provides a plug-and-play solution for playing ZX Spectrum games in a world of 4K TVs.
The ZX Spectrum was a pivotal console in the gaming world when Clive Sinclair released his creation back in 1982. I wasn’t born until 1990, and while I’ve played the Speccy in later years, I’m lucky enough to have older friends who owned the console the first time around and spent their youth playing it who have given me some insight into what it was like to play these games back in the day. And while many of us might emulate Spectrum games today to get our nostalgic fix, for those gamers who grew up using the ZX Spectrum and experiencing games like Horace Goes Skiing and The Lords Of Midnight for the first time, The Spectrum provides the best method of reliving the magic with actual hardware that certainly does justice to the original machine
I’ve been testing The Spectrum over the past few days, playing games that I’m both familiar with and titles that I’m coming to for the first time. So, if you’re in the market for a nostalgic blast from the past and looking for a way to revisit your childhood years while playing Skool Daze, Jack The Nipper, and more classic games, then read on and check out my official review!
Thank you to Retro Games for sending us The Spectrum and some extra goodies for us to review. As always, this is not a paid review and all opinions are our own.
Retro Games have created the perfect tribute to Clive Siinclair’s iconic machine, putting well-designed hardware back into the hands of ZX Spectrum fans. It’s a simple plug-and-play solution for players to relive their favorite ZX Spectrum games and a console that will appeal to fans of the early days of retro gaming or those wanting to learn more about gaming in the early 80s as opposed to the casual gamer.
- Price: £89.99 RRP
- What’s In The Box – The Spectrum console, instruction guide, Crash Magazine, USB charging cable, HDMI Cable
- Available From: Argos, Smyths Toystore, Amazon, eBay
Table of Contents
Getting To Grips With The Spectrum From Retro Games
I have it on good authority that growing up with the ZX Spectrum certainly had its challenges. My friends Chris and Al would often play on the console after school and at weekends, putting on a game and then heading out to play football for half an hour while it loaded. Half of the time they would come back to find that the game had crashed, meaning that they would have to repeat the process all over again. But when it worked, it allowed them to experience gaming that was revolutionary for the time.
Notice I said ‘for the time’, and this is something that I want to talk about straight away. It’s amazing how far gaming has come since 1982, even from 1982 to the arrival of the NES in 1985, and I strongly believe that this product is aimed at fans of the original console like Chris and Al who want to relive those days playing Saboteur! and Trashman all over again. Coming from something like God Of War or The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom to the likes of Horace Goes Skiing can feel a little like a fever dream. My dog lost his mind when the colours were flashing during the beginning title screen sequence of Horace’s famous title while I have a lot of time for games like The Hobbit (I named my Bilbo for a reason), they will feel absolutely archaic to some gamers looking for action and not text to speech like an old pick-a-path book.
But in all honesty, that’s the whole point of The Spectrum; it’s a slice of the past packaged up in a faithful recreation that not only pays homage to Clive Sinclair’s machine, but one that makes it easier for players to revisit the console’s best games all in one unit. For the remainder of the review, I’ll be looking at how it bears up to the original legacy as well as coming at this console from the point of a novice user to cover all bases. So, now that’s cleared up, let’s crack on.
The Design
The Spectrum curbs the trend of making mini versions of popular consoles for us to sit on shelves or in our games cabinets by creating a keyboard that’s the exact same size as the original. The colours used for the buttons, the text, the iconic stripe on the bottom corner of the keyboard – it’s all the same and feels just like you’re holding the original console. I know it can seem a little weird to just have a keyboard as a console if you’re coming to this article from the era of Xbox and PlayStation consoles, but that’s just how things were back in the day, and I’ll get onto gameplay in a little while.
The most obvious difference when looking at ‘The Spectrum’ as opposed to the ZX Spectrum is the branding on the front. There’s no ZX on there or any mention of Sinclair like on the original, with the word ‘retro’ taking up the space where the original branding used to be. Apart from that, you could be forgiven for thinking that you were holding the original console in your hands.
Obviously, when you run your hand along the back edge of the keyboard, you’ll find some major difference to the original ZX Spectrum. The Spectrum has a HDMI cable port for easy connectivity up to all modern TVs, and there are 4 USB ports for plugging in controllers or loading up your own games. A home button on the left of the panel (looking at it from the back) takes you back to the central carousel whenever you want to change game, and there’s a power button on the other end.
The console comes with a USB-C to USB-A power cable but no plug. Still, we’ve all got more USB phone phone plugs kicking around drawers in our houses that it shouldn’t be a problem finding one to complete the set, and if you have a USB power hub built into your desk or wall, then then you can power it from there too as long as it provides 5V DC.
The back panel has a neat little feature that shows you the serial number of your device too. Mine is #00000028, so there are only 27 lucky owners before me. Four rubber pads stop the device from slipping around and have survived me picking at them to see if they might fall off after a while.
‘Key’ Details
The Keyboard uses authentic rubber keys just like the original console. They’re incredibly responsive, but don’t expect to be typing as fast as you do with your work computer. They promote a more measured and thoughtful gaming experience, especially when typing in commands like ‘Follow Gandalf’. All of the commands are easy to read and stand out against the black of the console, but for first time users, it can all seem a little daunting. For the most part, you’ll be using the directional buttons and onscreen prompts to play the games while following helpful onscreen guides.
The Games
Ok ok, I know this is one of the main reasons why you’re here. For starters, here’s a full list of the 48 games that The Spectrum comes pre-loaded with:
| Alien Girl: Skirmish Edition | The Hobbit | Shovel Adventure |
| Ant Attack | Horace Goes Skiiing | Skool Daze |
| Army Moves | Jack The Nipper | Snake Escape |
| Auf Wiedersehen Monty | Knot In 3D | Spellbound |
| Avalon | The Lords Of Midnight | Starquake |
| Bobby Bearing | Manic Miner | Starstrike 2 |
| Cosmic Payback | Match Day II | El Stompo |
| Devwill Too | Movie | Stonkers |
| Exelon | Nodes Of Yesod | TCQ |
| Fairlight | Penetrator | Target: Renegade |
| Firelord | Phantis (Game Over II) | Technician Ted – The Megamix |
| Football Manager 2 | Pheenix | Tenebra |
| Freddy Hardest | Pyracurse | Trashman |
| The Great Escape | Quazatron | The Way Of The Exploding fist |
| Head Over Heels | Robin Of The Wood | Wheelie |
| Highway Encounter | Saboteur! Remastered | Where Time Stood Still |
Of the thousands of games available for the both the 48K to 128K ZX Spectrum models, Retro Games must have had a tough job whittling the back catalogue down to just 48 of the best titles for the system. While you admittedly can’t please everyone, I feel like they’ve done a good job of creating a snapshot of what this console offered back in the 80s as well as including modern titles like the 2021 title Alien Girl: Skirmish Edition, which proves that love for the Spectrum is still powerful over 40 years on. You can, however, load your own ROMs up aswell, so if your favourite games aren’t in this list but you want to experience them on actual hardware up on the TV, then The Spectrum provides the means to do so.
I would honestly say that the simplest games are the best on this console, and that’s largely down to the controls which I’ll come onto more in a minute. Obviously, The Hobbit is a firm favourite here at Retro Dodo, even if I don’t always get the commands right. I tried attacking a troll yesterday and got eaten immediately, but I guess that’s just an occupational hazard when trolls are concerned. I completely forgot how brutal some of the games are too; when playing Trashman, an obituary message appeared up on the screen when I got unceremoniously run over. Apparently I’m leaving a wife and kids behind, and I’m not even a trash collector. I was only playing for a couple of minutes, and now I’ve left behind a whole family… how can I sleep at night!
Snake Escape and Tenebra are two of my favourites on the system purely for how incredible they are without being complicated, and I think that’s what I enjoy about The Spectrum as a whole too – it shows what was possible without Teraflops and Snapdragon processors, though admittedly some games still don’t make any sense to me. I don’t think I’ll understand the steal mechanic on Firelord if I play it for 100 hours.
The Gameplay
This is the part where I need to swap back and forth between my retro reviewer and modern gamer hats again. From a retro point of view, having the option to play these games on the original sized keyboard is a dream. The one criticism I have is that because of the power cable size and the size of most normal HDMI cables, you’ll have to sit quite close to the TV with the keyboard on your lap. It would admittedly work best at a desk, but that’s not the best way to kick back and relax.
The games themselves look perfect despite the fact that some of them haven’t aged well. Players can choose between original CRT visuals or a crisp new look that gives every title a nice new sheen. While I didn’t really understand what was going on in the likes of Movie, the visuals looked great and everything was easy to view on the screen. Retro Games have done a great job when it comes to emulation and everything loads just like it would have done on the original system (albeit without the half an hour football break for the games themselves to load).
Now, for someone like me who isn’t a seasoned ZX Spectrum player, I found the controls to be a little like navigating the Bermuda Triangle during a storm following a route from memory. All of the games use different controls, and with a lot of keys, there’s no way that you can feasibly remember how to play them all. Luckily for me, The Spectrum comes with a big instruction booklet that gives you detailed instructions on how to play each game, the keys you’ll need to use, important information on some game mechanics, storyline, and much more. It’s a handy guide to have with you when heading through each game, but if you don’t feel like having it open on the chair arm next to you, then you can just press the Home button and quickly bring up the button guide in the carousel.
If you’re coming to The Spectrum having played with one in the past, then I think muscle memory and those core gaming memories will kick back in pretty quickly. Still, if you’re new to Speccy games and not bothered about the nostalgic element or a looking for the simplest way of playing these games, I would advise grabbing ‘The Gamepad’ or using any USB gamepad to play them with. While it will probably be sacrilegious to Sinclair purists, It’ll feel more like a traditional gaming setup if that’s what you’re more used to.
Quality Of Life Features
We all want an easier life sometimes, and while The Spectrum won’t give you a better social standing or suddenly make you 65% more attractive, it does have some features that will make playing your favorite games more enjoyable. The first is a rewind feature, something that we know from our Podcast record with Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner is a feature that most of us can’t live without these days. Players can rewind up to 40 seconds of their gameplay to avoid being beaten by enemies or when they’ve discovered that they could have done something a little differently.
Another cool feature is that each game has up to 4 save slots, allowing you to make save states of your games whenever you want and come back to the same point without having to input passwords etc. Again, these little touches show that while Retro Games wants us to have the most true-to-original experience possible, customer enjoyment and a positive playing experience are very much at the top of the list.
Menus & Settings
As I’ve mentioned a couple of time above, the main hub of the console is a carousel system where you can search through all of the available games as well as bringing up control guides and other system settings, just like on other Retro Games systems like the C64 Mini and the A500 Mini. It’s incredibly easy to navigate and gives you a great graphic for each game selected – no complaints from me whatsoever here.
The Spectrum goes as far as to allowing you to do some basic programming and choosing whether you want to boot the console up in carousel or classic mode. I tried to navigate this section but it was pretty confusing. Again, this is a feature designed to give the ultimate nostalgic experience for original ZX Spectrum fans and not someone who is just dabbling into the collection. In all honesty, it’s not something many of you will use if you’re just looking to play on Speccy games, but it’s a nice feature to have for those looking to get the most out of this console.
Crash Magazine
In terms of attention to detail, Retro Games has absolutely nailed packaging up the ultimate ZX Spectrum experience, and that’s apparent from the moment that you pick up the included edition of Crash Magazine, a 32-page publication that’s jam-packed full of information about the games you’ll be playing as well as original reviews and information on the ZX Spectrum itself. Read about what the Speccy means to people in the industry, the current state of the Spectrum scene, and hear from Retro Games’ very own Darren Melbourne.
Is It Worth The Price?
The Spectrum costs between £89.99 and £129.99 depending on where you purchase from and is available from multiple retailers throughout Europe. There are no current options to pick the console up in the United States, but then again, as the console is USB-C powered, you don’t need to worry about it coming with the wrong plug, so ordering one from Europe wouldn’t be a problem.
So, is it worth the price? Well, as you’ve ascertained from my review so far, I think it all depends on what the ZX Spectrum means to you personally. I think that if you owned a Speccy back in the day, then this modern solution to reliving all those experiences is incredible value for money, especially considering it comes pre-loaded with 48 games to get you started. The quality of life features and ease of use compared to getting your old Spectrum out of the attic and buying all your favourite games again is definitely worth it, and it provides all those nostlgic hardware memories without that long loading time that taught my friends the meaning of patience.
If you’re coming to the Spectrum not knowing whether you will gel with it or not, then this could seem a little pricey. Personally, I think if you’re going to buy The Spectrum, then it’s more enjoyable if you have some previous knowledge of the system or are specifically keen to learn more about gaming in the early 80s.
Final Thoughts
- Perfect recreation of the ZX Spectrum’s design
- Comes pre-loaded with 48 games with ability to load more
- Quality of life features like Rewind & Save States
- Boot in Classic Mode for maximum nostalgia
- Not for the casual gamer – aimed at ZX Spectrum fans
- Short HDMI means you need to sit close to the TV
- The Gamepad comes separately, would make it more accessible to first-time Spectrum users
The Spectrum is the perfect evolution of Clive Sinclair’s original machine revamped subtly for the modern era. Retro Games has kept to the original design for the fans, picked games fans will love and done everything possible to package this product to invoke maximum levels of nostalgia, creating a modern solution for playing Speccy games for any modern entertainment setup.
Is it something that the PS5 gamer who loves Fortnite with no prior knowledge of retro gaming would appreciate finding underneath the tree? No, I wouldn’t say so – the games are too far removed to what we’re used to nowadays, and one stint on the Hobbit will be enough for them to sling this thing on eBay. But for the retro enthusiast or computer programming fanatic who has an interest in the history of video gaming, The Spectrum opens a window into gaming past and rewinds 40 years in a matter of seconds (just like it rewinds up to 40 seconds of your gameplay).
