Zapped to the Past

In the month of February 1987 many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode forty-four of Zapped to the Past, we look at some of those games, including the greedy Gauntlet, the hessian Highlander and the wholesome Heartland and wonder why so many games starting with the letter H appeared in one month! Games covered in this episode: Gauntlet  Highlander  Harvey Headbanger  Hypaball Sky...

In the month of January 1987 many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode forty-three of Zapped to the Past, we look at some of those games, including the bounder-alike Bulldog, the bewildering Bazooka Bill, and the craptacular Captured, and wonder…at what point did developers decide that normal jumping just wasn’t enough any more… Games covered in this episode: Super Huey 2 Captured...

In the month of January 1987 many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode forty-two of Zapped to the Past, we look at some of those games, including the futuristic Flash Gordon, the calamitous Camelot Warriors and the peculiar Panther, and wonder… should there be more tinned meat shoot 'em ups in the world? Games covered in this episode: Flash Gordon  Assault Machine Camelot Warriors ...

As a final farewell to 1986, we look back over the year and the games from the issues of Zzap from January to December 1986, selecting some of the titles we have played for our prestigious Zapped to the Past awards. Which game will be heralded as having the ‘Best Visuals’ or win the ‘Best Music’ or the ‘Sunday Best Award?’ There is only one way to find out! The running order of the awards: Introdu...

In the month of December 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode forty of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the foreboding Fist II: The Legend Continues, the diabolical Dante’s Inferno and the twitch-speed Trailblazer, and wonder… How far would your beard reach by the time you completed all 10,000 levels of The Sentinel? Games covere...

In the month of December 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode thirty-nine of Zapped to the Past, we explore some of those games, including the unmistakable Uchi Mata, the eye rolling Bobby Bearing and the sumptuous Sacred Armour of Antiriad, and wonder... where can you get to play a decent game of Bagatelle these days?    Games covered in this episode: Boulderdash Constr...

In the month of November 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode thirty-eight of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the shooty Sanxion, the jumpy Jeep Command, and the alluring AlleyKat, and wonder…Where is my Ninja? Where is that Ninja friend of mine? Games covered in this episode: Sanxion Ninja Nomad Jeep Command (It’s) Clean Up Tim...

In the month of November 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode thirty-seven of Zapped to the Past, we explore some of those games, including the wonderful World Games, the japesome Jack the Nipper, and the daring Dan Dare, and wonder... How did the game ‘Craps’ ever become a thing? Games covered in this episode: World Games Room Ten Miami Dice Jack The Nipper Dan Dare The...

In the month of October 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode thirty-six of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the speedy Super Cycle, the cataclysmic Knight Rider, and the baroque Beyond the Forbidden Forest, and wonder… could Syd Little and Eddie Large have played the UK version of Crockett and Tubbs in a possible ‘Blackpool Vice’...

In the month of October 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode thirty-five of Zapped to the Past, we explore some of those games, including the impenetrable Iridis Alpha, the perplexing Parallax and the dreamy Druid, and wonder...  is ‘who did voodone?’ the correct past tense of ‘hoodoo voodoo’? Games covered in this episode: Iridis Alpha Spiky Harold W.A.R. Hoodoo Voodoo...

In the month of September 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode thirty-four of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the dull Dragon’s Lair, the woeful Way of the Tiger and the torturous Trap, and wonder… are there a bunch of princesses stuck in rescue limbo because the local knights were not daring enough to fight dragons and such? Ga...

In the month of September 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode thirty-three of Zapped to the Past, we explore some of those games, including the ghoulish Ghosts ‘n Goblins, the atypical Arac and the knockabout Knight Games, and wonder...  How many other evil villains hide their secrets in their household and office furniture?  Games covered in this episode: Ghosts ‘n Gob...

In the month of August 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode thirty-two of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the impressive Infiltrator, the spectrum-esque Saboteur and the laborious Legend of the Amazon women, and wonder… Do ninjas use black coloured toilet paper? Games covered in this episode: Tau Ceti ICUPS Ollo 1 & Ollo 2 Legen...

In the month of August 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode thirty-one of Zapped to the Past, we explore some of those games, including the sexless Sam Fox Strip Poker, the gouging Green Beret and the colourless Core and wonder... exactly how many Green Berets would make for a good henchman's breakfast? Games covered in this episode: Kik Start II (C128k Mention) Supersta...

In the month of July 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode thirty of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the bumbling Bombo, the starfaring Sentinel and the meandering Max Headroom and wonder… How many times does the word ‘egg’ appear in this episode? Games covered in this episode: Boulderdash 3 Bombo Biggles Solo Flight Plus Acro Je...

In the month of July 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode twenty-nine of Zapped to the Past, we explore some of those games, including the leisurely Leaderboard, the pugilistic Popeye and woeful World Cup Carnival and ponder the power of Madonna and her ability to get us to open our hearts to each other... Games covered in this episode: Leaderboard Popeye World Cup Carni...

In the month of June 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode twenty-eight of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the insatiable International Karate, the bumbling Bomb Jack and the slick Starquake and wonder if the Rovers Return is the most cursed pub in the world… Games covered in this episode: Spellbound  International Karate  Bomb J...

In the month of June 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode twenty-seven of Zapped to the Past, we explore some of those games, including the vexatious V, the floundering Fairlight and the cackling Cauldron II and wonder just how much burl and hair can you fit in one room at the same time… Games covered in this episode: V Spindizzy Empire Fairlight Cauldron II: The Pumpkin...

In the dandy month of May 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode twenty-six of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the sci-fi PSI 5 Trading Company, the maudlin Mugsy’s Revenge and stateside Super Bowl XX the and wonder if Pat McGroyne prefers to be called Patrick for obvious reasons… Games covered in this episode: PSI 5 Trading Compa...

In the dandy month of May 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode twenty-five of Zapped to the Past, we explore some of those games, including the gargantuan Geoff Capes Strongman Challenge, the hackneyed Hocus Focus and the therapeutic Thrust and wonder if a Geoff Capes bred super-budgie could take down a Tyrannosaurus Rex? Games covered in this episode: Geoff Capes Strong...

*An incomplete version of this was released in error. This is the full version of ep24* In the amiable month of April 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode twenty-four of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the temporal Time Tunnel, the nonsensical Nonterraqueous and the mystical Master of Magic and wonder why gnomes have time machin...

In the amiable month of April 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode twenty-three of Zapped to the Past, we look at some of those games, including the baffling Back to the Future, the spacey Starship Andromeda and the ropey Rock ‘n Wrestle and wonder... How often are raccoons guilty of bakery sabotage? Games covered in this episode: Zoids Back to the Future Starship Androm...

In the miserable month of March 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode twenty-two of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the home-run Hardball, the kicking Kung-Fu Master and the yawnsome Yabba-Dabba-Do and wonder... should we have yabadabbabothered? Games covered in this episode: Hardball Quake Minus One Kung-Fu Master Arc of Yesod D...

In the miserable month of March 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode twenty-one of Zapped to the Past, we look at some of those games, including the mysterious Mercenary, the dreary Dragonskulle and the unflinching Uridium and wonder what it would take to be a successful Mayor of Targ... Games covered in this episode: Mercenary Nightshade DragonSkulle Uridium One Man and...

In the frozen month of February 1986, many games were released for the Commodore 64. In episode twenty of Zapped to the Past, we conclude our look at some of those games, including the epic Eidolon, the fearful Friday the 13th and the dastardly Desert Fox and wonder... is a film soundtrack enough source material for a game? Games covered in this episode: The Eidolon Friday the 13th Revs Blade Runn...