Please login to submit a screenshot

"My Favourite Game"

Jeff Minter
Llamasoft owner and programmer

Favourite Game: Star Raiders (Atari)

"That game is ace. It's brilliant. It's the only one of these 3D so-called games which actually works.

Basically, it's a Star Trek game in real time. You've got an out-of-the-window cockpit display with the stars screaming past you. There's also a galactic map, long and short-range scanners and damage control status display. You're battling against enemy fighters which are out to surround your bases.

The action is amazing. It's got elements of strategy and arcade play. There's also nice touches of humour at the end when you're awarded a rating. My highest is warrior class on a commander mission. One time I would have commander class one, but I had to break off to go to the dentist!

The incredible thing about Star Raiders is that is was written in 1979 when everyone else was playing Space Invaders. It's crammed into 8K - I don't know how they did it.

Everyone's starting doing 3D games now, but the attempts to copy Star Raiders on the Spectrum don't compare. . Although it's four years old, I still play it quite a lot. I haven't seen a game top it.

Jeff Minter,
Personal Computer Games (July 1984)