ZX Spectrum Games For iPad

In the words of Gunnery Sgt Hartman…”Holy dogshit!”  Yes, we had to check three times but it looks like some classic ZX Spectrum games have just arrived on the iPad.  UK based dev, Elite systems have released ‘ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection HD Vol. 1 & 2′ and promise more to come in the future.

Already available from the iTunes App Store, the first handful of games are as follows:

• Turbo Esprit
• Saboteur
• Chuckie Egg
• Harrier Attack
• Frank Bruno’s Boxing
• Buggy Boy

Steve Wilcox, MD of Elite had this to say:

“We’ve taken the first steps toward our goal of restoring some order to the market for ZX Spectrum games. Some developers have a catalogue of in excess of 100 ZX Spectrum games; a not insignificant asset.”

According to Wilcox, his goal is to “…offer access – via mobile and wireless devices – to many of the thousands of fantastic ZX Spectrum games created since 1982…” and also to “…restore some order to the market for ZX Spectrum games and to enable other developers and publishers to offer access to their games by licencing our technology for a modest one off fee.”

The initial app will be priced at £2.99, with a free update to follow (which will apparently include an in-app shop) and several more volumes of six games to follow which will be priced at £1.19 each.  Nice – ideal for retro enthusiasts and the perfect antidote to those jaded with new fangled fancy games with unicorns and zombies in.  While the app has been out for a while for the iphone, the iPad lends itself well to this sort of retro fest.  Are we crossing our fingers for Jack the Nipper and Skool Daze to eventually find their way to the mobile platform?  Hell. Yes.  Now we just need an iPad.

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