ZX Spectrum re-release is coming in November 2024!

It’s not often we get retro gaming news of such gravity that it completely disrupts the newsletter, but this week, we have.

As previously reported, Retro Games Ltd has pushed back the planned full sized Amiga 500 release. Various products were suggested as being likely insertions, and it seems that those of us who suggested a ZX Spectrum-style system were on the money.

A bit more about The Spectrum below, followed by a look at how to play Spectrum games online today.

Table of Contents

• The Spectrum leaked on Smyth’s toy shop website

• Order the new ZX Spectrum now on Amazon

  • The Spectrum’s 48 classic games

• How to Play ZX Spectrum Games Online Right Now

  • What is needed to play ZX Spectrum games online?

  • Where to find ZX Spectrum games online

  • How to play ZX Spectrum games in your browser

  • Advantages and disadvantages of playing Spectrum g …

  • Try playing Spectrum games online today!

• Retro gaming video of the week

• Game Over

The Spectrum leaked on Smyth’s toy shop website

So, this all blew up because The Spectrum - Retro Games Ltd’s new ZX Spectrum console that is full size, with rubber keys(!) - was listed with a November release date on Smyth’s Toys Superstore website.

(Unsurprisingly, it has now sold out there, but read on for a link to where you can order one.)

The thing is, if you had been paying attention, it wasn’t a complete surprise.

On Friday (Aug 23), this video was shared on the Retro Games Ltd Facebook page. This confirmed what many of us already suspected - that the sudden insertion into RGL’s amended timeline was a ZX Spectrum-based system.

(After all, yet another Atari would be overkill, wouldn’t it...?)

What we’re getting in November this year - fulfilling RGL’s Q4 2024 “New full sized console launched” is a USB powered ZX Spectrum clone capable of running 48k and 128k games, with 48 titles pre-installed.

And yes, the ZX Spectrum was pretty compact, so this qualifies as a “full sized” console!

As far as we know, there are no joysticks included, but there is at least one USB slot, intended for playing your own Z80, TAP, TZX and other ROM files.

While the system is sold out on Smyth’s Toy Store, you can order it on Amazon.

Order the new ZX Spectrum now on Amazon

The information above came to light thanks to the leak on Smyth’s Toys Superstore website. Happily, the device is now available to order in other places, including Amazon.

The Spectrum’s full specs are as follows:

• Emulates 48 and 128 models of the ZX Spectrum

• Fully working replica keyboard

• 48 games built-in, including; Manic Miner, The Hobbit, and Head Over Heels

• Multi region 720 HD output via HDMI, with PAL (50Hz) and NTSC (60Hz) compatibility. Play in original 4:3 or pixel perfect aspect ratios, with or without CRT filters and configurable border size

• Choose from 12 attractive frames to surround gameplay

• Save games at any point in one of 4 slots per games and rewind gameplay by up to 40 seconds

• Play games you own via a USB flash drive with multiple file-type compatibility (TAP/TZX/PZX/SZX/Z80/SNA)

• Includes 32 page Crash Magazine "Mini-Mag" special edition, featuring reviews of classic and new games, along with articles and editorial on the world of Spectrum computing

The Spectrum’s 48 classic games

The list of games preinstalled on The Spectrum is as follows:

It’s a great selection, which of course you can add to using USB. The Spectrum is available to order now on various online stores, including Amazon.

How to Play ZX Spectrum Games Online Right Now

If you don’t fancy waiting until November, most ZX Spectrum games can be played online right now.

The best selling British computer of the 8-bit era, the ZX Spectrum has a massive libary of games. Think Manic Minor, Horace Goes Skiing, Ant Attack, and many others.

Like most other games of the time, these were distributed as cassettes, and required a temperamental cassette player to load (which took ages). If you ever had a ZX Spectrum, these games are either binned, or in a loft somewhere. Playing them might seem like nothing but a distant wish, but in fact it’s a lot simpler than you think.

No old computer is required, and you don’t need to mess around with an emulator. You can play ZX Spectrum games online, probably within seconds of reading this guide.

What is needed to play ZX Spectrum games online?

To play ZX Spectrum games online, all you need is a compatible web browser and an internet connection. It doesn’t even need to be a fast connection. The game will download as part of a web page and run on your device, just as any other media (whether video embeds, audio, or even adverts) does.

If you’re using a mobile device, it might be trickier, but this guide is really for playing ZX Spectrum games through a desktop or laptop browser.

Where to find ZX Spectrum games online

You want to play Spectrum games in your browser, but where can you find them online?

• Classic Reload: this archive of browser-based retro games has a whole section dedicated to the ZX Spectrum library.

• ZX Spectrum XYZ: over 3000 games from the 80s, 90s, and 21st century can be found here. Includes various recent titles, including Speccy Soccer.

• Oldgames.sk: you’ll find hundreds of classic titles on this site, all ready to play in your browser. I’ve just tried the 1942 conversion for ZX Spectrum online – plays fine!

This is just a small sample of the websites that provide ZX Spectrum games for you to play online.

How to play ZX Spectrum games in your browser

So, how do you load these games? Well, it’s typically a case of selecting one and clicking play or load, or even enter, depending on the site.

And fortunately it is really simple to play browser-based ZX Spectrum games. You might opt to connect a joystick, and this might work, but you can probably avoid this and use the keyboard instead. Some games have a keymapping tool to help set easy-to-reach keys.

If you run into any difficulty, it’s worth disabling adblocking software for the site, or changing browsers completely. Some add-ons can interfere with embedded browser games, so try disabling these temporarily.

Advantages and disadvantages of playing Spectrum games online

Why would you play ZX Spectrum games in your PC browser? Well, there are several advantages:

• You have access to a wide range of games

• There is no need for additional hardware

• Browser games are convenient and easy to use

However, it isn’t all rainbows. Browser-based ZX Spectrum games have some issues:

• You are not enjoying an authentic gaming experience

• There is potential for technical issues

• Frankly, it’s a legal gray area whether the games should be available to play in this way

You’ll have to decide whether you think it is worth the risk potentially breaching copyright laws to play these games. Or at least take the time to work out which ones you can play without an issue.

Try playing Spectrum games online today!

If you need an instant ZX Spectrum gaming hit without the overhead of hardware or complicated emulation configurations, online browser games are the answer. Simple to load and play, there are questions over the legality of playing the games like this, but you’re unlikely to run into any lawyers. It’s not the authentic ZX Spectrum experience, but it’s the best you can expect without the original hardware.

This article previously appeared on the old Gaming Retro site on May 13, 2023. 

Retro gaming video of the week

Let’s keep things ZX Spectrum-themed, with this cracking video of a Xenon 2 build for the speccie from back in 1991!

Game Over

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Until next time, take it easy…

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