Zapped to the Past

Over 1993 and 1994, some games were released for the Commodore 64 and reviewed in the magazine Commodore Force. In episode Two-Hundred-and-Thirty-Seven of Zapped to the Past, we look at some of those games, including the pathetic Postman Pat 3, the delightful Dalek Attack and the legendary Lemmings.   Games covered in this episode: Lemmings Postman Pat 3 Dalek Attack Wrestling Superstars   Find us...

This week we take a walk on the dark side as we explore the scares and scores of director and composer John Carpenter. We explore how he popularised the slasher genre, tackled aliens from other worlds, told tales of seabound lepers and possessed cars, and even did a biopic of the King himself. On top of this, we examine some of his musical themes that would become as iconic as anything by Williams...

Over 1993 and 1994, some games were released for the Commodore 64 and reviewed in the magazine Commodore Force. In episode Two-Hundred-and-Thirty-Five of Zapped to the Past, we look at some of those games, including the wrongly named World Championship Squash, the awful All-American Basketball, and the stinky Suburban Commando, and wonder why a Japanese folk demon would be eating a banana at a ten...

This week we roll our D6s for Skill, Strength, and Luck as we take a dive into the world of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks. This series of books entertained a generation of kids with their tales of derring do and fantasy worlds where YOU were the hero. Starting out as pure fantasy with minotaurs and mazes, they soon encompassed magic, outer space, superheroes and the darkest pits of horror, where anyt...

Over 1993 and 1994, some games were released for the Commodore 64 and reviewed in the magazine Commodore Force. In episode Two-Hundred-and-Thirty-Three of Zapped to the Past, we look at some of those games, including the Ugly Ugh, the crappy Crazy Cars 3 and the boring Bee 52.   Games covered in this episode: Nick Faldos Championship Golf Crazy Cars 3 Ugh Bee 52   Find us here: https://zappedtothe...

This week we take a look at a time of bulging biceps, thunderous thighs, and gigantic glutes. We pitch Schwarzenegger against Stallone and ask who provided the most burl for your buck? Who served up the best bicep curl and bulging vein? Who filled the cinema screen with so much man-muscle that not even Cinemascope could cope with it? We look at the films released from 1981 to 1989 from both hunks...

Over 1993 and 1994, some games were released for the Commodore 64 and reviewed in the magazine Commodore Force. In episode Two-Hundred-and-Thirty-One of Zapped to the Past, we look at some of those games, including the flaccid Football Manager 3, the awful American Tag-Team Wrestling, and the loopy Locomotion.   Games covered in this episode: Sleepwalker American Tag-Team Wrestling Football Manage...

This week we take a look at one of the most influential musicians in electronic music and certainly on those composers working on the Commodore 64. Come with us then on a magical journey of light harps, Moogs, and songs that seem to go on forever as we wait patiently for Cousteau on our beach of electronic enigmas and dive into the world of Jean-Michel Jarre.    Find us here: https://zappedtothepa...

Over 1993 and 1994, some games were released for the Commodore 64 and reviewed in the magazine Commodore Force. In episode Two-Hundred-and-Twenty-Nine of Zapped to the Past, we look at some of those games, including the wet egg filled Alien 3, the janky Jimmy’s Super League and the burgerless McDonald Land.   Games covered in this episode: Alien 3 Jimmy’s Super League  McDonald Land WWF2 European...

This week we take a look at one of the strangest, visually arresting and most enduring science-fiction franchises from the 1980s, Tron. We explore the process of disintegrating oranges and Space Paranoids, the arcade games, the cartoons, the subsequent films, theme parks, and the reason something can only exist for 29 minutes. So get set as we don our neon suits, jump on our light cycles and take...

Once again we venture to the retro fueled C64 adventureland of ZZAP! Live ... We bump into some of our amazing Patreons, have some chats and some drinks with them, check out all the brilliant warez on offer including t-shirts, mugs, books, magazines, joysticks... everything!.. AND of course the Winner of the Christmas Clacker competition finally gets their prize... Lots of fun. It is recorded live...

Over 1993 and 1994, some games were released for the Commodore 64 and reviewed in the magazine Commodore Force. In episode Two-Hundred-and-Twenty-Six of Zapped to the Past, we look at some of those games, including the magical Mayhem in Monsterland, the flaccid Fist Fighter and the impressive International Table Tennis. Games covered in this episode: Mayhem in Monsterland Fist Fighter Internationa...

It comes to this at the end of all things… Yes, after over 200 episodes and 90 issues of Zzap! 64, we finally reach the end of this long, winding and brown road and give ourselves a chance to crown the best of the best and the worst of the worst. Yes, this is the Breadbin of Breadbins Awards where we were going to pit all the winners from previous years against each other in a bare-chested, bare-k...

1992 is now but a memory of blood, sweat, gravy and egg - but in keeping with Zapped to the Past tradition we take a look back and cast a blinky and very tired eye over all those games we played from January to November 1992 as covered in Zzap!64 magazine. Why, you may ask? To reward those games that have somehow managed to stick in our memory for more than five minutes for good or for ill. So joi...

In the month of November 1992 some games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode two-hundred-and-twenty-three of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the eggy Dizzy: Prince of the Yolk Folk, the freaky Frankenstein and the boring Bully’s Sporting Darts and wonder… How many thumps would this lot get from Eddie Thumper? It’s all he does! Games covered in...

In the month of November 1992 some games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode two-hundred-and-twenty-two of Zapped to the Past, we start our look at some of those games, including the randomly frustrating Reckless Rufus, the overly Blue Baron, and the maudlin Match of the Day and wonder who thought a Filofax simulator was a good idea for one of the UK’s premier sports shows? Games covere...

In the month of October 1992 not many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode two-hundred-and-twenty-one of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at those games, including the speedy Slicks and the boring Bangers and Mash and wonder… with the end of this phase of the Podcast drawing ever near, what big book shaped surprises might we have coming up?  Games covered in this episode: S...

In the month of September 1992 not many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode two-hundred-and-twenty of Zapped to the Past, we start our look at some of those games, including the nifty Nobby the Aardvark and the catastrophic Count Duckula 2 and wonder how even with only 2 games, only 50% of them are good!? Games covered in this episode: Nobby the Aardvark Count Duckula 2 Find us he...

In the month of September 1992 many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode two-hundred-and-nineteen of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the coveted Cool Croc Twins, the boring Bionic Ninja and the naysaying Narco Police and wonder…how many times has podcast chum ‘Brown Sauce’ walked out of a movie theatre and complained about the adverts?  Ga...

In the month of August 1992 many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode two-hundred-and-eighteen of Zapped to the Past, we start our look at some of those games, including the flaccid Fighting Soccer, the boring Big Game Fishing, and the empty Elvira 2, and wonder why anyone wouldn’t be interested in the finer details of white balancing videos… Games covered in this episode: Elvira 2...

In the month of August 1992 many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode two-hundred-and-seventeen of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the second class Stuntman Seymour, the disappointing Die Hard 2 and the nettlesome Nightbreed and wonder… is Seymour to Dizzy what Scrappy Doo is to Scooby Doo?  Games covered in this episode: Stuntman Seymour...

In the month of August 1992 many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode two-hundred-and-sixteen of Zapped to the Past, we start our look at some of those games, including the delayed Daffy Duck, the woeful World Cricket, and the jarring James Pond 2, and wonder just who thought it was a good idea to make a game out of a cricket score board? Games covered in this episode: Daffy Duck W...

In the month of July 1992 many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode two-hundred-and-fifteen of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the blasty BugBomber, the incomprehensible Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, and the tepid Turbo the Tortoise, and wonder why is Indiana Jones green? GREEN!?   Also note the winner of the Christmas Clacker Co...

In the month of July 1992 many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode two-hundred-and-fourteen of Zapped to the Past, we start our look at some of those games, including the chunky Chuck Rock, the asinine Addams Family and the stupid Steiger and wonder… What exactly is a seventh sense and how does it come at you? Games covered in this episode: Chuck Rock Steigar DJ Puff’s Volcanic Ca...

In the month of June 1992 many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode two-hundred-and-thirteen of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the overly grey Over The Net, the Spectrum Horror of Seymour Goes to Hollywood, and the blasty Arnie and if you listen closely, you can clearly hear the moment Graham’s tolerance for Spectrum conversions snaps int...