ZX Spectrum

[dad_of_jon]

I used to build my own Gaming PC's back in the day but the price of components (especially graphics cards) got out of hand so i reluctantly moved over to consoles, i still thing keyboard and mouse is the only way to play FPS's but i have got used to second best over time.

Never - keyboard & mouse vs keypad - no contest

 

[Bobtheblob]

The SID chip in the Commodore 64 was, and still is awesome!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Never - keyboard & mouse vs keypad - no contest

I meant I got used to second best (pad) KB & mouse will always be far more accurate.

 

[Norfolk79]

First computer for me, well the “+3” version with a disc drive. The joys of typing in BASIC programming from magazines, and typing the run command with anticipation.

Did connect up a tape player too, the annoyance of getting a game 95% loaded and seeing the “R Tape Loading Error, 0:1” message

 

[Mrhandsome]

I remember getting an old amiga when I was about 8 or 9. I have no idea where my parents got it from but we had a massive box of random floppy disks with no, or very little labeling. We'd just stick one in and hope for the best. A lot of the time we had no idea how to even play the games as we didn't know the controls.

 

[terrym]

I had forgotten all about typing games from magazines. Took ages only to find out they were rubbish. That was of course you hadn't made an entry error. I seem to remember one game perhaps called Battle on Hoth which was spectacularly awful

 

[Richie_asg1]

This was my first home gaming system -


Black and white, a selection of Tennis, tennis single player, tennis against a wall, and some with barriers I think - all variations of black and white bouncing a group of pixels off a moving line.
Then the zx81 with a weird membrane keyboard.
Bought and upgraded a BBC B computer. Learned basic - which actually helped me later on.
Had a go of a school spectrum when they came out, but had to program it to sort out barcoded blocks and knock them into coloured bins as part of a CDT display to show off for open day. It actually worked!

Later I ended up programming the CNC mills and lathes while I was still an apprentice at an engineering plant, and at that time were still using punched paper tape to transfer programs. It was more reliable than magnetic media in that environment!

I never really took to playing games as an adult, but have had a go on the kids systems.

 

[smithsj1]

Upgraded from my ZX81 to a Spectrum when they came out. I don't recall a fancy on/off switch on the power pack like on the picture though. I had practically all the Ultimate Play The Game titles up to Sabre Wulf and would play that and Atic Atac with my friends. My mother found this little snippet a few months ago of a piece of paper that I had stuffed in with a cassette to note the counter number on my cassette deck for each games that we had taped from a friend. I seem to recall Rebelstar Raiders but don't particularly remember playing the others. I remember that my Dad ordered a Fuller keyboard for me for Christmas but unfortunately Fuller went bust but fortunately I did receive a keyboard a few months later so guess they must have honoured the orders they had, I loved that keyboard.

 

[Drunkula]

I seem to recall Rebelstar Raiders but don't particularly remember playing the others.

The others are the additional maps for Rebelstar Raiders. I actually loved Rebelstar, the follow up and me and my mate used to play it like a sport. It wasn't until years later we found out you can use the lightsabres on the airlocks and we'd always use the hefty mofo droids that only had about 4 shots each. Loved all the Julian Gollop stuff, and the of course he made X-Com.

 

[Linalmeemow]

The others are the additional maps for Rebelstar Raiders.

Now THAT is some nerd knowledge, remembering the names of game maps from 35 years ago! I'm genuinely impressed.

 

[dave_77]

I had a ZX spectrum, loved those rubber keys. I remember having a game called Horace goes skiing. Think a mega drive followed after that.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Horace goes skiing

 

[Ghillie]

Commodore 64 not getting a shout in?

 

[dave_77]

Haha, magic

 

[dave_77]

Paperboy was a favourite too

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Commodore 64 not getting a shout in?

I have only listed games consoles as the list would have been too long.

 

[Ghillie]

I have only listed games consoles as the list would have been too long.

If that wasn't a games console then what was it?

Edit to add - I assume you're ruling out "computers" entirely. Gotcha.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Paperboy was a favourite too
View attachment 24906

It was one of my favourites and also a good coin op, love the tune at the start.

 

[dave_77]

Commodore 64 not getting a shout in?

I remember playing on the commodore as my mate had one. Like megadrive or Nintendo 64...I always had Sega

 

[dad_of_jon]

Commodore 64 not getting a shout in?

don't worry Ghillie, we can be silently smug. - It really hit the spot at the time.