Checking out some of the best recent Spectrum homebrew
The bedroom coders never went away.
As it's Monday, it's obviously time for another Kim Justice video post -- and after last week's excursion into the world of low-rent wrestling PPV disasters, we're back on familiar ground this week. I've done a quick little video going through a few recent ZX Spectrum homebrew games that I've really enjoyed, that also acts as something of a primer for those who'd like to get into playing some ZX Spectrum homebrew. As ever, you can watch it here:
The great thing about Spectrum homebrew is that the games that are coming out for the computer right now are just as good, if not better in many regards, than those that came out during the system's prime. Particularly in the case of something like the excellent Castlevania: Spectral Interlude, you have something that is in every way a top-level production on the system -- the graphics, gameplay and music are all right up there, and the games often tend to be much stronger mechanically than the games that were released during the restless wild west that was the prime of the system in the early '80s. Games such as Ooze and Dead Flesh Boy (a take on Super Meat Boy) also take cues from modern titles that seem to fit just right on the Spectrum in this demaked form.
The Speccy homebrew world is always quite an exciting one -- and it's never really gone away. In fact, it's been going since the commercial period of the system ended in 1993, and there are still several games released seemingly every month that are usually worth a look. I've made sure to include a multitude of links in the video description for people who'd like to have a look for themselves, and I've also encouraged folks in the comments to discuss their own favourites and pick out anything that I might have missed. With the upcoming release of the Spectrum Next, the scene may well go from strength to strength over the coming year. So if you're looking for something new, then this quiet little homebrew scene may be right up your alley -- like a well in Boulderdash, it's filled with all sorts of hidden gems.
