Top 5 ZX Spectrum games ranked as iconic retro console is reborn
The ZX Spectrum is making a comeback in 2024, as Plaion re-releases the classic computer with 48 pre-installed games.
Video game publisher Plaion recently announced plans to release a modern day recreation of the beloved ZX Spectrum. Launching on November 22, The Spectrum will ship with 48 pre-installed retro games, and will be available for £89.99.
The updated version of the classic computer will support 720p HD output via HDMI, as well as four USB ports for controllers and joysticks. Multiple save states will be available for each game, alongside a rewind feature, CRT filters and even basic programming functionality.
Most important of all, however, is the fact that The Spectrum recreates the iconic rubber keyboard, complete with fully working keys.
This means The Spectrum is perfect for playing everything from platformers and beat-em-ups, to old-school text adventures and RPGs.
If your favourite game isn't available in the launch line-up, it's worth noting that The Spectrum allows users to add their own games via USB, which means you should still be able to play the likes of Jetpac, Knight Lore and Dizzy, even though they're not pre-installed.
In the meantime, however, here are the top five ZX Spectrum games that are pre-installed on the device and available to play out of the box.
5. Target Renegade
Target Renegade may not look as slick and stylish as some of the beat-em-ups that would launch at around the same time, but don't let that fool you, because this is a fantastic brawler that still holds up to this day. Unlike its predecessor, Target Renegade is a proper scolling beat-em-up, introducing lots of new moves, weapons and environments for a much more well rounded experience.
(Image: spectrum)
4. Skool Daze
If you thought behaving badly in video games began with the likes of Grand Theft Auto or Bully, then you're sadly mistaken. Games like Skool Daze and Jack The Nipper (which is also on The Spectrum) saw players getting up to all sorts of mischief, which in the case of Skool Daze, meant fighting with fellow pupils, writing naughty words on the blackboard and firing your catapult when no teachers were looking. Considered to be one of the first sandbox games ever created (and almost certainly a big influence on the aforementioned Bully), Skool Daze is a remarkable achievement that's well worth checking out.
(Image: SPECTRUM)
3. The Great Escape
The Great Escape is another Spectrum game that in hindsight also seems rather ahead of its time. The aim, of course, is to escape from a Prisoner of War camp in Germany during WWII, although how you achieve your goal is by no means set in stone. With daily routines to follow and limited inventory space, you'll need to figure out when you can slip away without being detected, where to store useful items, and most importantly of all, which method of escape to use and when.
(Image: Spectrum)
2. The Hobbit
If you like text adventure games and RPGs, then the ZX Spectrum is an absolute goldmine! A few of the better ones are pre-installed on The Spectrum, including a game based on JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit. The game features a parser system that was a lot more complex than many of its rivals, letting players type more descriptive and complicated sentences. With film and streaming companies spending hundreds of millions of pounds adapting Tolkien's work, it's rather charming to play something where you still need to use your imagination.
(Image: spectrum)
1. Manic Miner
While there are definitely some big gaps in The Spectrum's games library, it's great to see the hugely influential Manic Miner included in the 48 games available to play out of the box. The 1983 platformer sees players attempt to collect keys and whatnot, all the while avoiding obstacles and enemies like poisonous plants, spiders and, er, killer toilets! You also need to keep an eye on your air supply, and be careful not to fall too far when jumping between platforms. Manic Miner should be the first game you try when The Spectrum launches on November 22.
(Image: spectrum)