Jetpac

Sometimes a single game is enough to give birth to a legend — and for the Stamper brothers that game was Jetpac. With this title in 1983 the studio Ultimate Play the Game launched its fairytale career and immediately showed what properly written machine code could do.

The player controls the astronaut Jetman, who has to assemble his rocket from parts falling onto the planet, fuel it up and fly onward — all while under constant assault from alien attackers. The key mechanic is the jetpack, thanks to which you float freely around the screen, collect items and shoot at enemies. A simple principle, but beautifully tuned controls and gradual acceleration make Jetpac an addictive arcade game in which hour after hour easily slips away.

Visually the game shone by the standards of 1983 — colourful, well-animated enemies and brisk movement without noticeable flicker were proof that Ultimate squeezed more out of the Spectrum than anyone else. The studio of Tim and Chris Stamper quickly became synonymous with top quality, before it later transformed into the famous Rare.

Jetpac had sequels too (Lunar Jetman and Solar Jetman), and Jetman himself became something of a mascot for the brand. Interestingly, the game returned a decade later as a reward in a Rare title on the Xbox, with which Rare paid tribute to its own roots.

Jetpac beautifully shows how the craft of game-making was born — no needless frills, just pure, instantly graspable fun that set the standard for the whole platform back then. For many rubber-key owners it was one of the first games that fully revealed the computer's potential.

Why play it: For the founding Ultimate classic, whose simple yet polished arcade action entertains even after decades.