Over three decades, British games developers have published tens of thousands of titles, and in telling the history of the industry this book has been necessarily selective. We don’t pretend to be canonical though – there are plenty of other titles that are rightly considered masterpieces of their time and would sit proudly in a more encyclopaedic tome.
Fortunately, it is still possible to play most of the games featured herein – as well as those left unmentioned – at very little cost, and many for free. The Internet is well stocked with libraries of old games, and there are numerous websites which feature reviews and scans of magazines from the 8 and 16-bit eras. A large number of the older titles are considered ‘abandonware’ – games whose authors made no attempt to enforce their copyright, or have openly encouraged gamers to copy them. With emulators, a PC or Mac owner can easily replay thousands of games, many of which once held a generation rapt with anticipation. What follows is a short guide on how to find and play them.
Pre-home computer era
The original MUD game can be played in a browser window at www.british-legends.com. For the technologically adept, the MUSH client (www.gammon.com.au/mushclient) is a portal to a universe of multi-user games. A long dormant site for the MK14, complete with an emulator, can be found at www.robsons.org.uk/archive/members.aol.com/mk14emu/index.htm.
8-bit era
There are a large number of enthusiastic sites devoted to 8-bit nostalgia, but a particular few stand out. World of Spectrum (www.worldofspectrum.org), an astonishingly comprehensive resource for ZX Spectrum gamers, features a directory of games, complete with the files required to run them in an emulator, and scans of contemporary reviews, articles and adverts. Planet Sinclair (www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/contents.htm) provides a wealth of history on the Sinclair computers – as well as Sir Clive’s earlier products – while the ZX Spectrum Museum (www.zxspectrum.net) offers hundreds of games, all ready to play in a browser. Stairway to Hell (www.stairwaytohell.com) is a repository of games and interviews covering the milestones of the BBC Micro; its job now more or less complete, the site is now no longer updated, but it remains a superb resource.
It’s certainly worth exploring more widely though. Almost anything from the era can be found in some form, and the fans who maintain such sites invariably bring a passionate knowledge to their subject.
16-bit computers era
There are a great many websites devoted to the Amiga and the Atari ST, certainly too many to list. Unlike the 8-bit era, however, some publishers are still protective of their copyright, so these sites often focus on articles and discussion instead. Little Green Screen (http://lgd.fatal-design.com) features a good collection of both, while Amiga.org (www.amiga.org) has a thriving forum, ready to offer plentiful guidance to gaming historians – as well as historians of gaming.
Most of the era’s magazines have been scanned, at least partially – try the Amiga Magazine Rack (http://amr.abime.net) for the originals. The spiritual successor to Amiga Power, AP2.com (http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/ap2) is a wonderfully witty reminder of the character of the gaming press at that time.
Consoles and beyond
Console emulators exist, but are rarely indulged by the manufacturers. Consequently the best way to replay old titles is to run them on their original machines. The games themselves can be found on auction sites or in specialist shops – they usually cost no more than a few pounds each. Ebay is probably still the most useful online source, but a fine selection can be found at Retrogames (www.retrogames.co.uk), which is also a good site for whiling away an hour or two window shopping. Do check out independent and charity shops as well, but stumbling across a prized second-hand game is sadly an increasingly rare pleasure.
Many gamers find that they already possess the necessary hardware for playing retro games. In the case of disc-based consoles, their successor platforms are often capable of playing older titles – PlayStation 2 games, which won’t play on most PlayStation 3 consoles, are a notable exception. However, to enjoy cartridge games, Sega Saturn, or Dreamcast titles, an original console is usually essential, although Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo all offer services to download and play titles from past decades on modern consoles, usually for a reasonable price.
Mainstream gaming sites are often the best place to start looking for forum discussions and retro reviews of games from this era – IGN (www.ign.com), Gamespot (www.gamespot.com), Eurogamer.net (www.eurogamer.net) and Edge (www.edge-online.com) are all worth trying. Moby Games (www.mobygames.com) is a very comprehensive directory of information on the creators of games from all eras.
Physical media
While there are some excellent books on retro gaming and computing – Digital Retro: The Evolution and Design of the Personal Computer by Gordon Laing (ILEX, 2004) is particularly strong on the hardware – the best coverage of individual games is still to be found in magazines. In the UK the market-leading title is Retro Gamer, which features interviews with developers and overviews of computers, games and genres, often in extraordinary detail. Visually very rich, featuring screenshots and box art, it’s an indulgence for casual nostalgia seekers and obsessives alike. GamesTM magazine also carries an enthusiastic retro gaming section which occupies the last quarter of each issue, and both titles periodically publish thick compilation editions of reprint material. The ever authoritative Edge magazine features ‘making of’ interviews, along with reflections on the creators and content of landmark titles – it’s an ideal place to see modern games put in the context of the medium’s young and frenetic history.