This is one for the Speccy fans out there, especially Walter and Conor. Jetpac is a simple shoot em up released by Ultimate Play The Game in 1983 on the ZX Spectrum. Apparently there’s a C64 conversion too but it was never as popular on that platform. In 1988, Ultimate: The Collected Works was released. Pictured on that page is a review from Your Sinclair that looks very familiar. I remember reading that issue. Can’t believe it’s 20 years ago! The first time I played this game was probably at a friend’s house when he bought that compilation.
Here’s the original 1983 game in all it’s glory. Revel in the single colour sprites, and simple but addictive gameplay!
And here’s the Xbox version, called Jetpac Refuelled. Totally mad stuff! Updated graphics but same great gameplay.
If that isn’t enough to wet your appetite, you can now play Jetpac in your browser! Head over to this freeonlinegames page and start refueling that ship! Oh the excitement!
(Yes, yes, it doesn’t seem as good these days. Our expectations of what games do have risen so high that retro gaming really is a niche that appeals to those that grew up with the games. Oh well!)
Edit Yay. Jetpac+3 on c64.org. Must give it a go later!
Jetpac refuelled looks cool. Wonder is it available for the Wii.
Ah yea, Jetpac Refuelled. Grabbed it for 400 MS points while it was on special offer.
It’s a good game but when you get to higher levels (around the 60’s onwards) the screen is just filled with enemies! That video is nowhere near the magnitude of how hard it can be!
@ Walter: Xbox Live Arcade only, AFAIK.
How can you *not* have mentioned “Jetpac: Solar Crisis”?! http://retrospec.sgn.net/game/jetpac1
The Wizball remake up there isn’t too shabby either. Both Windows-only, mind, so the rest of us have to resort to WINE or Parallels.
Keith – nice! I didn’t know about that. Must try that!
How old am I that I used to play that game obsessively when it first came out? May even have been on the 16K Spectrum before I upgraded it.
…..runs off to re-install Speccy emulator on N95-8GB for train journey back to Cork.